Ironically, unless you live in a place with very strict sentences for MJ, your ability to make money may ultimately by the stiffest consequence of your charge. I was also popped with bud, more than a decade ago when I was a very young adult, and, while I did a very short jail sentence, the worst of it was that I was relegated to crappy jobs that either didn't background check or didn't care for the 7 years until it could be expunged. Even to this day, as much as I would like to return to the state where it happened, I can't because I can't reciprocate my current professional license out of fear that the expunged charge may surface and I'd be stripped altogether.

That being said, philosophically both the idealist argument that the current system sucks (RA Wilson's Rich Economy springs to mind) and the argument that it is nearly impossible to achieve true freedom without mastering the material world (Maslow's hierarchy of needs, ie, impossible to fully achieve the heights of consciousness when worrying about your next meal/rent check/etc) both resonate significantly. I don't see any reason that they should be considered incongruous.

I wish you luck with it, Philosopher. If I was on your jury, I'd exercise my right to juror nullification. Maybe that's why courts press so hard for plea deals in drug cases?

Jin, I think those men can be held responsible for the laws they enact. They are elected to protect the constitution and defend their states rights. We can't excuse their behavior just because they may be drunk. Just like if a man drinks then robs a store and says its because he was drunk, he will still get charged. Ultimately it is the elected officials responsibility, no matter how naive, or how unintelligent, or closed minded. They decided to run for congress with the wrong goals in mind, and are therefor responsible.

These men are not children, they have grown up and been shaped by their experiences. They have the same chance as all of us to realize the importance of nature, and personal freedom. I grew up in a highly republican household, and now I am much more liberal. Everyone has their own choices and are therefor accountable for what they produce with these decisions.

It is not solely these people's fault though. Those who elect and reelect the same man for decades, even though they have seen what consequences he has caused. The government is supposedly powerless without the people. All we can do is try to reason with the unreasonable. Try to enlighten the narrow mind. End the generalizations and implanted schemas, to replace with factual unbiased intelligence.

It is hard to make a flower bloom without water, and we must introduce new ways of thinking into the society. Responsible, selfless, and intelligent thinking, a goal to protect and balance the earth, instead of extract all of its materials of "value" for personal gain. Be the catalyst to personal freedom by exercising your god given rights, and stand for them and defend them.

Another very upsetting experience. When I went in to give my first monthly drug test, they said I must pay them for the test. I must pay to have my body scanned against my will, to make sure I don't ingest materials thought by the drones to be harmful. So if I do ingest these substances I can be placed in jail for 3 months. The fact that they make you pay to lose your own freedom is disgusts ting. But there's not much I can do about it by myself, I'm just another victim.

If I stood up for what I believed in in court, the judge would take that to mean I do not intend to change my illegal behavior and must be charged to the full extent of the law. For speaking my mind, I will be punished. If I wasn't caught with weed I'd be free to say what I want, but now that a plant was found in my pocket, if I speak my mind I enter jail and am forever a convict of the law.

And they wonder why we turn to psychedelics when life in society becomes a dance in the theatre of the Absurd...

sorry Philosopher.

Thanks khronos

“Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere.” – George Washington
“Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country.” – Thomas Jefferson
“Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica.” – Abraham Lincoln
"don't blame the law , avoid it , cheat it and raise your middle finger." - Jin

"Doesn't the idea of making nature against the law seem a bit unnatural?"

Either way, just wanted to throw my two cents into this.

My view on those who break the law is that there are two types of people/groups who break the law. Some people "quietly" break the law because they choose to do things how they want, view the law is unjust and thus break it. A vast majority of people fall into this category. Others "openly" break the law, usually as an act of rebellion to challenge the status quo etc. They are activists. Such as when people get together by the thousands and smoke pot during a Legalize It rally. Sometimes people rebel for religious reasons such as those entheogen using churches. For a society to grow and prosper we need the activists to challenge the status quo and set precedent, sometimes these people will go to jail and sometimes change happens but it truly is a slow arduous process.

As far as MJ legalization goes, I see the dominos falling and hopefully total legalization is in the near future. Either way we all know these laws are unjust, we all know how devastating the black market is, the problem is is that the lawmakers err on the side of tradition and custom not on the side of reason and logic.

(Also, just wanted to share a thought on the marijuana being illegal too, because the hypocrisy of it makes me laugh. The idea is that Cannabis Sativa is considered a Schedule 1 drug which means it has a high potential for abuse and has no medical value, however cannabis is just a plant, the "drug" (chemical that gets you high) in it is THC, and THC in the form of Marinol is a used pharmaceutical. Which means that the drug has medicinal value. That's like saying that the coffee bean is illegal because it gives you a buzz and has no medicinal value but caffeine is a legal headache remedy. The deal is THC is the drug and THC is a legal medicine. WTF? . Therefore the law itself doesn't hold weight *and yes I know there are other cannabinoids in Cannabis, but the point is still valid. The law is simply wrong because its not even logically sound)

Oh well, society is fucked up. But I think the truth will set us free, it's just going to take time and people with the balls to stand up and speak out against unjust laws for thing to change.

Peace.

I think some people here ought to read some Bastiat: The Law

I agree with Jamie. Although taking steps to not get in trouble for it isn't bad in my honest opinion.

I've been getting hit hard for a bag of mushrooms. And I accept the consequences. It is still very messed up that people are persecuted because of things like this.

I have to take drug tests twice a week, report to a probation officer once a month, went to jail for a day, payed 1000 dollars in fines so far, am paying 75 a month for "supervision fees", and have drug classes i have to attend and pay for.

I am not a violent person... I am not a "bad" person. Just because the law is the law and we "have" to abide by it or else we get screwed over doesn't make it right.

That's just giving in to submission. That's why people need to stand up for what they believe in. Here in the USA the laws are based on religious morality and it is messed up.

Take a stand.