>Sender: >To: >X-Original-Message-ID: <065f01bf19fc$409a4bd0$9acf69cf@pacbell.net> >From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: 682,885 lives ruined in 1998 >Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 23:36:15 -0700 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > > >Monday October 18 7:58 AM ET > >Group Says U.S.Marijuana Busts Remained High In 1998 > >WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of marijuana arrests last year remained >near the 1997 record high and surpassed those for murder, rape, robbery and >aggravated assault combined, a group that lobbies for the reform of >marijuana laws reported Sunday. > >Citing statistics from the FBI's report of crime statistics for 1998, the >Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project said there were 682,885 arrests >related to the drug in 1998, down 1.8 percent from the record high of >695,200 in 1997. > >``This is a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources,'' said Chuck >Thomas, spokesman for the group, which lobbies lawmakers to legalize >medical marijuana prescribed by doctors for illnesses that cause pain or >discomfort associated with the treatment of cancer or AIDS. > >The 1998 marijuana arrests, 88 percent of which were for possession as >opposed to sale or manufacture, exceeded last year's arrests for murder, >rape, robbery and aggravated assault combined, the Marijuana Policy project >said in its statement. > >The FBI report that contained the drug data also showed that the United >States had the lowest murder rate in more than 30 years and that the >overall number of serious crimes reported in 1998 fell 5 percent, the >seventh consecutive annual decline. > >Citing other government statistics, the Marijuana Policy Project has >reported that there are 59,300 marijuana offenders in U.S. prisons and >jails at any given time. > >``It is time to stop arresting adults who grow and consume their own >marijuana at home -- and instead put these public resources into >violent-crime enforcement and effective drug education,'' said Thomas. > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: