Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jun 2013
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2013 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/general/30627794.html
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Eugene Kane

WISCONSIN IN A FOG ON MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT

There is a huge racial disparity in the state, with blacks far more
likely to get busted.

The TV series was called "That 70s Show" even though it first aired in
1998.

It was a fond remembrance of a group of Wisconsin teenagers and their
parents in a Milwaukee suburb who represented both the cynicism and
pride of living in the Midwest during a turbulent decade.

What many remember about the adventures of Eric, Kelso, Fez, Donna,
Jackie and Hyde was a launching pad for future movie careers for some
individual actors. Others may remember the infamous "smoke circle"
that seemed like edgy television for the time even though it was
undeniably familiar for those who grew up in the '70s.

According to various articles on "That 70s Show," there was never a
spoken reference to marijuana or pot in the script, even though scenes
showed Eric and friends toking it up in the basement while
experiencing visual and verbal fireworks.

None of the kids on the show ever got arrested for pot - although
guest star Tommy Chong did star in a subplot in which his adult stoner
character did run afoul of the law -but that just made it more believable.

Lots of suburban white kids used marijuana, both then and now, and
never faced the consequences. They didn't all go on to become
Hollywood stars like Ashton Kutcher or Mila Kunis but they did get to
go to college, get hired by reputable companies or government agencies
without much blemish on their record.

But according to a study released last week by the American Civil
Liberties Union, Wisconsin ranks fifth in racial disparity for
marijuana arrests, including statistics that show African-Americans
were six times as likely to be arrested for pot possession than whites.

Nationally, the rate is blacks get arrested for pot 3.7 times more
than whites.

That means that Wisconsin - and Milwaukee, where a majority of
African-American arrests for marijuana possession take place - has
another peculiar problem in the way it dispenses justice. Wisconsin
has previously been identified as a leader in incarceration of black
males for non-violent offenses that usually involve illegal drugs. But
the pot bust numbers for Wisconsin, which are growing while other
states are declining, is a disturbing trend.

Frankly, too many black men are already exposed to the criminal
justice system at too young an age; if getting busted for smoking
marijuana brings them into the criminal justice system while they are
still teenagers, it could have dire consequences for their future.

During a time when some states have either decriminalized marijuana
possession or even made it legal, it's hard to see the value of
continuing to lock up pot-smoking juveniles in urban areas for a
"crime" that more and more don't see as destructive or dangerous as
harder drugs or even drunken driving.

Milwaukee Municipal Court Judge Derrick Mosley thinks the impact of
the pot arrests for young black males in a city like Milwaukee can be
disastrous.

"The most troubling fact about this ratio is that statistically blacks
and whites use marijuana at the same rate," said Mosley, quoting facts
from the ACLU study that used FBI statistics nationally. "The
consequences of this ratio are catastrophic."

"If a youth is convicted of a criminal marijuana charge, then they are
automatically ineligible for any federal financial aid for school,"
said Mosley. "Denied, not only at the time of the offense, but also
for the rest of their lives."

Mosley said denying a young person an education based on a marijuana
possession conviction at the age of 17 years old "seems excessive." He
also noted that a marijuana drug charge for a young black person also
could adversely affect his or her voting rights, housing and job prospects.

Chris Ahmuty, of the local ACLU office, said he knows it's unlikely
that marijuana laws will be changed, but he suggested police not make
busting pot smokers a huge priority.

With public opinion polls showing most Americans want law enforcement
to concentrate on more serious crimes, maybe it's time to look at the
overall priorities that determine who gets arrested for what.

After all, the kids on "That 70s Show" never had to worry about cops
showing up to knock on the door, did they?
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