As most of the public in New York know, that the Rockefeller drug policies are just unfair and insane. Passed in 1973 at the urging of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, New York’s Rockefeller drug laws established harsh mandatory sentences for people convicted of selling or possessing relatively small amounts of schedule I drugs(Marijuana, Cocaine, etc.) This “Drop the Rock” Campaign has been going on since the early 1990’s. The fall of Eliot Spitzer caused by his prostitution scandals, shines new light upon drug reform. Not only has this been a spending issue for the state, but also a widely known racial bias for the Blacks and Latinos. Now with a state budget, it is only right to reduce the spending of these harsh drug policies, and accept the truth that the “Drug War” is just wasteful. This can open the door to Medical Marijuana with the help of David Paterson.

David Paterson, New York’s first African-American lieutenant governor, is a great reformer and believer in true spending. With him in charge and that most of New York is now , the drug policies will surly change. This opens the door for many in New York to have the opportunity to access medical marijuana.

Robert Gangi, executive director of the watchdog group the Correctional Association of New York, says, “It gives us hope given that Paterson was an outspoken proponent of changing the Rockefeller drug laws in the past. But we are realists and we will continue to organize to hold him to his record.” Thirteen thousand New Yorkers (out of a total state prison population of 63,000) remain incarcerated under the Rockefeller laws, at a cost of $500 million per year to the state, according to Gangi. “The Rockefeller Drug Laws are wasteful, ineffective, unjust and marked by racial bias,” he says. “…They impact people on the margin of the trade, not the major perpetrators, not the major profiteers.”

the renewed push for Rockefeller reforms comes at a time when New York’s divided state legislature is on the verge of falling under full Democratic control. Paterson and the legislature are focused on an April 1st deadline to pass a state budget state in the face of a $4.5 billion shortfall. $ 500 million is a big chunk that can be taken from the $4.5 billion shortfall, is it really worth it to have such harsh penalties? and imprison so many people for something so small? I hope this sparks a new beginning in drug reform for New York, so that many Medical Marijuana activists like our selves can move in an push for what is right. Coast to Coast Medical Marijuana will have a HUGE effect on the united states.

 

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 at 1:39 pm

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and is filed under Daily Posts. Written by: Dr.Roots