Monday 27 July 2009

5 Grams of Heroin Sends You to Jail

Child porn, shootings, bashings and .... someone self medicating because of a reoccurring brain disorder(addiction). I don’t really know what to say. I suppose someone this dangerous to society needs jail. Face it, he was going to get high and he is a junkie after all. And at least now he can get clean in prison. I’m sure he will thank us when he gets out and starts a new life ... except for the permanent criminal record for heroin possession. He mightn’t be able to get a decent job now and many states won’t give him any government assistance but hey! if he’s young enough, he could go back to college. Oh, wait, they don’t give normal student assistance to those with a drug record. And his drug record will be a problem still when he finishes and applies for work. So he doesn’t get a decent job, at least he can get financial assistance with accommodation. Oh, that’s right, the drug record excludes him from government assistance. In fact, his drug record excludes him from most forms of assistance in the US, private, federal and state. There is one upside though ... prison will teach him how to be a good criminal. Considering all the obstacles in his way, this may be his only option.
Troopers Intercept Package Containing 5 Grams Of Heroin Anchorage Daily News July 2009 SITKA -- Law enforcement officers intercepted a package bound for Sitka that contained 5 grams of heroin, resulting in its recipient being jailed on two felony drug charges, according to Alaska State Troopers. After intercepting the package, which shipped from Colorado, officials with a Southeast drug task force on conducted a controlled delivery to its intended recipient, Joseph Finn, 26, troopers said. Officials also found one gram of heroin and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia in Finn's home, troopers said. Finn was arrested on two counts of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and booked into the Sitka jail.
This comment from a reader called Kwix sums it up nicely.
Kwix wrote on 07/24/2009 03:32:12 PM: 5 grams. For those who don't do math and want something to relate that to, it's the same weight as a nickel. That's right, reach into your pocket and pull a nickel out. Now hold it in your hand, stare at it really hard and ask yourself if that's really worth two felonies and a likely long jail term.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The links between the US war on drugs and the provision of state support are numerous. Thank you for pointing out just a few.

Terry Wright said...

Thanks Anon.
I was stunned to find out about the penalties put on those convicted of drug offences in the US. It makes it almost impossible to resume a normal life unless your rich.

Jeremy said...

Unbelievable.

That country is so very, very broken.

Terry Wright said...

Yes Jeremy, the land of the free loves to stop you doing what you want with your own body and locks you up if you disagree.

I especially love how they deny you any welfare assistance if you have a drug charge. Also no school loans, no accommodation assistance and doomed to never be a government employee. In fact, most companies do a police check before employing you so your permanent drug record will hinder your employment prospects forever. A great start to a new drug free life.

Terry Wright said...

Thanks Steven

That's just insane! ... 8-24 years for posession of under a gram. I honestly am so glad I don't live in the US. For the land of the free, there seems to be an awful lot of people in prison.

If you hear (or experience) of any more horror stories whilst in Alaska, let us know.

I'll let you get back to distributing dirty needles. LOL!!!

Steven Alaska said...

Anchorage has just shut down the only methadone clinic in the state of Alaska due to a lack of funding...before shutting down there was a year waiting list and the only applicants accepted were women who were pregnant. The article explained that currently heroin and oxycontin are the most abused drugs in the city. Vice has been assigned a new priority to go after heroin offenders. The majority of people pick up for the drug are 18-26 year white males. It's sad this medically accepted diseas is treated as a lack of morals.

Terry Wright said...

Thanks Steven for the info.
That's disgraceful for a so called modern state in a so called advanced society. I really despise the US for it's drug policies especially when they try to enforce them on other countries and the UN. Methadone is just standard practice in the western world and rapidly expanding. To shut down the only clinic in Alaska is not only counter-productive, it's cruel. And you're right that addiction is treated as a lack of morals instead of being treated as a medical issue.

Steven said...

I currently live in Alaska and am from here originally. I just returned after being arrested in colorado for posession of heroin. I was originally looking at 8-24 years for posession of under a gram... In all actuallity i had dirty needles thats it...and was originally charged with over a gram and intent to distribute. I ask myslef distribute what dirty needles. Colorado is one of the worst states to be caught with dope. When i was coming home on an interstate compact for probation i knew we had a problem in Alaska but didn't realize how tough they were to