Should those in jail for marijuana be freed if it becomes legal?

[Twalli]

My state is having a vote to make marijuana legal. I support making it legal, but don't believe that should mean those in prison on related charges should be freed. Same for those charged or in trial for such. They committed a crime. It might not be a crime anymore, yet it was a crime.

[WindAtMyBack]

If it's simple possession they should never have been in jail in the first place. Every one of them should be released.

It's been decriminalized in my state since the mid-late 70s. It's a slap on the wrist, but even that's not enforced. I have not known about anyone being arrested for possession since the 70s. In the 70s people used to actively and openly sell it, with the cops watching. The cops never did anything about it.

Don't get me wrong. I don't favor full legalization. But I do favor decriminalization, which means no jail.

[NaultD]

I'm for pardons and respectfully requesting to drop charges once weed is transitioning into legality. It was illegal untill the law changed on a ballot with a date on it. Laws should be enforced on the date a crime and arrest happens.

This is why jury of peers so important. A defense case can lean on this and appeal to a jury.

[Twalli]

If you committed an illegal act that later became legal, you should be charged under the rules at the time of your actions. If I fuck a 15-year-old girl and then a year later after charges have been filed, but I haven't gone to trial yet, and the law changes making 15 years old the age of consent, I should still be charged for statutory rape, because it was that at the time we had sex. So if you're awaiting trial or in jail for marijuana-related charges, a law legalizing it shouldn't let you off or out. You broke the law when you committed the crime, it doesn't matter if the law changed.

[NaultD]

That's what i said.

Pardons are for finished trials and dropping changes are for ongoing charges. I even mentioned charges currently in trial with appealing to jury.

That's the point of appeals.

[Agape93]

Yeap, it's a plant. Nobody should be in prison for smoking a god damn plant.

[Twalli]

Yet it's illegal to do so

[Agape93]

Imagine how people would react if cigars and cigarettes were punished exactly the same.

[Twalli]

I am not asking if you disagree with the law. I am asking that if you broke a law that later becomes legal, should you get a "free pass" from punishment?

[Agape93]

I know lol and that depends. For something you do with yourself, from abortion to smoking, you should get a free pass.

[Twalli]

So if you do it to yourself, regardless of what it is (even if it's illegal) you should get a free pass, no exceptions?

[Agape93]

Yeap. It's my body, I'm the one affected.

[Twalli]

What about those charged, on trial, or un jail for selling marijuana?

[Agape93]

That I consider different. It's one thing to exercise your autonomy my ingesting something, and selling something illegal to other people that may or may not be harmful

[Twalli]

So they should still serve punishment even if it is made legal.

[Agape93]

Correct.

[normalice]

They should be freed even if it remains illegal. If there is no victim the burden of proof that anyone should call it a punishable crime is on us, and I can't prove it.

[Twalli]

You can't, but you probably aren't a prosecutor.

[AviatorTom]

I agree with you. At the time, it was a crime and they knowingly committed one. For that, you have to pay the price.

[Guy13]

Nope just like education loans should not be suspended.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

They shouldn't be in jail to begin with.

[Twalli]

So criminals shouldn't be in jail? Even if you disagree with a law it doesn't mean you don't have to follow it.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

For petty crimes like weed, no.

[Twalli]

But you do agree that they should be punished in some way, even if when their case comes up it isn't illegal, because at the time of their offense it was?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Yes.

[Guardian45]

AB-SO-LUTE-LY!