Quote:
Originally Posted by GrumpyOldMan
Yup, and redirect all the money (BILLIONS) we spend every year locking people up for smoking MJ, into drug treatment facilities for people that get into things over their heads and they can then get back into the workforce and start paying taxes again.
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Right now they're costing the taxpayer billions. They get free food, water, shelter, clothing, a stipend, plus work credits, college degree if they want it, legal assistance, and housing assistance when they get out. And of course since they're now an ex-con, they're not eligible for most jobs, or business loans, and the jobs they CAN get are mostly minimum wage. So they end up stuck in the circular cycle of crime, and we the people whine about how all these criminals are living on the taxpayer dollar.
Here's an idea: you can make these folks NOT be criminals, by making use and possession of cannabis legal. At the very least, it should be legal for medical use, and controlled for recreational use (like, you can ingest whatever, but can't smoke it anywhere in public, and fines/penalties/jail time for driving while under the influence, just as it is now with any other drug).