Weed Is What We Need

Criminal Law 122(Spring 2012) Group # 3(Team Detectives) Professor Whitaker By: Aaron Roundtree, Phedencia Prentice, Jodyne Ambrose, And Holden John-Rose

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The Situation

42.6% of American high school seniors have admitted to having smoked marijuana at some point in their lives. (2008 Drugabuse.gov) As it stands now, in the eyes of our government, each and every one of these people, are criminals.

The Result
Judicial systems are overpopulated accounts Marijuana with for which felony small time marijuana trials, 15,000cost the arrests every year government big money. Some cases are in the in local, even caused by contradictions state of state, and federal laws. California alone. These arrests cost the state about $100 million each year.

(California division of NORML article: Marijuana a Costly and Wasteful War )

In 2008, the total number of drug related arrests in the country was, 1,702,537. Of those, 754,224 were for marijuana possession alone. Imagine what these arrests must cost the government if 15,000 arrests in California costs

NORML CA./Drugwarfacts

The Reform

Legalization of this substance would eliminate the need to make these arrests, and save taxpayers and our government billions of dollars Proposed legalization plans would not only save money but produce money for our country and could help make a significant impact on our nations debt. It was stated in the previously mentioned California NORML article, that Californians consume between 3 and 6 billion dollars worth of cannabis each year, which would amount to $250-500 million in sales taxes alone, if purchased from the government instead of foreign importers and street dealers. Keep in mind that these statistics are for California ALONE

Saving money is the most widespread reason why some may want to legalize marijuana. By that I mean, this side of the argument can speak to the largest number of people, since all Americans would be affected financially, but it is not the only reason.

In 2008, 14 US states had enacted laws to legalize the use, prescription, and distribution of medicinal marijuana. These states being: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

The remaining 38 states refuse to provide this option to thousands of cancer, HIV, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis patients as well as people suffering from depression.

Modern science has found many uses for marijuana as a medicinal remedy, and there are surely many more that have not yet been discovered. A large part of the reason for this is because of the substances illegality. It is extremely hard for researchers and scientists to experiment with marijuana because it is illegal. The possible uses of this plant could be endless, but until it is legalized, researchers wont be able to do the tests that they need to in order to identify other positive characteristics of this substance.

Whats Next

As Rob Kampia stated in an article on Alternet, the war on pot costs $42 billion dollar a year, isnt there a better way to spend that amount of money. He suggested hiring 880,000 school teachers at a salary of $47,602 per year. Or give it back to the tax payers, that would be $140 dollars to every single person in the US. There are better ways we could be spending this money, while generating billions more. There are many ways to get active and change these laws such as writing letters, phoning, or visiting legislators with your opinions.

The USVI chapter of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is based on St Thomas. They serve as our link to those of you who would like to be For local VI and Federal officials that have actively make a the power to involved in the legalization change movement, our USVI chapter needs Action can be as simple as members, volunteers, protestors, and making a commitment to petitioners. stay aware of this movements effort, (join NORMLs Facebook page) or mailing a pre-written letter to your local government.

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USVI/Washington D.C. NORML

Virgin Islands NORML

1510 Longworth House Office Building, USVI NORML PO Box of Columbia 20515-5501 District 535 St. Thomas, VI 00804 Phone: (202) 225-1790 Voice(202) 225-5517 Fax: (304) 244-9179 lovingadler@gmail.com http://norml.org
Martin Fredericks(Director),

usvinorml.org Officers: Linda Adler (Executive Director),

Barbara LaRonde(Director), Scott Wood (Director), Condon John (Director)