San Francisco (Obama.net)- It is no secret that drug laws in the United States of America are quite strict. Just by being in possession of the simplest drugs, one is at risk of facing a lengthy prison term. But the drug laws are also complicated and imbalanced as different forces of the same drug result in different levels of severity of prison term. President Barack Obama is looking to decrease the gap.
Tuesday, Obama passed a new law that makes the mandatory prison terms for crack cocaine and powdered cocaine closer in time length.
Obama reduced the lengths for crack cocaine.
This issue also has a racial undertone as for the last 25 years, the majority of users of crack cocaine have been African Americans, while most of the people who consumed the powder version of cocaine have been white. The prison terms have been notably longer for those imprisoned for crack cocaine rather than the powder form.
The new law will only apply to future cases at the federal level despite the fact that the majority of drug cases take place in the state courts.
According to the Drug Policy Alliance, most states already do treat powder cocaine and crack cocaine as the same level drug, something Obama is pleased to know.
The new law replaces the old one from 1986 where an equal sentence would be set for someone who has one hundred grams of powder cocaine and for someone who has one gram of crack cocaine. The new law changes it from 100 to 1, to 18 to 1, a much better ratio.
The bill also says that there is now no mandatory minimum sentence of five years for a first time offender.
Obama’s work on the sentences associated with both versions of cocaine provides a cushion for first time offenders and those who simply made one mistake. The laws against hard offenders and repeat offenders will remain stringent.
why will this only effect those on a federal level and not those on a state level?..not all cases are federal but they are large amounts of drugs involved……..whats the difference?…im a first time offender and the state whats me to sing for 20 years,stateing a 15 to 99 penalty but for those on a federal level a five year minimum…….or am i reading wrong? please clarify this for me….yes i will pay for my time but fair is fair…..
My son was sentenced to 12yrs for a first time cocain dill set up by undercover cops it was a mistake that he has to loose 12 yrs of his life! Its just not fair please help the state 1st timers to obama they voted for you also? B-Blessed!
Great i think this is fair and also should be the same for the state offenders! Its just one MAJOR PROMBLEM left with federal sentencing DRUG LAW its a lot of offenders losing thier LIFE because of HE SAY SHE SAY WITH NO EVIDENCE! All it takes is three or more informers to say he brought a large amount from the defendant and in most cases are not true!Incarcerated informers use this strategy every day to lesser thier sentence! Its not fair HE SAY SHE SAY SHOULD NOT STAND IN COURT WITH NO EVIDENCE!!!! PERIOD
Please help me to understand that there is time that you are looking into time served in the missouri state prison for women my daughter has been in there since she was 18 and is 23 now and looking at eighteen years for something she wasn’t even there. And the system in St. Charles needs to be looked at. Is there anything we can do about the 85% being reduced to 65 or 55% please let me know. I worry so much about her.
Could someone please get back to me on this?
For the time served in the missouri prison on other charges not drug so much!!!!!
if someone were already doing time and were seeking time served in the year of 2012,does this mean they immediate release as soon as this law is effective? And when is it effective?
from what i read. it say;s that it will only affect those not yet sentenced. only those sentenced after the law took effect will catch the break.
What about people wrongly accused in prison. Is there ever going to be anything passed for the state prison’s the 85% to 65%? I hear talk but we never see anything. I have no probably about the Cocaine law. But my daughter has been in prison for almost 5 years now she was 18 at the time and the system is really messed up and needs to be addressed when you have lawyers and judges that go to lunch together and on trips together how do you think things are going to be done right when it is like this? And a very racist and bias group out where I live. Please get back to me on this.
@ Pat/godisluv. It does not matter that it was set up by cops. Its actually better because your son didnt put drugs in the hands of citizens. How can you complain? Your son was a drug dealer and he got what he deserved. Everything happens for a reason. Your son was a drug dealer and im sure this was not his first time.
we need to free the people that are in prison for drugs,If there were jobs out here a number of inmates would not be repeat offenders but when they are released and they have no job or no one will hire them due to the fact that they have a felony what are they suppose to do? not everybody that sells drugs are bad people just looking for a way to provide for there families.needing work in asheboro north carolina!
i agree strongly with this…they need to release them and send them to drug rehabilation centers instead.. thats the only thing thats goin to help get them off drugs… and also they to erase the felony charge so they can get a job….and these cops set them up around a park or school should be illegal..thats entrapment and makes them get a longer time in prison..its bull crap….they also need to go after these dr.who prescribe the medication,that help them get hooked…
we also need a law that will give companys an incentive to hire convicted felons. we need jobs too!
thank obama for caring re-elect him in 2012
I was just under the impression that this law will only benefit those that are catching new cases on the federal level cause they where caught with a large amount of crack or cocaine. This is only when the law is in affect. My husband is in a federal prison in California, and he has recieved a letter stating all of this.He was sentenced to 12 years and has already done a little over 5 and he was also ordered by the courts to complete a 9 month class . All he have left is this 9 month class to do. What does this new law mean for him, if anything. Please if someone can explain to me in depth, reply to my posting.
Thank you
I’M BLACK SO HERE IS THE WHOLE STORY READ BETWEEN THE LINES! FAMILY WE ARE BLACK AND IT’S MORE BLACKS THAN WHITE THAT’S LOCK UP ON DRUG CHARGERS” SO WHO CARES IT’S NOT THEM LAYING IN PRISON” THEY LOOK AT US AS BEING BAD PEOPLE! WE ALL HAVE MADE MISTAKES AND HAS FALLEN SHORT KNOW ONE’S PERFECT BUT THE FATHER WHO’S IN HEAVEN” HOW CAN WE HELP OURSELF WHEN KNOW ONE WILL GIVE US A CHANCE TO SHOW OURSELF BETTER!!!!!!
Amen to that !!
I believe that with all things there are some good and some bad..I know that there are alot of people who have done the wrong thing with the right intent. Meaning, some of the dealers are just trying to provide for the family but in the wrong way beit due to lack of jobs, education or experience I think that each person caught needs to stand there time and then once released given a chance to do better not continuously penalized for something they have already answered too. Repeat offenders then should have that stern sentence because whatever the case is ultimately you have a CHOICE!we gotta do better.
I have a father in law they gave him life without parole in 1992 for drugs. I hate the laws back then, and sure aint no help now. What about the people that are doing time now in federal prisons. It seems a person gets more time for selling drugs then murder. In 1982 when this law was made racist and segregation was going on so how dare they not make it effective for people that are already in prison doing time.They have to suffer with the white mans law of the 1980’s. Some one please talk to Obama he needs to change the law so it can effect the men and that were wrongly sentenced in the 80’s and 90’s.
My brother is at camp hill in pa
He’s heard rumors of a bill thats supposed to be signed in Nov,2012 for early release/reduction and has asked me to find out about it .
Does anyone know about this and if its for non violent offenders only ?
Or who i might inquire of on a government level ..
Thanks ..
AC Boy Howard Raymond Stated Obama Pays Them In Drugs For Invisibly Micro Implanting The USA Citizens From Computer!
Then Raymond said they harass the users for drug and warfare research experimentation!
They have to sell them Darpa Micro Implanted Invisible Online Program By US Howard Retard Raymond/ Obama Darpa Gov. From Your Computer Or Cell Phone Right Now !
Gay retarded Howard Raymond said he will not remove or quit selling and torturing US Citizens for any anything he gets 2 to 3 million a year an it is his livelihood!
Raymond said he is micro wave torturing 10-20 people for Obama, Obama haters IN USA right now and he loves to torture and sell peoples freedom microchip
more than anything. He sells his members sex in front of moniter without their knowledge and does not pay them at Virtuagirl.com, Virtuaguy.com, Paulraymond.com cause that is what he does and it’s legal!.
He owns all porn sites! Howard Raymond son of late Paul Raymond King Of Porn from London a 11 billion dollar land barron!
Howard and thousands of agents install a Darpa Invisible Adv. Alien Tech. micro programs not a real rfid chip in your right eye retina from your computer and believe it or not forms an invisible cell phone connection and an invisible cam that can view you at any angle, record, harass or wifi torture you.
Last year Howard used on myself a California Jay Leno Comedy Club Wifi Torture Program with Democratic Convention and Obama’s voice or real person?
Howard said Darpa Obama will not admit to any of this or remove the implants from civilians or Gov. Employees I was told most Gov. employees, Military and Police were not advised they are implanted and under surveillance like the rest of the world! Howard said he would be killed like millions of implanters worldwide if he didn’t implant the unknowing US Citizen’s for 2 million a year. USA Gov. is selling our freedom!
i have 3 newphews in prison for selling one pill…they want to give them 30-60years in prison… i hate that they send drug dealers to prison instead of ordering them into a drug rehabilitation center and get them off drugs. prison does not help…they clearly come out and still are on drugs.. what is wrong with the court systems.. this is common sense and it makes angry….send them to drug centers for help instead of prison and maybe this problem wouldnt be a problem….america needs to get off their butts and start fighting for our loved ones instead of just talking.
why in the HELL is this man still breathing?
First off a white person convicted of dealing drugs ALWAYS gets a longer sentence than a black man convicted of the same crime. Second if someone, ANYONE, deals drugs they shouldn’t be mad about being busted and sent to prison. And third anyone who sniches is the worst kind of person. They are basically traitors. If you or I are dealing, we are playing the game and sometimes your going to lose. Just shut up and accept your penalty. Fourth don’t be angry with doctors for prescribing pain relief. Opiate pain relievers are not the spawn of Satan. It’s our responsibility to take care of our self’s and that takes self control. May you all be Blessed by GOD. Amen
I’m not about to moderate my comment because it is the truth. I played the game for 26 years and was busted twice. If I didn’t find GOD I would still be in the pity pot, still using. And I never opened my mouth to snitch. Its time for the males in this country to rise up stop complaining and become MEN.
Jay Regas, convicted in 1996,Reno, NV. 9 other defendants but he was the only one convicted under the most severe of the new federal sentencing. He has already served 21 years in prison. Fair sentencing?
My son was sentenced to 14 years for cocaine trafficking and they didn’t get any drugs off of him. He was in someone else’s yard with the owner and the police just walked in the yard and started to search the yard without the owner’s permission and found drugs in the owner’s back yard and pinned it on my son