US IL: Mayor Says Marijuana Prosecutions A Waste

[BigDaddyCaine]

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04.n1412.a04.html

Mayor Richard Daley, a former prosecutor, runs the nation's third-largest city with a pragmatic, law-and-order style.

So when he starts complaining about the colossal waste of time and money involved in prosecuting small-time marijuana cases, people take notice.

Daley said late last month that a police sergeant was on to something when he suggested that it might be better to impose fines between $250 and $1,000 for possession of small amounts of marijuana rather than prosecute the cases.

I dont know how the people of Illinois will react to this, but i would tell them to take their fines and shove it right up their ass. Dont pay a fine. Did you really do something worth paying $1000 for? You had a little weed on you, and now they want you to pay them. Fuck that. Dont pay them a dime, id rather do the time. If they really think youre a criminal they should have to pay to keep you imprisoned.

[ixion]

1. personally, I'd go for the fine

although I agree with you that it ought to be decriminalized all together.

Non violent pot smokers should not be jailed. It's a waste of a life, and a waste of taxpayer money, IMO.

[lightbulb]

2. A valiant point

but I doubt many would follow your lead. How many employers would be sympathetic to an employee calling from jail saying "sorry boss, I'll be out for a bit - doing time for a dime bag!"

Daley should carry this glimmer of logic to its natural conclusion and suggest complete decriminalization of this less-toxic/addictive/destructive-than-alcohol drug called cannabis.

[BigDaddyCaine]

6. true

but i am self employed so i guess my boss doesnt mind if i have to sit in jail awhile. :-)

[DenverDem]

3. Legalize it and tax it and we could pay off busholini's debt in a month.

It's about criminalizing the proletariat and suppressing consciousness raising substances.

If we were all smoking weed we'd see through the wrong wing prevarications so clearly that we would stop taking them seriously and just giggle at their ridiculousness.

[enfield collector]

7. Amen! n/t

[No2W2004]

4. Well, here in Chicago,

the media tried to make a big deal about it, but the people must have given it a resounding meh.. 'cause it's already out of the news.

The point Daley was trying to make isn't about pot at all, it's about tying up the courts with cases that no one cares about. Most of the time the "small amount" possesion charges are thrown out when the defendants AND the cops fail to show up to court. Daley suggested that the cops issue a ticket and that would be it. The person with the pot could just pay the ticket and eliminate the need for a court case.

[4morewars]

5. The entire "war on drugs" is a bunch of crap !

How do you have a war on a substance ? You don't ! You have a war on people, most notably, those on the left, and ethnic minorities. Don't get me started !

[benburch]

8. I knew there was a reason I like Daley!

Understand that once we decriminalize to fines-only, enforcement activity drops to nearly nil.

Then we can go back in a few years and totally legalize it.