Self-interest likely behind drug disparity bill
Lewis DiuguidIt’s great that the Missouri House on Thursday endorsed legislation that would reduce the disparity in sentencing for people convicted on crack vs. powder cocaine charges.
The existing laws are a hangover from the failed war-on-drug days, dating back to the Reagan administration when crack menaced American cities. Minorities were disproportionately and negatively affected by those laws because they were the ones more likely to get arrested using the poor person’s version of cocaine.
The new bill change would help equalize things. People currently convicted of producing and possessing more than 2 grams of crack face the same sentences as persons with more than 150 grams of cocaine.
The new bill would boost the making or possessing of crack to more than 28 grams before they can be charged with the crime of drug trafficking.
But just as crack offenses have caused more African Americans to go to prison, meth now is doing the same to white offenders, recent studies show. Look for liberalized laws on meth to hit a legislature in your area soon.
George Hunsucker
Northland
1 year, 1 month agoWe should legalize all drugs and just tax it, going to reduce the obama deficit!
Phil Cardarella
1 year, 1 month agoTwo guys of limited intelligence decide to go into the cantalope business. They drive their truck out into the country and buy cantalopes for $1 each. then they come back into the city and sell the cantalopes — fot $1 a piece.
They sell a bunch of cantalopes, but after a while, even the dimmer of the pair notices that they are not making any money.
They ponder the problem and decide on a solution: They buy a bigger truck.
This is our criminal justice system’s approach towards drug abuse: Spend more money locking up more folks, even though it obviously does not work.
Heck, even GEORGE WILL — not a bleeding heart by any means — has written that we need to reaccess the basic premise of drug prohibition.
So, while it is good news that the Legislature has taken this basic step towards fairness in sentencing, it is just tinkering with the carburator of that truck.
The First Rule of Holes is not to use a smaller shovel. When you find yourself in a hole? QUIT DIGGING!