individuals incarcerated each year. According to Ethan Nadelmann, founder.
of the Drug Policy Alliance, nearly 700,000 arrests are made each year for.
marijuana related charges (Nadelmann). There are more marijuana related.
arrests made per year than any other drug combined (Nadelmann). Over every.
other potentially fatal drug, marijuana being the least harmful amongst all.
has been the cause for most arrests. Nadelmann stated that "87 percent of.
marijuana arrests are for nothing more than small possession amounts,".
(Nadelmann). James Austin, President of the JFA Institute reported that.
"enforcing marijuana laws costs over 7.6 billion per year," not including.
court costs and correction policies (Austin). It costs federal and state.
government far too much to crack down on marijuana consumers, when funding.
should be enforced on areas of greater concern, such as education and.
healthcare. Some detained for marijuana consumption never actually see the.
inside of a jail cell but instead receive various fines, while many others.
in the country spend a substantial amount of time in prison for the same.
"crime." While there are hundreds of thousands in jail for marijuana use,.
those not incarcerated arguably receive a harsher punishment. If a parent.
is charged with unlawful consumption of marijuana, they may lose their.
children to foster care while legal immigrants may even be deported back to.
their original country (Nadelmann). Under the federal Higher Education.
Act, young students are forbidden from obtaining student loans if convicted.
for marijuana possession, while many other irrational criminal offenses.
remain undetected by the Organization (Nadelmann). Without student loans,.
the majority of college students could not afford a Universities tuition.
cost, so for student loans to be revoked for such a insignificant offense.
is rather illogical. The prohibition of marijuana, to contrary belief,.
leads to an increase in crime.