Supporters of marijuana legalization rally at New York City Hall last November. Recent anti-racism protests have led some lawmakers to redouble their efforts to liberalize marijuana laws.Gabriele Holtermann-Gorden/Sipa USA via AP Images
Georgia’s strict drug laws encourage police officers to search for drugs during otherwise routine interactions, such as traffic stops, said Georgia state Sen. Harold Jones II, a Democrat and former prosecutor. That increases the odds of encounters escalating and turning violent.
“I just see so many interactions between police and citizens that are based on drug interactions — trying to find narcotics,” said Jones, who has put forward a bill that would reduce penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana.
“We as legislators are putting [police] in that situation,” he said, “because we’re demanding that they enforce this.”
Lawmakers and advocates who want to legalize marijuana, reduce penalties for possession or clear people’s criminal records of pot-related offenses have argued for years that drug policy is a social justice issue.
Now, as protests against racism and aggressive policing of Black and Hispanic neighborhoods sweep the nation, some lawmakers are making a related argument: Reducing marijuana penalties would reduce unnecessary confrontations between police and minority residents.
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2 comments:
Why not let these fool's so what they want?! Money. Why don't we allow people to kill themselves?? Money. Why don't we legalize drugs?? Money. If I were President. I would load up every C-130 we have with high grade drugs from South America. Parachute them over all the cities in the U.S. and watch. In 6 months we won't need drug treatment BULLSHIT. We won't need probation OFFICERS. You won't need drug courts. You can pretty much decrease the DOJ with this DEA NONSENSE. We won't have a deficit.
Well Put
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