Section: addictions, money, children
Dear Ann Landers,
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A Note from Margo:
Hi! It's Margo here. I'd love to know what you think of the letters -- and the answers!
Also, any additional thoughts you might have. Thanks!
Also, any additional thoughts you might have. Thanks!
Reader Comment
Regardless of people's opinions, marijuana is still illegal. I don't care how good of a boy your son is, he broke the law.
Careful's Comment
Imprisonment is ludicrous!!! A fine or civic duty might be more fitting to this "crime".
You’ll probably just call me a stoner's Comment
There is a huge problem with our justice system in general. Addiction shouldn’t be a crime, it should be treated like the health condition it is. Now that I’ve stepped on that soap box, let’s get to the topic at hand. Marijuana has medicinal properties and shouldn’t be illegal. As someone that deals with chronic pain and severe anxiety, it makes it so I can actually live and enjoy my life more than I could without it. That potential sentence is insane and I hope your son gets a competent lawyer to assist in making sure he doesn’t have to serve that much time. I wish you both the best.
Snoop's Comment
Drugs are illegal because they cause harm. Illicit drugs are problematic for everyone because they impair the user and when the user uses, their behavior affects others: driving a vehicle (DUI), performing surgery, calculating measurements, counting money, recording information, etc. And when/if they get it wrong, it will be because they are 'high'. When/If they cause the death or disability of another while 'high' it will be a crime that is increased due to being deliberately reckless for using illicit drugs where harming others or even themselves becomes the burden for other to respond to. Illicit drugs cause brain damage (i.e. that is the resulting impairment/'high'). The 'intent to distribute' charge is based on the amount of the drug a person has. Usually if the amount is significantly more than a person would use for oneself more than 1-2 uses, then it is 'intent to distribute'. This threshold varies from state to state. There are plenty of reasons to avoid using street drugs, not the least among them being because they are often laced with other drugs that aren't formulated with any oversight or reliable compounding skills and this leads to imminent harm, possibly permanent in nature.
sf's Comment
The crime do not fit the time, I am a mother of a addict and instead of the system helping him with rehab, they continue to lock him up with murder's, rapists' and all kinds of bad people. I learn that the system turn our children into criminals, in jail they learn how to do all kinds of criminals acts. My son has lost all his 20s and most of his 30s in jail, he has now found the Lord, he has gotten off drugs (yes they have more drugs in jail then they do on the street) and ready to lead a productive life. With no help from our justice system.
Caruso's Comment
The Crime does not fit the time. It should be a day in jail at most.
J's Comment
Illegal drugs continue into worsening and more addictive drugs. Drug use causes thefts to pay for them, murder for the same. Your "good" boy is a criminal and is going down an evil road. Back up the justice system and get him some help!
LcJ's Comment
Is the mum sure she was truly talking to her son? This is such a popular scam, that's the first thing that went through my mind! She didn't say they asked for money though and the scammers always do.
Reader Comment
All those "He's a criminal!" comments just floor me. You do realize there are inmates with lesser sentences for murder? For rape?
I've never heard of anyone being killed in a car accident because of a marajuana user. I've never heard of bar fights because of some idiots on pot. But go ahead and have another cocktail.
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