Webb: Pot legalization 'on the table' in prison reform effort

[babylonsister]

:wow:

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/23/webb-pot-legalization-on-the-table-in-prison-reform-effort/

Webb: Pot legalization 'on the table' in prison reform effort
@ 10:24 am by Michael O'Brien


The leader of a congressional effort to reform the criminal justice system said Thursday that all issues — including drug legalization — need to be on the table.

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who has made criminal justice and prison reform a signature issue of his this year in Congress, is the most high-profile lawmaker to indicate openness to drug decriminalization or outright legalization.

"Well, I think what we need to do is to put all of the issues on the table," Webb said this morning on CNN if asked if marijuana legalization would be part of his criminal justice reform efforts.

"If you go back to 1980 as a starting point, I think we had 40,000 people in prison on drug charges, and today, we have about 500,000 of them," the first-term Virginia lawmaker said. "And the great majority of those are nonviolent crimes — possession crimes or minor sales."

Webb joins several other lawmakers who have called for the exploration of legalized pot, amidst a drug war in Mexico fueled by revenues from American drug sales.

"I think they should examine every aspect of drugs policy to see what's working and what's not working, and where the consistencies are and, quite frankly, where the inconsistencies are in terms of how people end up in the system with similar activities," Webb explained, reiterating his call for a high-level blue ribbon commission to reform the criminal justice system.

"Nothing should be off the table," he said.

[Deep13]

1. There's still a war on drugs?

I thought drugs won that war.

[JonLP24]

7. You can't call it a war

Wars end. -The Wire 2003

[NowHearThis]

2. Not gonna happen, in my opinion.

There may be some nibbling around the edges but that's about it. Too many special interests have been allowed to become powerful special interests, and besides, the public is hypocritical enough to allow their fears to influence their political representatives.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

3. I think you're wrong, IMHO...........

I think there is an unprecedented public groundswell on this issue. Too many states are either decriminalizing or allowing the use of MM, too many folks are learning about the sheer numbers of folks in jail for non-violent drug crimes and the situation in Mexico has self-destructed to the point where its untenable to stay the same.

Ostensibly, the cat is already halfway out of the bag. Pot may never be truly "legal", but it'll never go back to the way it was - I'm seeing a decrim scenario nationally. The horribly destructive WOD has assured the sea change in attitudes.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Senator Webb is doing a great thing

by bringing prison reform to the table. For that alone, I see him as a hero. Legalization should be a part of that discussion. In fact, it must be. I say Senator Webb is a good man for thinking about some of the least among us, while others have forgotten them. May the road rise to meet him.

[peace frog]

5. Decriminalization is inevitable although

it may take several more years to reach. The war on drugs is unsustainable as it is and has been for the last 30+ years.

[babylonsister]

10. And for 30+ years it hasn't been done. We can hope. nt

[peace frog]

11. IMO it took 30+ years to become obvious

even to the most stubborn Congresscritter that the war on drugs has failed epically. Webb's drive to make significant changes is proof of this realization.

[merh]

6. if the pharmaceutical corps could get the patent

it would be legalized tomorrow.

[babylonsister]

9. VERY good point. Too true. nt

[Dogtown]

8. It could happen

Wouldn't that be nice?!

:smoke: