Pubdate: Fri, 25 Dec 2009
Source: Las Vegas City Life (NV)
Copyright: 2009 Las Vegas CityLife
Contact:  http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1653
Author: Kirk Muse

POT: GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD

While Nevada and many other states are trying to figure out how to 
close their massive budget shortfalls, the Dutch in the Netherlands 
are trying to figure out what to do with their closed prisons. While 
the Netherlands has a total population of about 16.5 million, it has 
only about 12,000 prisoners. On the other hand, the United States has 
more than 2,300,000 total prisoners.

If my math is correct, we in the U. S. have 18.2 times the Dutch 
general population and 191.6 times their prison population. Why the 
glaring disparity? I suggest it's our drug policies.

In the Netherlands, adult citizens can use, buy and possess small 
amounts of marijuana without criminal sanctions. In the United 
States, adult citizens are subject to arrest, and jail or prison for 
buying, selling or possessing various amounts of marijuana.

Kirk Muse

MESA, ARIZ.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom