true but does it matter if the people doing it know that u can go to freaking JAIL for it and they just keep on doing it.
no racial bias isn't going to change that.

I used to be one of those pricks who would be pissed at people for doing drugs. I have never smoked, drank alcohol (excluding a curious sip), and never did drugs, so what the fuck do I have to complain about if I never did it? I do have a problem with people who do it a lot, and not responsibly. I can't exactly condone the activity, because it goes against what I believe in (that drugs aren't a necessity), but it's personal preference. Hey, I have enough shit to deal with that I should change, so it's not a lot different. I'm currently addicted to caffeine, so while the drug is different, I'm still addicted to something. Perhaps I'm worse off in my own eyes than someone who does a bit of marijuana in moderation.

I feel bad, Eagle. It's easy to maintain a mentality of "his actions, his fault". I try not to get too wrapped up in other people's problems, even family, but when it is friends or family, it's hard not to. But, then again, you do have to keep that mentality. He is your brother, and that brotherly love is something I myself have only grown to cherish as I've grown older, but his actions can't affect you. I don't know, man... I'm also tired, so my words may not make a lick of sense.

well ... i could go on and on about my support for a war on drugs (i have no idea how the US does it or anything but i'm pretty against drugs and i'm not really all that hoo haa over this personal freedom thing) but meh .. thats not really what the thread is about ...

Eagle, i'm not too familar with american laws but does that 3 strike thingamajig come into effect for soemthign like this? I heard about the law and though i see where it comes from, i find it stupid.
Does he have money for a lawyer or anything? You did mention him smoking up multiple times a day. How does that effect his behaviour? I think even more than jail, i would be concerned about that a bit. Though we hear all the time about weed having no addictive or bad qualities to it, its really not all that true. It has the potential of destroying lives and if you think it somehow effects his judgement on things, you should speak to him about it. In any case, whether you think drinking beer or smoking up weed should be an issue or not, as long as its the law and you're on probation, you should speak to him about being a little responsible for himself, sometimes, we just need to conform to the will of society in order to not screw up our own lives further .. that or put up a clear stance.

Sorry K, this is tough but if I have any sense of this I'll say he probably won't actually get jailed. Its possession, not sale, he put no one in harm, and well, he's white. I think the "drug war" is a bit of a joke, and its one thing to try to catch sales, etc, but what people do in their own home as long is it doesn't hurt anyone is really not a public concern. If it involved violence in the domestic realm, I'd worry about that, but pot doesn't really do that. On the other hand, the guy was on probabtion and failed a drug test which is not the wisest move. I would worry more about his habits, since he knew he could get tested and still couldn't stop, I'd be more worried about addiction that incarceration. Perhaps you should talk to him, because as much as I don't think it matters if people smoke up in their houses, apparently the police do, and that is going to affect the rest of his life. If he has a misdeamenor on his record employment is much tougher, etc. So someone needs to tell him to clean up, at least until he's not being watched closely. This sounds like a whole string of errors, the first being that law enforcement even cares if someone smokes and drink (yes krem and makeshift, it is an extension of prohibition and we should have learned by now prohibition didn't work) and the second error being that since they do care, your brother hasn't been all that careful.

I wouldn't be all that morally condemning, since smoking a little and drinking some is not worthy of such attention, but I would speak to him pragmatically about how since he unfortunately fell into this situation he needs to be intelligent about getting out of it.

Sorry to hear about the bad luck, which is what it is, but I don't think he'll get hit with too heavy an offense. probably a year of volunteer service and some classes. Keep us updated and don't worry too much about it, I don't think its too severe. I hope things work themselves out and get better quickly?

baba, the three strikes law is a California law, so it wouldn't apply here. Besides, even in California, the policy is to apply it to violent offenders only.

And dolce, I would just like to add, that even sales of drugs shouldn't be targeted. I mean, how can you make the case for something to be illegal to sell, but legal to consume? If you buy something that's illegal, you're an accomplice in crime. The law has to be changed so that drugs are not being treated specially. I'm in favor of anti-drug education programs, though.

Hmmm, well, the law is there, if he broke it, then he deserves to be punished like anyone else.

Meh, I don't even really mind selling, but it has more to do with methods of aquisition to me. I guess if it was legal those wouldn't be as problematic? I would prefer they were just regulated but accessable. Its your own choice how you screw yurself over if you want to. Anyone who wants to be escapist will find a way, and pill popping is so regular by now who is to say that half the stuff available isn't pretty damn similar o half the stuff that isn't. I won't say I'm 100% fine with everything, there are certain drugs that lead to violent tendencies etc, that shouldn't really be encouraged, or perhaps, like drunk driving, shouldn't even be legal. But if its just something passive in your home or at a party go ahead. Classes are important, but so is understanding why someone would want to perpetually "escape" their reality. Growing populations of disillusioned and alienated people are as much the cause of drug use as a symtpom of it. I don't know. I don't think it should be a free for all, but I also don't like our current approach either.

You're exactly right; if drugs were legal to sell, then most of the crime related to drugs (which is the majority of organized crime) wouldn't even exist. I mean, if Philipp Morris manufactured your joints, it's not like they would be doing it on the corner in North Philly. Of course, I'm even against regulation, but I could live with it.

Yeh, but Drugs ARENT legal. End of.