NORML introduces a few new regular blog items for 2010:
-Letters From The Victims Of Marijuana Prohibition
-NORML’s Reefer Madness Du Jour
–Who Do I Want To Smoke A Joint With And Why?
NORML is in constant contact with thousands of victims of cannabis prohibition on a weekly basis. The organization is flooded with calls, letters and emails from citizens ill-effected by cannabis prohibition laws, from getting arrested and going to prison to civil forfeiture, child custody, revocation of drivers license, removal of student loans and workplace drug testing.
Below is a prime, firsthand account of how what appears to be a minor cannabis offense can seriously impair a person’s ability to live the most productive and prosperous life possible because they chose to relax with cannabis, as compared to alcohol.
The soldier below, who got busted in what is technically speaking a decriminalized state for cannabis possession, aptly points out the hypocrisy of the government to hire him into the National Guard and Army, but, because of a minor cannabis bust years ago, he still can’t get a minimum wage job in corporate retail big box stores. These same corporate brand names often claim to support and honor the men and women who serve in the military.
It would be one thing if the government’s war on cannabis consumers was actually effective, or that when citizens were busted in the prohibition they’d repent, defer to the government’s rationale for the prohibition laws and necessarily feel good about the taxing and stressful experience. There is no correlation to greater number of arrests equating to less cannabis use. Instead, since 1965, 20 million citizens in America come out on the backside of an interaction with prohibition laws and typically develop less respect for authority and the government, and perceive police as adversaries rather than public servants. It makes them jaded about the words and promise of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. It makes some citizens on the fringes developing an anti-government attitude so strident that they advocate violent revolt.
Why is any of this good in a democracy that relies on trust, respect and fidelity to basic institutions, institutions founded in America’s basic values, largely rationality and reason?
NORML thanks SPC Hunt, and hundreds of thousands of men and women in America’s armed forces, for making great sacrifice and taking risks to keep the country as safe as it can be.
Cannabem liberemus and godspeed Specialist Hunt!
To whom it may concern:
My name is SPC L. D. Hunt. I am 28 years old, a loving husband, and very proud father of an amazingly smart little boy. I am also currently in Iraq. I am writing to you in hopes that maybe my story can help motivate some of you to continue the fight you are bravely acting out in on behalf of the American people.
In May 2002 I was arrested in Brunswick county, NC for possession of less than one half ounce of marijuana. At the time I was in my care in a private area but I was unaware of laws at the time dealing with search warrants, etc. The police officer who arrested me drilled the hell out of me. Questioning me and making subtle threats against myself and my occupants, I agreed for him to search me personally. I told him of the bags and the bowl in my pockets and he promptly put me in cuffs and began to tear my car apart. After the search I was taken to the magistrates office and booked. I was given a court date and told to return. The cute part about that was when I was getting out of the police car, the bags were on the center console and when the officer got out, his elbow knocked one of the bags down into the floor between the seat and the console. When I informed him of what happened, he told me “not to worry about it”…
A few weeks later came my court date. I went to court to represent myself, ready to accept whatever punishment they were going to give me. I told the judge in a very professional manner of my mistake and my willingness to go along with the sentencing. I was given a $100.00 fine and 1 year of unsupervised probation. When I received the judgement I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that the worst part was over, when in fact, it was just beginning.
I consider myself a good worker, especially in terms of customer relations in sales positions. I was also working on getting back into college and moving on with my life. But it became quickly apparent that nearly all employers would not hire me. Target, Walmart, and many other places wanted nothing to do with me, all while I watched them hire people with felonies and much harsher police records on them. I couldn’t figure out for the life of me how minding my own business and using such a small amount of plant material could cost me worse treatment than a car thief or someone with an assault record. To this day I still can’t figure the logic in it. Needless to say this affected my finances very quickly.
The next few years proved to be extremely trying as the only work I could get were at construction and jobs I had no experience in and I was not good in. I felt like I was forced into a position that made me constantly searching for new work as with that industry in NC the amount of work available was dependent on my employer’s success at acquiring new contracts. This did not bode well for trying to pay bills, go to college, and keep a healthy relationship with my wife.
In 2005 things came to an extremely bad climax and I was without work, none was available, and there was nowhere among the dozens of job applications I put in that would give me a second thought due to my conviction. All but one. And it was the one place I laughed at the thought of being hired: The North Carolina National Guard. The decision to join wasn’t very hard when I found out that with a simple letter I could be approved to put my life at risk for my country. Once again I wondered about the ethical and moral stance that places like Walmart, Target, and the other giant companies took when it came to hiring. How could I be rejected at a Walmart or a McDonalds and be hired in an instant by the US government? When the paperwork was over I was among the newest of the NCNG’s medics. I chose that job since I figured it would be a great career path and it allowed me to help stop my brothers and sisters from dying. As a medic I knew I could make a difference.
After I completed my training and returned home I was immediately put on the Katrina relief duty and worked extremely hard, trying to earn the respect of my fellow soldiers, which I can proudly say I did. I recieved an award for my service there and I still work with that ethic in mind. I thought once again that due to my hard efforts to make myself into a better person, those put in a position to judge me would see those efforts and be proud to hire a US soldier. I was wrong. Very wrong.
I was thrust back into the same position I was in before I joined. I almost regretted joining the Guard since it was temporary, I talked with my superiors about going into active service but talk of a deployment was in the air. And the lady who stood beside me and supported me through all this was hesitant to see me join as she did not want me to go off like this, but she knew it was something I had to do. So I held onto the thought of being deployed with my unit and the men and women who became like a second family to me. Weeks turned into months, and they in turn, into years. I fought extremely hard to get whatever work I could until I ran into a manager who worked at a local Pizza Hut who did not do background checks and just ignored it when I told her of my record. So there I was, a US soldier, now working part time at a fast food chain. I couldn’t get a job as an EMT with the Brunswick county government due to my record either. The government’s double standards were hurting me indeed.
Fast forward to 2008. I was finally being deployed. I had months before hand to keep working so I decided I needed a second job. I figured it had been 6 years and I was in great standing with the national guard so an employer would understand and hopefully have a spot for me. I went to a local Walmart again that was having trouble keeping employees, I went in dressed in a full business suit and told them directly, I wanted a managers position. I know I could drive sales, I know I could be an extremely valuable asset to a company like that. The store manager was eager to hire me. That is, until the corporate level called and told them absolutely not, that there was no chance they would hire me. So here I was, a medic with the Army, with a wife and a child on the way, forced into a spot to work whatever odd jobs I could find and forced to move in with my parents because I simply could not do anything working for $7.00 an hour part time. I was not allowed to go active because of stop loss for my unit. With the help of my family I finally made it to active status when our time to train was here.
Now at the end of 2009 I have confirmed that my conviction should be off my record by now and it should not pose a problem with any more hiring. I don’t count on that one. I have moved to Rhode Island with my wife where I plan on using my training to join an EMT unit while I go to school for an RN degree, and eventually a PA as I have been told by several Drs now that my talent for health care is extremely good.
To this day I still laugh that these vicious groups attacking marijuana have done so much damage. I hope they are proud that the have helped to make a US soldier out to be a monster despite being the man responsible for the medical supplies of 1000 troops, has ran dozens of missions outside our base in support of Iraqi Freedom, has helped to save the lives of soldiers and Iraqis, and has time and time again earned awards from the Army due to my service. I am proud of my service. I love my country. I am extremely blessed to have the chance to do what I do. But despite all the support my country says it has, it casts a blind eye on me at the same time. It worries me, it keeps me up at night. But I can’t help it. My life was ruined because of a $10.00 bag of marijuana that I was going to use and then watch a movie in the privacy of my own home.
Please continue to do the great work you do. Maybe one day we can prevent cases like mine and others. These insane groups think they are doing the country a favor and yet they are doing nothing short of alienating people and forcing them to lead lives that they should not be forced into. Big companies such as Walmart, Target, Dillards, and many others preach constantly about how much they support our soldiers and yet would not give me the time of day because I stood up and admitted to having a very small bag of pot in my pocket. Not a selling charge, not doing anything reckless, just minding my own business and trying to enjoy myself. To me, that is a disgusting way of doing business. I feel they should remove their constant statements of support for the troops until they realize what their policies actually DO to some of the soldiers. I know I am not the only soldier in the military with past drug charges. In fact, I know most of my medical platoon at some point has done drugs, and we avidly support the legalization of marijuana. If it was legal we would still do it, but when we relax and hang out together the only thing we have is alcohol and we see what that does to a person’s body and mind…
It’s a shame.
In closing, thank you for your time, if you feel like sharing my story with others, that’s fine. I can only pray that it helps to prevent these things from happening again. I love my country but I hate the fact that so many feel it’s necessary to take away our freedoms and lie to keep up their efforts at turning innocent people and soldiers into outcasts. Please keep up the good fight, I will continue to pray for NORML and all those involved with it.
God Bless,
SPC L. D. Hunt
1-120th Archangel Medics
FOB Mahmudiyah, Iraq
It appears to be legal to discriminate in hiring based on the results of a drug test, so I assume it is legal to only hire people who test positive for pot. If a few small businesses openly did that we’d probably be on track for a review of the constitutionality of this whole mess in no time.
The hidden draft… give marijuana convicts who aren’t independently wealthy only 1 option: join the military. Remember that Obama has only increased our wars and increased the pentagon budget. He is thriving off of the military-industrial complex. He is absolutely not our guy to legalize/reform marijuana. The only way we will get a true reform president will be to put one who actually believes in peace.
I have high hopes for our country in the future, but stories like these really depress me about the present.
We’re shooting ourselves in the foot with policies like these, and yet they are proven to be the hardest to change.
dude thats sad man its not that bad but i think the cop stole the weed man thats awesome how it ended it was amazing.
This story is truely touching, I was also in a similar situation when I was younger. I could not find a job anywhere because of a simple possession charge so I eventually had no choice but to join The Navy just so I could make money to pay my bills. The fact that companies in this country are so against anyone who has ever had a criminal history with drugs is simply rediculous!
Even after I got out of the Navy I was still hard pressed to find a job simply because of the minor possession charge that still on my record!
Hopefully, one day, with the help of oranizations like you we can see a change in these incredulous laws and rulings.
god bless you and your family and i hope you do ok in this high unemployment state of ri
We really need more and more of our soldiers, both active and retired, to speak out about the negatives of cannabis prohibition…. there are tons of people who are anti-cannabis that would trust the words of our nations soldiers MUCH more than they would trust the words of our politicians and police.
I truly hope this story makes the MSM and gets out. I also hope many more stories come out of it from other soldiers.
The marijuana movement; cannabis culture; pot party; weed…. dont have a word for weed.. help me out folks… is almost its own lobbying force… we have grown so big that its almost impossible not to hear our cries and feel our power….. hopefully kellogs, paypal and chase bank are feeling our power as we speak
This is extremely sad, and sickening. My wife also had a much worse conviction, did 6 months in jail and was on probation. Answering to an asshole parole officer and getting piss tested weekly. She couldn’t find work, and even now that her record is expunged, they still hold it against her. This country makes me sick.
Dont look to Indiana for help.
Dear Mr. and Mrs.
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts and concerns regarding the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
As you may know, marijuana is the most popular illicit drug in the United States. Its effect on the health of users, although not as destructive as other popular drugs like cocaine or heroin, nevertheless offers cause for concern. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that marijuana often serves as a gateway to more dangerous drug use.
I am deeply troubled by the excessive use of illicit drugs in our society and the damaging social consequences that result from such behavior. Fighting drugs that undermine the health of individuals, youth, families, and communities has always been a priority of mine. Currently, there is no pending legislation proposing the legalization of marijuana. If such legislation is introduced, however, I will not support it.
Thank you for contacting me. I hope the information I have provided is helpful. My website, http://bayh.senate.gov, can provide additional details about legislation and state projects, and you can also sign up to receive my monthly e-newsletter, The Bayh Bulletin, by clicking on the link at the top of my homepage. I value your input and hope you will continue to keep me informed of the issues important to you.
Office of Senator Evan Bayh
(202) 224-5623
Russell 131
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. and Mrs.
Thank you for contacting me to share your support for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, especially as a treatment for service members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised that smoking or ingesting marijuana for medical purposes has many drawbacks as a pure drug and may be contaminated with pathogens such as mold and fungi. In addition, a study at the Harvard University Medical School showed that marijuana smoking makes a person five times more likely to have a heart attack. However, the FDA has also advised that the principal active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, is available as an oral prescription drug, Marinol. The Drug Enforcement Agency has classified Marinol as a schedule 3 drug, which means that doctors can prescribe it.
While I am mindful of the viewpoints expressed about marijuana legalization, I am against the legalization of controlled substances and will oppose any legislation that includes such measures. To lose the force of moral sanction behind anti?drug efforts is to lose a great deal. In my view, we must continue to emphasize education, early intervention, and rehabilitation, while harshly punishing those who traffic these dangerous substances.
Statistics indicate that while anti?drug education efforts are having positive effects in reducing the use of some controlled substances, the broad trend is still a cause for concern. Too many of our young people are still using illicit substances, and we must continue in our efforts to reduce this harmful trend. We must also emphasize the need to reduce abuse of legal, but harmful substances like alcohol and tobacco.
I believe that any successful program to reduce illegal drug use will hinge upon educational efforts aimed at preempting early experimentation with illicit drugs. Significant funding has been provided at the federal level for drug prevention, education, and treatment programs. I share no illusions that these programs will singularly reverse the tide of drug use in our country, but they will do much to advance this goal. We must use innovative tactics, on the supply and demand side, to reduce drug use in our society.
Again, thank you for contacting me to share your views on this issue. Knowing your thoughts is helpful to me.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Lugar
United States Senator
Hey, get a job working for a cannabis dispensary in Colorado or California. A lot of smaller employers actually state that if you have any marijuana convictions they won’t count that against you and as a matter of fact a possible plus. SCREW the big corporations, box and chain stores. Check out Oaksterdam University in Oakland, CA — and launch your career in cannabis!! SERIOUSLY man.
President Obama said something to the effect that marijuauna laws should be left up to the states to decide. I like that idea, but I think that a law needs to be introduced on the Federal level that would mandate all states to legalize marijuana. It would then be left up to the states to regulate it in their own specific way. I say this because sometimes things just get down right ridiculous on the way people are treated for non-violent crimes. For instance, I live in Louisiana and the marijuana laws here are very strict. This is especially true in the small towns and rural areas. I know of people who have been targeted by the police based off of common knowledge. Someone who is known in the community for selling marijuana will get pulled over by the police, and based off the common knowledge, not probable cause, the police will search the persons vehicle without permission. The police can find something as little as a marijuana seed and take that person to jail for finding “residue” in his/her vehicle. I know of quite a few people who have gone to jail for this type of nonsense. Like I said earlier though, this is an example of the type of attitude the police in the small towns and rural areas mostly have. In the big cities most police wouldn’t take a person to jail for a marijuana seed b/c there are more pressing and dangerous issues to deal with. I just think that it’s downright ludicrous that marijuana laws vary so much from state to state. Take California for example. A person can get a cannabis card, open up a facility and legally cultivate and sell medical marijuana and earn hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. Then you look at my state (Louisiana). A person will be thrown in jail with a felony charge, which will make it nearly impossible for them to get a decent job for the rest of their life,which will turn that person on to even more illegal activities just to survive. I feel a person should at least be able to go to any state within the U.S. and enjoy the same rights from one state to the next. I shouldn’t have to leave the state of Louisiana to enjoy the same benefits that person from California has. These strict laws, especially in the southern most states, give all the racist rednecks a platform to justify their mistreatment of minorities, but that’s another story.
I’m a landlord ,have seen this same story over and over.
I feel for you guy and hope some day we are all considered Americans again. All the signs say legalize it but our government keeps ignoring the true facts. God bless you and good luck.
Dear Mr. Hunt,
I wish you a happy new year; and I thank you for your service. Your story, and others like it, are testament to the human rights abuse that continues under cannabis prohibition.
Not to worry, my good man, the future belongs to the cannabis patient and consumer. In the states that allow medical marijuana a new economic revolution is bubbling. This freedom will not only legitimize cannabis sales and use, but will bring about business providers that we can only begin to imagine today.
I am in the process of developing a medical marijuana relocation service. This service will also provide job classifieds and placement for CO medical cannabis patients. Our studies are finding out that cannabis patients are among ‘the best writers,’ best athletes, best performers, best scientists, best everything.
The future for cannabis unfriendlies is mediocre workforce at best, and the end of their dominance at the very worst. Imagine a job future were it is a plus if you consume pot! That is what we are building…
i know exactly how he feels;my experience was MUCH worse than his though,i got busted for 1 lb. of pot and attempt to manufacture psilocybin mushrooms.i was 23 when arrested;worked for Con Agra in trenton,MO.i had returned from my second trip to amsterdam(stoner mecca)8 months earlier-where both non-toxic substances were tolerated.the pigs took both my registered,legal handguns;they disposed of my empty terrarium via their meth lab truck and i guess to justify the $200,000 bond,called it a “mushroom lab” in the local paper.i did 40 months in MO DOC on a 5 year bit-this was warranted due to my refusal to submit to a military style haircut in drug treatment;i had hair past my belt loops which i considered my most appealing feature-it touches my knees now,girls love it and i do too.i could rant all day about my hatred for pigs,their families,their religeon,everything…i promised myself in prison that they would not break me,or change me in any way.my experience when i finally got out was the same as his-total rejection by my last employer and scores of others…like it wasnt bad enough seeing real criminals do less time than me…i had decided this govt that hates me would never get another dime of my income and after 3 years from my release i finally decided to stop paying income tax to these pigs.so i guess federal prison will probably be my next destination,eventually i hope these drug laws will end but i dont think that will ever happen until we fight back-i think the only reason the drug war has lasted this long is because its supporters dont feel like they are at war.prohibition never deterred me,still doesnt and never will….
In California, you are not allowed to ask a potential employee about pot busts more than 2 years ago and no one really asks anyways.
We had this very terrible Mechanic in my Platoon, Could barely pass an Army PT Test, threatened to shoot other soldiers on guard (had to have all ammo and his SAW249 taken away) Returned from Iraq and became a massive alcoholic, pissing and throwing up outside the barracks, sometimes passing out in the grass outside. I on the other hand, achieved high BRM in Basic training, Graduated with honors from AIT, Partaken in Marathons, scored a 286 on my pt test with hardly trying, in Iraq volunteered to drive a HEMMT fuel truck across Baghdad, became one of the most proficient 63B our brigade had (I was attached to a FSC BSB [Forward Support Company, Brigade Support Battalion]) even had the praise of the direct highest command CSM/COL, yet once it came down to my drug test once we returned from Iraq, I was gone right after my 45 days of extra duty, no classes, no counseling, just get out and well spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars on new people instead of giving you a second chance. Makes me wonder, if Home Depot knew I was kicked out of the Army for a failed drug test, would they have accepted me off Military leave of absence, or would they give me the cold shoulder?
I feel for you Mr. Hunt as I have had similar prejudice used aginst me. They trick you like that, just to get it on your record.
Spc Hunt, Thank you for sharing your plight. As you and anyone who comes to this site knows, Prohibition is ruining this country and its citizens.
I have a friend that is in the same situation for less than a 1/2 gram. He has no military background and couldnt get any even if he wanted due to age and health. He used to have a job making 13$ hr, had it for 12 years. He lost it due to that 1/2 gram and now lives like a bum because he cant get a job anywhere. We know all the other negitive effects of charge, he no longer is able to pay child support and I fear will be in jail soon. HOW THE HELL DOES THIS HELP HIM OR ANYONE ELSE OR AMERICA? They turned him into a criminal . He doesnt deserve this. Nor does anyone else.
Our sick sense of right and wrong in this country is not only ruining this country but ruining people around the world.
We as a country need to wake up! STOP THROWING PEOPLE AWAY!
I hope that this country gets this particual issue settled. It dishartens my heart to hear this story, and I hope that it will not only be inspiration to others in similar status, but inspiration to these intrest groups that are aptly advocating prohibition. Again, best of luck to this young family and his peer troops.
-JD
Something does not ring true in this artical.
Target is a French Company. Target has never supported our military and has even gone as far as denying their employees charity matching to the WW2 memorial in Washington, where Walmart welcomed and hosted them in every store.
I’m not saying this story is true or false. Just saying that Target has never been a friend to the military in the U.S.A.
[Editor’s note: Target is not a French company, it is an American company based in Minnesota (formerly the Dayton Hudson Co.)]
I honestly have been hearing stories like this for as far back as I can remember from various people around me. Since it was something I had been exposed to from a young age, I had become kind of desensitized to repercussions like these when I was younger. I didn’t like it, but it was a result of getting busted and I never thought any deeper about it. It wasn’t until after high school that I was really able to see the injustice in it. I’ve known sooo many people who have had their lives permanently altered over a simple cannabis bust. It’s really heartbreaking to stop and think about.
I do feel there is a bright side in stories like these. America, like it or not, is a commercialistic society. Business’ interests unfortunately trump society’s interests. But they also trump the interests of the government and the interest of other businesses. With more brave Americans like Mr. Hunt sharing their stories a forward thinking capitalist will see this large, untapped pool of talent and realize that his/ her business would benefit from simply not automatically disqualifying petty marijuana offenders while screening applicants.
A side question that just came to me. In states like California, Oregon and Colorado that have robust medical marijuana programs, do you see these same disparities and double standards in hiring practices? Some states have written legal protection against discrimination, have they not? Wouldn’t something like that apply to hiring practices as well? Stories like this are simply a fact of life on the East Coast but out west it seems like a whole different world. Maybe Mr. Hunt would like to conciser a move out west to where his talents are appreciated when he gets back from Iraq.
This is truly a sad story, but We The People cannot rely on an incumbent government to fix something as grave as this.
2010 needs to be the year that we trash all incumbents that run for office. Career politicians are our enemy.
Wow man powerful letter and well put. I mean you bring out a great point, I am glad to hear you got out of the rut that prohibition creates for so many people un fairly. I just wish all the other reefer madness victoms could get their life justified.
This is just ridiculous. I come to this site often to read the news as to what is happening with the ending of this prohibition. Often I read articles that make me excited because I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Being a college student all I find are fellow students who use marijuana or at least have tried it, and practically everyone is for legalization. Then, I read articles like this that make me think the country will never change, that we will continue to allow these tragedies to happen over and over. Ignorance runs rampant in this nation, and I really want to help the cause, but I never run into people that are actually anti-pot…the situation confuses the hell out of me.
I own my own bizz and when asked what the drug policy is I say if you can’t finish bowl in 1 hit your not hired but you can’t come to work high and you can’t get high at work (we work on cars that are worth sometimes $60,000.oo ) a small mistake can cost thousands of dollers. after work I don’t care what you do as long as it dosen’t effect your work what you do on your own time is your biz .
Issaiah 10; 1-2
Woe to those who make unjust laws………
I agree #24. Vote out ALL incumbents!!
We need to send a message to the career politicians who no longer represent, but line their pockets with special interest gifts… You will lose your job.
I don’t care what political party you have to vote for to vote out your incumbent, but please do it. Until they realize that their job is on the line when they do no listen, we will ALWAYS have to choose between a career republicrat demolican.
Failure to re-legalize cannabis is a direct violation of God’s will for people to live in freedom with liberty as acknowledged and cited in the Constitution of the United States. Elected officials swear an oath to God to uphold, support and defend the Constitution, then largely ignore it to best suit their short-term political ambitions. As long as the majority of sheeple (sheep/people) continue to elect and re-elect these hypocritical, lying cowards, this country will continue to descend into the hell-hole of police state slavery. Considering what some citicizens of this nation have paid for our freedom and liberty, I pray God will forgive us for violating his will.
Cannabis consumers are like blacks 70 years ago,2nd class citizens. Can’t work here, get certain liscenses, targeted by obsessive compulsive cops and so on. Even if an individual can out perform all others it doesn’t matter, fear and discrimination live on.
America disgusts me! haha well i for one am cannabis positive! nothing more relaxing after a long hard day of work then coming home. sittin in your boxers next to your bitch. and light up a nice fatt blunt. in your own house. with no one else around. whats so destructive about that? i also have insomnia and joint pains, and cant sleep enless i smoke.. which allows me to get up at 7 am.. and work till 7 or even as late as midnight 6 days a week. i just think the police should be more concerned about the little girls who are getting raped.. or the millionaire who is getting his 911 Porsche jacked! … its just so stupid.
Rush Limbaugh ,previously admitted being addicted to ” legal ” pills . Admits to frequent consumption of Alcoholic beverages . Overweight . Has heart attack .
Willie Nelson , admitted marijuana consumer .Not overweight . Age ; around 75 . No heart attacks that i heard of . Michael Jackson , not overweight .
( Former ) Marijuana user . Never has heart attack . Dies to use of ” legal ” medications “.
.92 year old woman in Arcata , California . At medical Cannabis dispensary I overhear her say ….”.never an heart attack “. She walked into dispensary carrying her ” walker ” . Walks out of dispensary on her own . Carries her ” walker ” outside to waiting car .
I FEEL YOU BROTHER! I have been a convicted Felon since the age of 21 for growing 6 plants. At the time I had no clue how much it would hurt my future. I have only found jobs in construction where they hardly do drug testing or even care about a criminal past. I have worked very hard to just get by on those wages. About 5 years ago I hurt my back putting a roof on a school. My injury required three different surgerys which left me without job. My employer could no longer find work for me to do so they laid me off permently. The doctors kept me on pain meds for quit some time. Then my doctor decided to cut me off and told me that he did not do long-term pain management. Thats when I turned back to marijuana to ease the pain. Just last year the law came back into my home and took anything of value…tv. computer. jewelry..truck…and of course money.. Now i have been charged with growing 7 plants and possesion under 8 oz. …feb 25 i get sentenced to 3 years in prison! Hopefully when all is said and done I will be able to treat my pain the way i feel is best….To the solider…DON’T GIVE UP!! They have won when you give up and we don’t need to give them the satisfaction of that!
And then you have jerks like this doing things like this as govener of NYS!!!
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/05/23/2008-05-23_gov_paterson_pardons_rapper_slick_rick_i.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/29/2009-12-29_gov_paterson_pardons_.html
Yet we have gov.’s giving full pardons to ppl like this…UNREAL !!!!!!!!!!!
Gov. Paterson Friday granted a rare unconditional pardon to eye-patch-wearing pioneer rapper – and convicted attempted murderer – Ricky (Slick Rick) Walters.
Paterson said he issued his first pardon since becoming governor two months ago to help the bling-loving Walters escape federal deportation to his native England.
Walters, best known for songs like “La-Di-Da-Di” and “Children’s Story,” was born in Great Britain but moved to the Bronx with his family when he was 11.
Walters’ lawyers plan to apply to immigration officials for a waiver to stay in the country. He was granted one in 1995, but it was subsequently withdrawn.
As he pulled out of his Bronx property in a black Range Rover yesterday, Slick Rick, still wearing the patch and the bling, thanked Paterson for his “good judgment and compassion” and expressed relief.
“It’s been an 18-year struggle; it’s been 18 years with a dark cloud over my head. I’m very happy. Now I can plan for the future and keep my family ties in America.”
Walters served more than five years in prison after pleading guilty in 1991 to two counts of attempted murder and eight weapons charges after shooting his cousin and an innocent bystander.
In pardoning Walters, Paterson cited his clean prison record, his incident-free behavior since his 1999 release, and his youth volunteer work counseling against violence.
The governor’s spokeswoman said Paterson first spoke out for Walters as a state senator in 1995 at a hearing in front of an immigration judge.
At the time, he cited the “positive” influence the rapper had on the music industry, but some of his songs, like “Treat Her Like a Prostitute,” have been labeled misogynistic.
The pardon is the ninth issued by a governor since Nelson Rockefeller.
The most famous was in 2003, when Gov. George Pataki issued a posthumous pardon to comedian Lenny Bruce, who was convicted in 1964 of an obscenity charge.klovett@nydailynews.com
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/05/23/2008-05-23_gov_paterson_pardons_rapper_slick_rick_i.html#ixzz0bUQQVvSX
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/05/23/2008-05-23_gov_paterson_pardons_rapper_slick_rick_i.html#ixzz0bUQDQvSO
Cannabis users have a more independent thought process, it’s the thought process that the government disapproves of not cannabis. You see, the last thing the government wants is a country full of people who think for themselves. I too face similar employment challenges due to a several year old minor marijuana conviction all those corporate monsters won’t hire me and I was fired from a retail sales position I had for 7 years. My life was turned upside down and hasn’t been the same since. I won’t join the army though because I know that’s what they want me to do. Welcome to the new world order. The global elites dream of a “super race” similar to Hitlers plan. Our country didn’t just defeat the Nazi regime, they took notes and are using the same tactics on the american people. There is no greater threat anywhere on this earth to their master plan then cannabis. In this country it’s all about money and power. Peaceful tokers typically desire neither. That makes them enemies in the eyes of uncle sam. Look it up people, it is the truth, and the truth will prevail… Someday.
At the time I was in my care in a private area
I don’t know if this is a typo from NORML or if the soldier himself made the error, but if the soldier himself made the error it should have [sic] after it, and if the typo was NORML’s fault it needs to be fixed ASAP.
[sic] means ‘the error is quoted verbatim from the source’
#12. R Lee: President Obama said something to the effect that marijuauna laws should be left up to the states to decide.
Before he was elected president he said he saw no difference between cannabis being prescribed by doctors and those who would prescribe morphine, heroin, etc. Which is a big slap in the face to the DEA’s schedule 1 status of cannabis, meaning it ‘has a high potential for abuse and no medicinal value.’
This is the crux of the DEA; cannabis is 99.5% of their workload, that’s why the federal government adamantly refuses to reschedule it, to do so would be shooting themselves in the foot.
SPC Hunt, Thanks for your continued service to our country. I can truly relate to this story as I have had a similar path. I am also 28, served in the Navy and have had a prior marijuana conviction. What you said about our service members only being able to use alcohol to relax is and important point. Alcohol abuse is rampant in the military and causes incidents both at home and abroad. Marijuana is simply a safer choice. Think about how many talented young people avoid the military because of drug testing. It’s similar to the military’s treatment of GLBTs, in the sense that we are also driving highly qualified people out of the military for their sexual orientation. In fact, this is the case not just in the military, but in all government jobs across the board.
If people want to relax and make the safer choice in the privacy of their own homes as SPC Hunt did, they should be aloud to, end of story.
By the way, I’m also a member of NORML. Keep up the good fight. You have my support all the way
oops spell check on post 27: “aloud” should be “allowed”. Thanks
I think it is absolutely ridiculous that marijuana-(a natural herb with medicinal value)-is illegal, while alcohol-(which kills many people daily, is the leading cause of violence. abuse and fighting, is legal).
I just want to Thank You for sharing your story! I am a 50 year old grandmother who has been smoking for a long time and have always worried about the stigmatism associated with it. I recently broke my ankle is 3 places and have been trying to heal from surgery since 4/20/2009 and using prescription painkillers. I DONT WANT THE PAIN PILLS! I need to manage pain in another way to relieve my symptoms. I have never withdrawaled from marijuana since I started smoking 35 years ago and in almost 9 months I got addicted to prescription painkillers and currently withdrawling now. The only relief I get is when I smoke. Why is that wrong? This story has all the makings of things that make you do hmmmmmmmmmmm??????????
this is one of many stories related to the obvious alienation of marijuana users and i just dont understand it. marijuana is better for u than cigarettes and alcohol but those are legal. marijuana doesnt cause cancer or make u throw up and have an awful hangover in the morning. it doesnt cause black lung, or the need for a new liver. marijuana is all natural unlike cigarettes which have tar and numerous carcinogens which hurt ur health 100 times worse than the use of marijuana. marijuana can also be used in the medical field for the dulling of pain and maybe even the curing of some ailments if allowed to be researched thoroughly. why would u make something like that illegal?
I have friends from the great state of NC, that needs to regulate and tax cannabis to people 21 over period . period. Just think oakland california has one , one club that does 20 million year,pays 200,000! the sale is considered a donation, or gift.Tax is charged 10% so a gram of purple indica would cost 19.99 with the tax , see how much money that could add up to be?wake up nc tobbaco heads!
The mexican drug war is fueled because marajuana is illegal.The 7 billion flow to mexico to pay for guns to suppress the people since the government can not change because they report to the US for money.A study suggests that keeping pot illegal kills people in mexico, 2,500 annually.The taxes lost vs the dangerous drug bull is like saying that holland ,isreal and canada are stupid to legalize and tax this herb.That is exactly what happened and serious drug use dropped dramatically.We seam crazy as a society to dictate what an individual can do to improve their happyness, that is exactly what pot does, makes one laugh!,that is why it is illegal, or the price? go barney frank!prostitution in nevada, gay marriage in new hampshire but life in pr for a joint? crazy i say,china death?
#46 MIKE BIG BUD – I think you should be careful asking for regulating and taxing and be more specific. Emphasizing taxation implies a sin tax on marijuana, which is unacceptable. Marijuana should be taxed no different than any other sale of medicine/food. We also need to be more specific on regulation. It should be COMPLETELY up to the state; no federal regulations, PERIOD. Look at the history of tobacco regulation and taxation: it’s what turned the tobacco industry into the poison industry. Please keep HMO and additives out of marijuana!!
Put an end to these types of governmental oppressions President Obama and watch your favorable poll ratings spike.
Do nothing President Obama and so will your remaining supporters when you and your party members seek re-election again.
You are lucky that the likes of Walmart and others would not hire you. Your life will not be a dead end now as it would have been if you had worked for them. I do not want to minimize your struggles at all and I certainly agree with your sentiments on marijuana use and the hypocrisy of our government and our “supportive” corporations, and citizens for that matter. But that said, I am still more inspired to know that you have helped real people in real need, as in the Katrina deployment; and provided for the medical care of other US and Iraqi citizens. You have done meaningful things for people. You have a valuable skill set now, with a lot of opportunity ahead of you. I am glad you came home alive and won’t be stuck in a big box store for the rest of your life with little to no benefits or worker’s rights in stores that continually erode the American workforce in so many ways. Stand strong and maybe some day you and I might legally recreate with a bowl instead of a bottle and be way less likely to hurt or kill ourselves or others with our recreating. Peace.
i honorably served in the US. Air Force. Right before being discharged they gave me a drug test. i failed miserably. no alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, or anything of the sort was found in my body, only THC…
i was kicked out with out treatmen (not that i needed it. i smoke cannabis the entire almost 4 years i was in with NOOOOOOO PROBLEMS. i was even very decorated, deployed, educated and traveled. i did everything people going into the military SAYING they’re going to do…
i got out in august of 2006 and have not been able to get a job since. i am now 26 years old, am very skilled, have not worked in 3 years, and cannot get a job because i use cannabis instead of things as small and dangerous tylenol.
i didn’t do anything wrong and i am tired of being treated like a criminal…
I lost my military career due to smoking marijuana as a civilian before I re-enlisted back in ’82…see, prior to ’80 or ’81, THC couldn’t be detected or rather wasn’t tested for like it is in today’s age…AND…to be really honest…serving our country was a party…but I can relate to SPC Hunt’s story …I also was a corpsman…and since being stationed in the middle east during quieter times…all of 1971…I had the opportunity to smoke some very fine hash as my introduction into the stoner community…today’s marijuana is OUTSTANDING…
Keep smoking…Puff…Puff…
this story is sad but true. people are more negatively affected by cannabis laws and policy than by the actually plant itself, if at all.
How can anyone trust a government like this? It has been run by the global elete and corporate fascist for over 100 years.Thomas Jefferson advocated revolution in times like these, but our gov is too powerful for that to happen unless the milatary joins in. Part of the problem is the capitolist mindset, where anything that helps the people is demonized as “socialist”, as if it were evil. Funny most would call themselves Christian and Jesus was the first hippie and advocated a socialist system. We need to forget the old ways and created something new. I for one like the model drawn up by the people at the venus project and if we are to evolve as a specis it will take something like that to do it.
as I was on active duty as a marine it was viewed as normal to drink heavily in fact the few people that didnt drink were looked at as weird.They wouldnt want a soldier to possibly expand their minds with an herb,they might just realize the death of their brothers died for bs reasons.I love our service members dont take it the wrong way i just think these wars are stupid
It amazes me how the military is applauded sometimes, and then demonized at others. As a current active duty soldier, I assure you that a majority of the military has, at one time or another, done some dope. I can’t understand the companies that won’t hire weed smokers, I know at my job I was the top employee, with the adjective ‘Super’ before my name. Even in the military I have been promoted more quickly than others. Sure, there are some who smoke or what not that are garbage, but then there are also those who don’t do any type of intoxicating substance and are trash individuals. When will the day come that we evaluate a person on the basis of their performance and not their score on a drug ‘test?’
So after reading all these posts , do anyone see it yet? We are all crinimals in their eyes, not just tokers..everyone. Cage or leash?
After my End of Active service, I moved here to Rhode Island with my wife and I can see how very evident that we need more people with military background to come forward and address this issue. I was never forced into a path where the military would be my only option as an income. I think it’s important to know I had never even tried weed, I had a strong belief against because just the way i was raised. so I had no problem getting into the Marines. Before Iraq I was never a person to drink, but when I got back I did. Bad idea because I had no control of my actions nor does it help any returning veteran. Long story short, I’ve been out 15 months now. Two tours, war vet, Honorable discharge. Alcohol I’ve found doesn’t work, I’ve done my homework, Marijuana helps me. I rarely drink and only for occasions. I am now strongly adamant about our returning veterans being able to get real help and stop trying to give us pharmaceutical drugs and pushing people towards alcohol. However I’m not dismissing people who really need important medications. I too love my country and have fought for our freedoms, I can’t draw the line because, I swore to fight foreign and domestic and it looks like a little both with the drug cartels and all.
Semper FI
LCpl D. L. Adams
yup….it’s true. The Corporatist economic system was highly favored by Fascist Germany/Italy back in the ww2 days……wikipedia it………
I to am a combat vet (Iraq 91)… College educated with a Environmental Degree .. I joined the Army right out of high school and was sent to Iraq. Coming home with ptsd was first ingrored by the VA. Moved to CA and growing medical mj to help with my issues really helped me deal with life. My biggest issues came when I sent my bud back east and sold some to my friends. The feds busted me and I now am facing 37 to 46 months for distribution and money structuring. About the same time I spent on active duty… now I’m a soldier in Jah Army!!!
Norml I have asked you guys in the past, to help the people out in Arkansas. I hoped that you heard what are wonderful AG. said today, by take of the 2010 ballot Medical Cannabis. I wrote him a letter to thank him for letting out the Sex Offenders and put people in prison who suffer form MS like myself. I told him that the Doctors and Pt’s needed to come to that dicssion. Not lawerys,police officers and the court system. So now my ass may end up in prison. So when in the hell NORML will get off of your ass and help the good folks of Arkansas to get the meds they need, every time I have ask of you it fell upon deaf ears. So when will you get off your ass and help us out. I know Arkansas is a small state compared to CO,CA and WA. So when can you contact me. Thank You!
[Editor’s note: Get off our asses? Maybe you don’t realize that freedom is not won by non-profit organizations in Washington, DC. Freedom is largely won or loss by local stakeholders. Want to have some of the same liberties in CA, CO, WA, etc…? Then Arkansas citizens need to better organize, educate and finance winning ballot initiatives, supportive politicos, lobbying efforts, etc…just like stakeholders have largely done in the western states in favor of reform.]
All it takes is 1 “drug” arrest and your done,like the article says wall-mart wont even hire you ,but your good enough to get shot at for the American poeple.This is a country full of hipocrisy and double standards.
Ever since I was 6 I wanted to be a United States Marine, the uniform was what started it, as I grew older I wanted nothing more than to serve my country and be a Marine. In High school I kinda got out of that idea, it was the 80’s I had a mullet:-) and I smoked pot with my buddies(occasionally) I graduated in 92′ moved to North Carolina to be near my mom and Grandmother whom was dying. After my Grandmother died my mothers brothers gathered around me to pitch their branch of military to me, long story short I finally chose the Marines; I called the recruiter, told the truth(cuz that’s what I was taught to do) and received a “waiver” for my pot usage and was on my merry way. After boot camp I was sent to Okinawa Japan for my first duty station where they gave me my first drug test(which came back positive because of a joint that I smoked on leave) You would have thought I had murdered the commandant, I was read my rights, then put on intense probation, loss of rank, no alcohol, loss of pay, barracks restriction, and 2 hours of extra duty all for 30 days, plus I had to go to Narcotics anonymous where I was with a group of coke heads(oh and I had to take a drug test twice a week for 4 weeks, just to make sure) The guys in my platoon had different views on what I did; some(quit a few actually thought it was no big deal because they all did it too when they went home on leave. Others however thought it was the worst thing I could do and that I should be locked up or worse that I should go to hell for smoking weed. Well I went in front of my Commander and was given the option of staying in or getting out, needless to say I picked going home; screw you if you’ll keep coke heads alcoholics and even thugs but want to give me hell over smoking a plant that God put here for us to use. I miss the Corps almost every day and yes I could have stayed in but if the treatment by my platoon mates was any indication of how I was to be treated; well who wants 4 + years of that?(oh ya I almost forgot I talked to one guy in my platoon that had A brother in the Army who would do acid on the weekends with his buddies because it wouldn’t show up on a pee test.) So as far as I’m concerned the Marines can take their zero tolerance policy and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
I used to work as an oil refinery operator, a job I enjoyed and was very good at, until I backed a company van into a pole in the parking lot.I was drug tested and failed for marijuana.I was fired and blacklisted from being hired from ALL OIL COMPANIES. I went from making 130 000 a year to about 30 000 now. , working at the local hospital running the boilers and building systems.What saddens me is that many of my fellow operators I worked with at the refinery were alcoholics and would come in smelling like booze and laughing about still being drunk from the previous night even joking with my boss about it.Yet I get the boot out the door because I smoke a joint before bed to get a good sleep for the next day.Sickening.FUCK YOU EXXON MOBIL
soldiers need it for PTSD it is a must for me
Anthony, I used to work for a welding company and there was a guy that got drunk every night. He would come in so trashed that he would vomit in his trash can every single morning, another guy on second shift actually bragged about being so drunk that he shit his pants and had to steal clothes off a clothes line.This guy was also in the Navy and would brag about how when the helicopters came into land on the ships he would go to re-outfit them and shoot up any morphine that they had left. What a world we live in.
America = Urine test. We judge people based on their pee.
boozers are losers but there is hope in dope.iused too drink but not now.i only smoke reefer.i hope its legal soon in mass
It’s sad to see our government steering our troops towards the deadly ravages of alcoholism instead of giving them something that is therapeutic and healthy like the perfectly perfect Marijuana plant. Our troops and veterans need this plant for the burdens they carry day and day out.
Check out
we have them surrounded…………..i say we close the circle…………and let justice prevail.
So glad I moved back up to BC…
Why doesn’t the US gov’t realize that the “War on Drugs” has been lost due to serious ineptitude. Time to unearth some IQ’s and send ’em to Washington.
Its a sad thing to hear you cant,for something so small work to live in this country but to make a mediocre lifestyle you can put your life on the line.
Now for the choice of medicating that’s such a far jump searching for work at Walmart etc.to being forced into the national guards.
That’s the positions they like to keep us in limited on options and stuck between A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.
Which is all the more reason to put an end to the nonsense and continue the fight.
-DRE420
Renember this. ” Vote for a Change”
I happen to be a former soldier too, I got kicked out for my test sample being positive for THC, I even told them I was going to come up positive. While in Afghanistan, I developed clinical depression and anxiety attacks as well as insomnia and a mild form of PTSD, and in actuality I was prescribed at least 5 different anti depressants and also sleeping pills, all of which do nothing but make me feel sick, so I kept smoking pot, it helps me sleep and keeps me from always being down and gloomy, and they eneded up kicking me out, I had a OTH discharge with DRUG ABUSE written on my DA form, I have no benefits, no health, no college, and no one will hire me, i have been unemployed for 3 1/2 months so far, and i never got the unemployment they told me I was eligible for either, so it has been pretty rough lately
I am a former Marine with a similar story. I was medically discharged in ’02 because my collarbone looks like a “Z” and causes me constant pain. Anyone else ever try to get the VA to do their jobs? Long story short – I smoke my bud for pain (it takes a LOT to get to a recreational high), got caught with it, and have been unable to find work I’m both capable of doing and doesn’t piss test. You’re not the only one the country formerly based on the Constitution of the United States destroyed in its insane pursuit of “Safety.” It will sadly get a lot worse before it gets better – be prepared for the word “terrorist” to suddenly find itself attached to marijuana in the headlines in the near future…
Dear Brother and Sister Soldiers:
I also have been under employed, due to my love of our favorite anti anxiety medicine plant. I use temporary agencies to survive. Most do not require drug tests and that with the love and support of my family gets me through. I thank you for all your sacrifices and pray that one day soon we will not be persecuted for being hurt or sick. I salute you. Please America, help us Veterans. We have paid a heavy price to ensure your freedom!!!
Spc Hunt,
I hear your brother. As a fellow soldier in uniform I find it unfitting for our country to deny those of us who have given up part of our lives to protect other. Then just to get the shaft. I too was busted a few years back, I however fortunately live in a state(NY) where it is merely a citation, but nonetheless feel your pain. I hope all is well in the sandbox, stay low.
Keep your boots laced up tight,
B.Isaac
Hooah, SPC Hunt. Did you all know the Army has, in recent times, quit allowing moral waivers (the letter spoken of in the post) from being accepted for possible recruits because of past marijuana charges? I spoke with an Air Force Reserve recruiter and he said the only past charge of mine that mattered was simple possession of marijuana. I’ve had open containers, hunting out of season, underage drinking tickets, pulling stop lights, 2 speeding tickets, etc. Yet the only thing they actually care about is marijuana. Bogus, I know. I’m currently working an internship at a police department – the very cops that arrest people for marijuana like ourselves. My point? Most of the police officers I serve with have smoked marijuana in the past. Marijuana isn’t a big deal… hell, I’d rather it be legal than alcohol or tobacco. Maybe one day people will wake up and smell the ganja. Lord knows… it’s better than cigarettes.
My heart goes out to my military brothers and sisters that have pissed hot during a drug test. If anyone has the right to smoke marijuana it should be the men and women that put their lives on the line day in and day out. I never smoked weed before I was deployed. I remember my first nights back home. We were thrown from a combat environment into an every day normal life. It may be hard for some people to understand that haven’t been through that experience that sometimes its harder coming back home than it is going into combat. Going in we trained for a specific mission for months before leaving. Coming home.. well.. they don’t train you to become a civilian again. Something that seems so simple to others like.. driving or walking through a crowded area would induce a panic attack. You sleep with one eye open.. if you can even sleep. I remember finally being able to sleep just to wake up screaming from the sound the thunderstorm outside was making. You’re still in that stay alert stay alive mode. It doesn’t just go away. Weed is the only thing that helped. If it were up to me I would stand at the welcome gate to greet returning soldiers with a nice little baggie so that they can relax and enjoy the rest of the journey home.
It’s silly that these laws that were created back in the days of reefer madness.. when they thought “marijuana kills”.. or “marijuana turns mexicans into big blood thirsty animals”.. (yes… they believed marijuana was brought here by the mexicans looking for work.. and that it would turn them into raging monsters) are still in affect. I have not heard of one death that deals directly with smoking the herb…. yet alcohol is legal and contributes to so many casualties. Our government needs to stop thinking of themselves. Maybe not as a whole.. but those who have something to gain from marijuana being illegal. Whether it helps their campaign or they’re just getting money under the table for letting it slip through their area. Stop being selfish, legalize, and then tax it. Bam, you want your economy to survive. Their you go. Now stop taking my taxes to keep some poor guy locked up for years for carrying something so harmless on him.
Keepin it Green since 2009
V
Honestly, how is marijuana this penalized. A soldier does his duty, and I’m pretty sure a minor possession of this extremely minor “drug” is not a negative reflection upon the soldier.
I hope the reformed laws help this guy out. This is unfair to him and shows that the marijuana community can have exploited victims.
I also was once a operator at a refinery. Making decent money. I smoked at will. I knew when they tested. I also made sure not to have any accidents. I don’t recommend doing what I did. But I never pissed hot. There were guys with serious alcohol issues. Guys sleeping when they were unsupervised because of hangovers or they drank that morning of night shift. I made a good living so i retired early an tried to start a business(tired of shift work).I had to take a urine test for insurance purposes. I hadn’t smoked in about six to eight weeks. I failed(playing a lot of poker, weed smoke wafting).If your around high grade weed in a closed area you will fail. My rates quadrupled.
The point I’m trying get at is.
As long as companies can be sued for accidents for a person who test positive for THC metabolites . They will continue to make weed users victims an non users. It will take a lot to change the laws. What I think is more feasible is push for better testing. Testing for higher levels and or recent use. Its clearly discriminatory that all other substances which are must more harmful will be out of your system in 72-96 hr.(recent use) And it is well known weed sticks around long after the munchies. It’s the insurance companies that force these companies to enforce these zero tolerance policies. we really need to use our collective economic power to make our points. organized boycotts of everything. Most non smokers would support us. Or at least demand fair testing. We gotta hire a good high profile lawyer to challenge the fairness and discrimination Of THC being part of a strip panel test. It is proven you can ingest marijuana unwillingly and test positive. A saliva test should be used when testing for weed. That would protect innocent people. A person with a hangover is much more dangerous on the road and in the workplace then anyone who smoked weed the night before. But the drunk will pass his random test an the smoker will lose his job. If you have a vehicular accident the police check for impairment. The same should apply to the workplace. Remember it is not illegal to have “substances in your system” it is illegal to possess them. Whatever the level of ng/ml 2hr after smoking should be the cutoff for THC. around 2000 ng/ml. Surely not 20 or 50ng/ml. If someone test at 500 they are not a danger to anyone.
The feels..
Can I become a registered nurse with an oth discharge for marijuana?
I really want to be in the military but if im not at war i wanna smoke my pot. So ive been waiting my whole life to join but the only thing holding me back is weed.
After reading all the replies here i decided to write my story too. So i was attending a great University getting a technical/business degree. After 5 years of hard work (honors, scholarships, internships, etc) i was busted in my apartment smoking weed and charged with possesion 4 months before graduating. Here are the results ot this charge: a program for first offenders that took my driving licence for 6 months, drug classes, community service and drug testing, Honestly this was the least of my worries, but here is what happened after the program. I lost my job from a very big tech company because i was doing an internship with them while busted and took an 87,000 job offer from me that i would have had after graduating. Since then i was not able to find a decend tech job because i am considered untrusty and a criminal. Not to mention countless job applications that threw me out straight away because someone else who applied had a clean record and was able to get a security clearance while i couldnt. I’m honestly a good man, hard working, responsible and willing to work hard. For one small mistake i lost everything and i can’t dream big anymore. My career is honestly ruined and i can’t be the productive tax paying citizen that i wanted to become. I really dont understand what the gov is trying to accomplish. I’m the kind of person that doesn’t like putting chemiclas in my body, so the reality here was that i got punished because my drug of preference was weed and not alcohol and prescription drugs. All i did wrong was smoking a joint in my own appartment to relax after a hard day of work and studying. good luck everyone, and never feel ashamed of yourselves for smoking a plant, the shame is on the cops and on the gov. It really took me a long time to live with myself after my career was destroyed. The funny part is that almost everyone smoked weed at one point of their life, but they were lucky enough to not get busted. We live in a stupid and ignorant society that is willing to destroy someones life for a temporary profit (court fees). But let me tell you something, i never donated a penny to gov agencies since then, and i’m honestly waiting for the moment that a cop or the gov will make a mistake so i can sue them. We live in America, this is how thing work here, so i would suggest accepting the punishment and the consequences of your actions, but when that moment comes that a gov official makes a mistake please do not show mercy, do what they did to you and move on. Lesson learned here; “no one cares about you and you will get punished if you do something, so treat others like they treat you and not how you want to be treated”