Why don't you go to jail for weed possession or for smoking weed?

Question

If it is illegal to smoke it or have it on you why don't you go to jail you just get arressted and sometimes don't even get community service you just get sent home...why don't you go to jail for it and don't tell me you do because I know of many ppl who have never went to jail for it even if they were caught with it a number of times so why is it that you don't go to jail??

Answer 1

It's illegal to speed, and you don't go to jail for that.  In most states, pot possession is a minor misdemeanor, same as speeding or driving with expired tags.

Answer 2

Here in New Hampshire you do go to jail for possession. If a person cannot pay the fine, the pay it by being in jail (less than a year).

If it's over a certain amount, they can be sentenced to prison (more than a year).

My husband has been in prison and jails due to drugs. Most of this, depends on how much you can spend on a good lawyer too.

Answer 3

do you really think someone should go to jail for having smoked pot? Do you think everyone you know who smokes pot belongs in jail? Considering scientific studies prove over and over that alcohol is much more harmful and addictive, and causes many, many more fatalities?

As to the legal question... its because officially smoking pot and minor possession is still illegal, but the political appetite isn't there to put pot smokers in jail. So it works both ways. A law that's barely enforced(or not to the maximum). Its not the only example where the actual law hasn't been changed but the appetite to enforce it to the maximum has.

Quite frankly its not worth the paper work or your tax dollars to put someone who smokes a joint in jail. Your question should be why it isn't legal.

Answer 4

too many offenders. not enough jails.

Answer 5

Do we really want to fill up our prisons with peaceful pot smokers?  That seems to be a tremendous waste of taxpayer money.

Answer 6

Cuz you'd have to lock up half the country. The real question is why a drug that's less harmful than alcohol is illegal in the first place.