Addicted…

So reading my previous post I have done a lot of work on the racial disparity in sentencing between cocaine and crack cocaine. And I will continue to explore that topic. However, I have decided to expand to something that I think is really interesting and hopefully with my research and point of view I will be able to give insight to a variety of addictions…So there it is I will begin my journey down the path of the addicted and not just drug abuse, but all kinds of addictions. Sex, Money,Trends, OCD, hell even water…if I can find a person who has struggled with the addiction and enough information I will write.

Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

addiction. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved June 26, 2010, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/addiction

Cocaine Cowboys

This is a very interesting documentary on cocaine…Watch the trailer and consider watching the movie

Research Plan

The issue at hand is the disparity in sentencing between crack cocaine and cocaine.

America has been a country to pride itself on democracy and justice that is fair. However, in many cases the very thing that America and our justice system has prided itself upon is not true. One would conclude that what our government offers as justice for all can be deemed as false advertisement, in some instances. Taking a look at the drug policy when it comes to cocaine and crack cocaine, whether it be trafficking, distribution, or the use one will immediately notice a difference in treatment of the crime. So I have started to research this topic looking at many diffferent aspects in hopes to come up with a conclusion or maybe even some valid explanation. The following are questions I will attempt to answer :

Why is there a difference between the prison sentencing in cocaine and crack cocaine ?

Does race have anything to do with the sentencing time and process ?

What effects do cocaine have on the people that use it ?

What are the origins of cocaine ?

Is there a significant difference in cocaine versus crack cocaine ?

If there is a difference does it influence the sentencing in years and quantity of the substance ?

Is there really a war on drugs ?

How does crack cocaine and the prison system effect black males and their families ?

Is the powdered form of cocaine a more acceptable drug by society ?

Houston, TX: Harris County Cocaine Policy

Must Read: Fair Sentencing Act of 2010

Mar 18, 2010 – Referred in House. This is the text of the bill after moving from the Senate to the House before being considered by House committees. This is the latest version of the bill currently available on GovTrack.

S 1789 RFH
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1789
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 2010
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To restore fairness to Federal cocaine sentencing.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Fair Sentencing Act of 2010’.
SEC. 2. COCAINE SENTENCING DISPARITY REDUCTION.
(a) CSA- Section 401(b)(1) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)) is amended–
(1) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking ‘50 grams’ and inserting ‘280 grams’; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking ‘5 grams’ and inserting ‘28 grams’.
(b) Import and Export Act- Section 1010(b) of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 960(b)) is amended–
(1) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ‘50 grams’ and inserting ‘280 grams’; and
(2) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ‘5 grams’ and inserting ‘28 grams’.

SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR SI…

SEC. 4. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS….

SEC. 5. ENHANCEMENTS FOR ACTS OF VIOLENCE DURING THE COU…

SEC. 6. INCREASED EMPHASIS ON DEFENDANT’S ROLE AND CERTA…

SEC. 7. INCREASED EMPHASIS ON DEFENDANT’S ROLE AND CERTA…

SEC. 8. EMERGENCY AUTHORITY FOR UNITED STATES SENTENCING…

SEC. 9. REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF DRUG COURTS….

SEC. 10. UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION REPORT ON I…

Passed the Senate March 17, 2010….

Attest:…
NANCY ERICKSON,…
Secretary….

VIEW FULL VERSION @http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1789&version=rfh

Could this be an attempt to change ???

The issue involving the disparity between crack cocaine and cocaine sentencing is very serious and has raised many questions and debates. Last year a bill know as the the Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 was introduced in the Senate October 15, 2009 and just recently passed on March 17, 2010. The bill has been referred to the House for review and if passed then the next step will be nice little signature from our President.

The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 is an attempt to equalize the difference in sentencing between crack cocaine and cocaine.

Something Funny

The Epidemic

 

This is the processed form of cocaine that is made using baking soda and water to form a crystallized rock

 

Crack cocaine became popular in the 1980′s. The drug was cheaper and easier to obtain, so it became a drug that many were able to use, expanding its class. Powdered cocaine was and still is more expensive than crack cocaine and is often known as “a rich man’s drug”.

 “Public concern about crack cocaine addiction and its accompanying violent drug market spread 

quickly. Newscasters used words like “crisis” and “epidemic” – later shown to be exaggerated – to 

describe the impact of crack. The drug was considered a social menace more dangerous than powder 

cocaine in its physiological and psychotropic effects.  The political hysteria that ensued led Congress 

to pass the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. The law’s mandatory penalties for crack cocaine offenses 

were the harshest ever adopted for low level drug offenses and established drastically different penalty 

structures for crack and powder cocaine. The result is that defendants convicted with just five grams of 

crack cocaine, the weight of less than two sugar packets and a quantity that yields about 10 to 50 

doses, are subject to a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.” 

Crack cocaine like I said before is a much cheaper product than powdered cocaine. Now both of these drugs are illegal and should be treated more the same than different because they are the same drug. One is processed and one remains in its pure form. Crack cocaine is used by all kinds of people but predominately by the African American community. So when the news and media got hold of the widespread use of the drug the fact that more blacks were using it than any other race prompted more of the negative attention. I’m not condoning anything here, I just think that often times the people, the news, the justice system can prejudice towards minorities. Thats why you longer sentencing for crack cocaine than powdered cocaine. More African Americans use crack cocaine and more Caucasians use powdered cocaine. Again you go to jail longer for less crack cocaine than you do the powdered form….

Is this a coincidence ?

Source: www.thesentencingproject.org

Reasons not to use drugs….

1. Your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health… 2. Your family and friends…. 3. Your career and or school… 4. Your money and financial status… 5. Your time

There are many reasons not to use drugs and the above reasons are just a few. Drugs can ruin your life and the lives of others that really care about you.

You can find more in depth information and reasons why not to use drugs @ teenzone.org

Powder…

This is an image of the powder form of cocaine