USA - most "drug friendy" state

[WrtngCocaineTutorial]

Hi,

I'm thinking about moving to the US for a year or two, and I was wondering if someone knows what's the most "drug friendly" state (if there is such thing in the US).. ?

The places I'm thinking about are Las Vegas - nevada, or California. Are there any diffencenes in the laws there?

Does anyone know what the state in the US with the mildest punishment on users are?

[augentier]

Colorado is pretty lenient when it comes to marijuana, at least in Denver. Alaska, California, and New Hampshire are all weed-friendly. Other drugs are treated pretty much the same everywhere though -- they're not decriminalized and penalities are harsh, except for shrooms, which are legal (wild ones) in Florida.

If you're wondering about the people, there are drug users everywhere..you will definitely find lots in the big cities, but even the small towns that no one knows about have their "charm" Just be discrete and smart about whatever you do and wherever you go.

[Heretic.Ape.]

As far as I know Nevada is not very drug friendly, but things may have changed since years gone by. Also it really changes from city to city as far as how much they tend to enforce various aspects of the law in any state. Many towns with Universities tend to be fairly lenient.

[jux]

growing shrooms is somewhat legal in new mexico (its not considered manafacturing or trafficking) though i suppose you could still get busted for possession...go figure....http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/29120.html

hawaii is pretty relaxed on weed, they are more concerned with ice out there. for first offenses for non-violent drug use, offenders tend to get sent to rehab instead of jail (a good system IMO)

some areas of cali are pretty relaxed with weed. they have legal medical marijuana out there and apparently its fairly easy to get a script. though i would highly discourage that kind of abuse to the system as it will ruin medical marijuana for those who really need it...

i think vegas tried to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana about a year ago, but i dont think it passed...beyond that, i have no idea...

for hard drugs, you can probabally expect about the same treatment wherever you go....

[WrtngCocaineTutorial]

Originally Posted by jux

for hard drugs, you can probabally expect about the same treatment wherever you go....

when you say "hard drugs", do they take into account what actually are hard drugs, e.g. like hard punsihment for the drugs marked with red, moderate for orange and light for yellow?

(from the lancet)


or is it pretty much random (like in europe) what classifies as hard, and what don't?


can you go to jail for being a user?
I was thinking about X in particular, how that is treated..

[hoodabudda]

Originally Posted by WrtngCocaineTutorial

when you say "hard drugs", do they take into account what actually are hard drugs, e.g. like hard punsihment for the drugs marked with red, moderate for orange and light for yellow?

(from the lancet)


or is it pretty much random (like in europe) what classifies as hard, and what don't?


can you go to jail for being a user?
I was thinking about X in particular, how that is treated..

swim is sure huffing solivents is more harmful than almost all of those yet its yellow and swim thinks amphetamine and coke are pretty even

[dirkduck]

Originally Posted by hoodabudda

swim is sure huffing solivents is more harmful than almost all of those yet its yellow and swim thinks amphetamine and coke are pretty even

I was also thinkin' that graph was pretty off in a lot of places...

I suppose Colorado is a fairly drug friendly state (read: marijuana), but I think it really depends on the city.

[jux]

mainly was reffering to crack, heroin, and meth when i said "hard drugs" (all seem to have steeper penaties than something like weed or shrooms) i dont know what is legally considered a "hard drug", i was using a generalized definition

i am not sure what the specific legal consequences are of getting busted for possession of x in those states (or which states have the most leniant policies)....but you can bet that its probabally not good

[old hippie 56]

X is a controlled substance, like coke, meth.

[hoodabudda]

Originally Posted by old hippie 56

X is a controlled substance, like coke, meth.

its funny how they call it a controlled substance when the government has no control over it.

[jux]

yeah you'll get jailtime almost everywhere (some states have offer rehab as an alternative to jail for first time drug offenders, but those are few and far between)

[WrtngCocaineTutorial]

rehab over jail sounds like a good law..

hmmm. My SWIM'er does only drugs occationally (max twice a month), and has no physical signs of drug use whatsoever. Do you think he could get a place in a rehab clinic instead of jail?

I knew texas was putting people in jail for doing drugs, but not other states

[SuprSonik]

The United States in general just isn't very drug friendly at all. Some states have decriminalized marijuana as shown on the picture below, but aside from marijuana, you'll likely find yourself in some deep trouble even on a first time offense for possession.

California is one of the most drug friendly states, though. Possession of less than an Oz of marijuana can only be punished with a maximum of a $100 fine. Typically people are given the option of rehab instead of jailtime (although if someone is busted with something other than marijuana, they'll probably spend the night in jail at least.)

On the plus side, the United States has strong personal privacy laws, and if know the law you'll normally be pretty safe, unless you're caught doing something like making drugs, selling them, or are out in public or driving under the influence.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Nice post.

[WrtngCocaineTutorial]

for being a user of "hard drugs", are we talking days/weeks/months/year in prison?

Will you always get the option to post bail?

[SuprSonik]

Originally Posted by WrtngCocaineTutorial

for being a user of "hard drugs", are we talking days/weeks/months/year in prison?

Will you always get the option to post bail?

You wouldn't be thrown into prison for just using them, only if you were selling or making them and were convicted of that in court. You'd probably find yourself in a holding cell at your local city jail until you're released on bail (which will always be an option unless you had mass quantities, which will probably get you arrested for intent to sell, and even then I can't see them denying you bail unless it was a HUGE amount of hard drugs or your 5th offense or something.)

After you're released on bail you'll have to appear in court not too long after. There, depending on the state, the judge's opinion of you, and the evidence against you, you'll either be ordered to pay a fine, spend a short period of time in jail (probably a month to 3 months maximum, although this is highly unlikely on first or second offenses, at least in California), or attend a drug rehab program (most likely.)

The best way to avoid this is to of course be smart; don't use in any area that's not a secure, private building where the police will not be able to enter or search without reasonable suspicion, and when traveling with drugs on you, put them somewhere out of sight, act normal and definitely don't be on drugs at the time. If you get pulled over for whatever reason, just act natural and you'll probably drive away with a speeding ticket or whatever.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good info

[jux]

most places you will go to jail. there are only a few places with that policy....

it appears that california has this policy in effect (prop 36)

as does Arizona (Proposition 200,in 1996)

and DC (measure 62)


other states have voted on it, but i am not sure of all the results since this article is from 2003 (you can probabally just google it if you want to know):

"In Kansas, a drug treatment diversion bill recently won legislative approval, and the issue is on the radar in Wisconsin, Washington, Arkansas, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and New Mexico." http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPa...ontentId=15226



but overall, (despite these laws) the US isn't exactly tolerant with drugs...

Reputation Comments on this post:

good info. thanks for sharing

[augentier]

[quote=jux;281275]"In Kansas, a drug treatment diversion bill recently won legislative approval, and the issue is on the radar in Wisconsin, Washington, Arkansas, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and New Mexico." http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPa...ontentId=15226
quote]


Really? SWIM is from Kansas and people who are getting busted are going to jail.

[85gtdrop1]

Nevada is a "zero tollerance" state. Possible life for first time possession. Doesnt really happen but it could.

[Police Officer]

Originally Posted by 85gtdrop1

Nevada is a "zero tollerance" state. Possible life for first time possession. Doesnt really happen but it could.

No, its not possible. I looked it up. You could get fined up to $600 and be convicted of a misdemeanor.

As for the rest of the posts where "You go to jail forever for the first time..." That dosent even happen when you popped for distribution for the first time. Now, if you are on parole for murder and you're caught with weed, and you have been out killing people for weed, and you fashion a gun made of weed and use it to shoot at the Police, and your Parole Officer, well then I guess you could go to jail for possession of marijuana.

C'mon guys, if it dosent pass the common sense test...

How about we ask this: Of all the "swims" that post on here this is your chance to chime in with some first hand experience. How many times were you arrested before you actually did any time in a prison. Now, we're not talking about the time you spent in the County Jail when you didnt have time to bail yourself out. Actual prison time. And of course please provide us with other mitigating factors such as previous violent crimes, crimes against persons, and property crimes like stealing and burglary.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thank you for calming these nervous chihuahuas...lol, I don't know where they get their ideas. FS

[toe]

Originally Posted by Police Officer

No, its not possible. I looked it up. You could get fined up to $600 and be convicted of a misdemeanor.

As for the rest of the posts where "You go to jail forever for the first time..." That dosent even happen when you popped for distribution for the first time. Now, if you are on parole for murder and you're caught with weed, and you have been out killing people for weed, and you fashion a gun made of weed and use it to shoot at the Police, and your Parole Officer, well then I guess you could go to jail for possession of marijuana.

C'mon guys, if it dosent pass the common sense test...

How about we ask this: Of all the "swims" that post on here this is your chance to chime in with some first hand experience. How many times were you arrested before you actually did any time in a prison. Now, we're not talking about the time you spent in the County Jail when you didnt have time to bail yourself out. Actual prison time. And of course please provide us with other mitigating factors such as previous violent crimes, crimes against persons, and property crimes like stealing and burglary.

Never happened. Perhaps because swim is of the gentler sex and thus societally programmed against rolling up gun-shaped blunts and perpetuating violence. Plenty of stops and searches, more of them illegal than many would like to believe, but no actual sentences to jail. Honestly it's hard to imagine any mere pothead getting herself into that position.

[jux]

Originally Posted by augentier

Really? SWIM is from Kansas and people who are getting busted are going to jail.

the article is from 2003 so maybe the law has changed since then...or maybe it stalled somewhere in the process of becoming law....or the judge they had is hard on drug offenders (sentancing is still left to the discretion of a judge...)

[tayo]

washington and oregon are pretty good.

[chemlove]

Originally Posted by tayo

washington and oregon are pretty good.

I always heard that Oregon was relaxed too!

[Beanfondler]

Originally Posted by chemlove

I always heard that Oregon was relaxed too!

Oregon is fairly lax when it comes to marijuana, compared to other states at least. They as long as just about every other state are anal when it comes to "hard" drugs.

[TwinTransfusion]

Someone who isn't me has noticed your signature. SWIM believes that perhaps the USA is not a good choice for you to be moving to.
There are many political issues in the USA, one of the biggest being healthcare. If you were to OD and be sent to an ER, you could be slowing down thier system and perhaps taking the spot of that a small child who was born with chronic lung disease, and is having respiratory distress, while their mother cries over them begging "god" to save him.

SWIM wants you to know our healthcare system is very faulty. Those who are in real need are at times forgotten because of the obese man, the chronic smoker or the experimental drug used has gone into cardiac arrest; whicle the truly sick have to wait hours upon hours to be seen...or saved.

SWIM believes you should reconsider your move to the USA. Perhaps you are not a good fit.

SWIM wants to apologize in advance because the issue is very personal to "her" as she is a parent of severely medically fragile twins, and is disgusted while they suffer to catch a breath, while she watched the druggies who've ODd are taking up valuable time with a preventable code on their hands.

It's difficult to watch, so says SWIM.