6 months probation for cannabis possession
This is a vent/frustration post. Feel free to disagree, and disclaimer, this is not condoning the usage of any illicit substances. I'm just blowing off some steam about something I was told today and sharing my experience with mj.
Today, I went in to a preliminary hearing regarding my charges for possession of marijuana. My probation officer informed me that, if I choose to go to regular court, the average probation time for possession is 6 months. I was dumbfounded. In my state, Indiana, I've always known it's one of the worse ones to be in when it comes to cannabis laws, but hearing that blew my mind.
I've always prided myself on being a peace and love stoner. I smoke in the privacy of my own home, sometimes with friends, never drive high or hurt others. I love getting high because it gives me a chance to unwind and it helps a lot with my anxiety and depression; it even relieves some symptoms of my schizophrenia (not the case for everyone as it is known to cause psychosis in some!). It leaves me artistically inspired, relaxed, and with a feeling of absolute peace and security. It's helped me a lot with quitting self harm and many other things including disordered eating.
I'll never understand why I could be facing half a year's worth of probation for less than a gram of THC. It hurts knowing thousands of other people in my state are facing even harsher sentences for using this medicine. Weed isn't perfect, neither are most things that involve putting any form of smoke into your lungs, but no one has ever died from it. I just hate the fact that I and many others I know are still being impacted by these anti-drug laws deeply rooted in racism.
I'd love to hear other opinions but I'm mostly looking for emotional support as this has been entirely a traumatic experience, especially getting arrested.
(also, for anyone curious they did inform me my house arrest was officially over! tomorrow my friends and i are having a party at a local park to celebrate and i'm so excited to hug them after all this time)
@sapphiremoon914 I would discourage young people, even young, legal adults from using it for recreational purposes as we don't really seem to have a good understanding about who will have long term negative effects but use when young seems to be a factor. Medically - hopefully prescribers are picking the best medication.
The judicial consequence is certainly over the top in your area though. I am for fines and eventual licence removal for a business that sells illegally. So very different that individual use!
I also agree there's a lot of racism as well as targeting other marginalized groups when it comes to enforcement.
I hope your record will one day be fully cleared.
No argument from me, Sapph. I don't condone smoking in general for a reason similar to yours...inhaling smoke into one's lungs is not the best for health. Having said that, I am opposed to the War On (Some) Drugs. It's one of the few political positions I have that has not changed all that much since I was younger. Drug addiction is indeed a problem in our society but it is basically a medical problem as well as a reaction to the more unfulfilling aspects of modern life. It should not be treated as a crime! More to the point, marijuana is non-addictive in general & has never killed anybody--which is more than can be said for certain legal substances, i.e. alcohol.
Hope your party was a great one (by the time you read this).
@sapphiremoon914
I totally hear your hurt, pain, and righteous frustration/anger... And when you said that it hurts knowing others are facing even harsher penalties in a state with obsolete/racist/uneducated and, as we know, oppressive drug and cannabis laws...
I am so sorry you had to go through the unnecessary shaming. In a different imaginary reality, I like to remember that peace and love prevail and so do sense and logic. It sounds like you were and are not hurting anyone, and that you have a grounded appreciation of what the medicine does for you.
As an Oregonian Cups-er, I support you in having done what works for you (without of course, like you said, condoning or not). And I'm really appreciating the thought of that wonderful party--I hope you have an amazing time and let yourself heal and rest from this stressful and unnecessarily punitive experience you went through!