2seaoat wrote:As you know, most states, Florida was the first, have Drug Courts which allows simple possession cases and similar cases to avoid a criminal record if the violator complies with the requirements.
You really really really do not know what you are talking about. You imply that every county and every state have drug courts and pretrial diversion programs for small use of drugs. Clueless. An engineering student at a university was caught with 11 prescription pills which he did not have a script, and less than 2.5 grams of pot, and they are going to give this kid a felony for those 11 pills which were in his car. I know the kid. My daughter sees kids getting felony hits every day for victimless non violent crimes which involve personal use of illegal drugs. You live in an Ivory tower.
Don't tell me your controllers are getting that portion of the Oligarchy which has built private prisons to have you speak for them against the end of prohibition 2.......it is an utter failure. The drug war needs to end, and some folks need to get honest jobs.
Actually you are right and I was wrong. I said MOST STATES have Drug Courts. That is not correct. EVERY state now have drug courts. To find fault because EVERY COUNTY doesn't have one is foolish.
If this kid hasn't seen or acknowledged the massive Florida crack down on illegal possession of pain killers, he'd have never made it through engineering school.
The kid had to have done something to get stopped. After getting stopped, the police had to have stopped him because they suspected he had been drinking. If he hadn't been drinking they smelled the marijuana he was smoking. If he was smoking marijuana, they had probable cause to search his car. On top of that he had illegal pain killers in his possession. Really, how bright is this kid?
Probably with a good attorney, he can plead this down to a misdemeanor for $5,000 or $10,000 and MAYBE, just MAYBE he'll have learned his lesson. MAYBE he can go to drug court and quit the stuff.
As for an ivory tower. No, I don't live in one, I've just never smoked marijuana or done any other illegal drugs. Not that I've never been curious, I've just never wanted to risk my future and fail those to whom I have responsibilities.
I feel sorry for the kid, but no one held a gun to his head and told him to do something so stupid.