OFF THE WIRE
"Or
the Justice Department could keep its hands off, perhaps continuing the
approach the feds have largely taken for some time — focusing scarce
resources on major violators, such as big growers that might serve
multi-state markets, cultivators using public lands or dispensaries near
schools. The last option is clearly best.
It’s unrealistic and
unwise to expect federal officials to pick up the slack left by state
law- enforcement officers who used to enforce marijuana prohibitions
against pot users and small-time growers. Unrealistic, because it would
require lots more resources. Unwise, because filling prisons with users,
each given a criminal stain on his or her record, has long been
irrational. For the latter reason, we favor decriminalizing possession
of small amounts of pot, assessing civil fines instead of locking people
up. Also, for that reason and others, the Justice Department should
hold its fire on a lawsuit challenging Colorado and Washington’s
decision to behave more leniently."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
It’s unrealistic and unwise to expect federal officials to pick up the slack left by state law- enforcement officers who used to enforce marijuana prohibitions against pot users and small-time growers. Unrealistic, because it would require lots more resources. Unwise, because filling prisons with users, each given a criminal stain on his or her record, has long been irrational. For the latter reason, we favor decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot, assessing civil fines instead of locking people up. Also, for that reason and others, the Justice Department should hold its fire on a lawsuit challenging Colorado and Washington’s decision to behave more leniently."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
