Slodysko, Brian. “Law Enforcement Stance on Pot Starts to Shift in Louisiana.” ProQuest.com<\/i>. The Louisiana Weekly, 18 May 2015. Web. 19 July 2015.<\/p>\n
Brian Slodysko, a thirty-two-year-old who received his degree in journalism and contained experience in writing about crimes and courts, wrote the article titled \u201cLaw Enforcement Stance on Pot Starts to Shift in Louisiana,” on May 2015. Slodysko speaks on the strict marijuana policies in Louisiana and the effect these policies hold on citizens\u2019 prison sentences and, ultimately, their lives. He pinpoints that despite the unchanging policies, citizens seem to hold a \u201cchange of heart\u201d when it comes to lightning marijuana charges on small possession amounts.<\/p>\n
Recently, the state of Louisiana agrees they should lighten \u201csentences for people with multiple marijuana possession convictions\u201d because they enforce too harsh of sentences on everyday citizens (par. 6). Slodysko argues that common citizens go to prison for long amounts of time simply because they possess a small amount of marijuana, which is very drastic. One could serve \u201cup to 20 years in prison on your third arrest\u201d for possession of marijuana (par. 2). Slodysko points this out to reiterate the harshness of Louisiana\u2019s marijuana laws and wishes that Louisiana reconsider these laws to create a fair sentencing system for all. He also points out how ineffective these strict policies are by quoting Sen. J.P. Morrell, the response from politicians used to be “We are really tough on marijuana – and it is working,\u201d but currently it\u2019s, “Now we are having conversations about marijuana that were not even possible five years ago,\u201d Slodysko knows these strict policies will evolve into \u00a0more lenient ones, with due time, and used Senator J.P. Morrell\u2019s quote to highlight the contrast between what politicians said then compared to what they say now and he also uses an example, \u201cBernard W. Noble, a New Orleans father of seven, who was sentenced to over 13 years after he was arrested on his way to work for having two joints. Noble’s court battle came to an end last year after losing his last appeal,\u201d to display the effect of these strict marijuana policies in Louisiana (par. 7,8, and 9). Using the example above, Slodysko knows that these marijuana policies got to the point that people\u2019s lives and freedom are threatened by the mere possession of this drug and things have gotten out of hand and further goes on to compare this man\u2019s sentence with a criminal who used drugs with bad intentions\u2019 sentencing, which shows his point even more so this way.<\/p>\n
There are benefits to creating more lenient marijuana policies, argues Slodysko, \u201cThe cash-strapped state – where one in 14 arrests is for marijuana possession – could also benefit, saving an estimated $23 million a year by reducing felony marijuana possession to a misdemeanor, according to Louisianans for Responsible Reform,\u201d he presents an economic standpoint to even further back his claim that Louisiana should lower their strict laws (par. 16). Although, the citizens of Louisiana seem to want change, Slodysko states that change will not come so soon, \u201cMeasures to decriminalize marijuana, or mimic California’s permissive medical marijuana law, appear to be nonstarters,\u201d and the harsh enforcement of marijuana laws in this state continues on (par. 18). Louisiana will be one of the last states to catch up to the decriminalization of marijuana, if that occurs, and the way Louisiana enforces their marijuana laws will continue on for a long time, Slodysko predicts.<\/p>\n
Overall Slodysko states marijuana laws in Louisiana should consider lightening their laws to reduce citizens\u2019 sentences, lower state costs regarding this law, and reduce the fear of losing your freedom, if caught with marijuana, within the community. I found this article useful, because Slodysko emphasized key points that I just now became aware of, such as common day citizens getting theft-level charges and the economic benefits of lightning marijuana possession charges, that pushes my personal viewpoint. Americans should not fear that they will go to jail for the rest of their lives, even if the amount of marijuana they got caught with was small, on any marijuana possession charge. Other politicians, in states with strict marijuana possession policies, would benefit from this article, because they could realize the negative effect those laws place on everyday citizens in their state and how restricting these laws are in relation to citizens\u2019 freedoms. Instilling fear in people to get the result you want is not the way to go and should not be an option that someone uses to get what they want, this is also known as manipulation and this should not be acceptable.<\/p>\n
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– RS2 written by Ashley Bedford<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Slodysko, Brian. “Law Enforcement Stance on Pot Starts to Shift in Louisiana.” ProQuest.com. The Louisiana Weekly, 18 May 2015. Web. 19 July 2015. Brian Slodysko, a thirty-two-year-old who received his degree in journalism and contained experience in writing about crimes … Continue reading