Senator Jeff Sesssion Seemingly Makes A Date To Do Some Crack Cocaine
July 17th, 2009, 5:52 PM EDT
Speaking shorthand, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions told Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, “We’re going to do that crack cocaine thing you and I talked about before. We got to.”
Of course, Sessions, the (judiciary) panel’s top Republican, was referring to the longstanding effort to equalize sentencing rules that impose harsher penalties for offenses involving crack cocaine than those involving powder forms of cocaine.
maybe if he said “pot” that would please the democrats.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I’m sure the Democrats are ecstatic the Republicans are going along with eliminating the racist disparity for crack vs. powder sentencing. Usually politicians from both aisles fear doing anything that would appear ’soft on crime’ (as if there were ANY danger that the US was going soft on crime), I’m more than a bit surprised this is moving through.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Wow 20 plus years since the war on crack and now Jeff Sessions is in favor of reduced sentencing for crack offenders. Pigs must be flying. I saw on a documentary about illegale drugs that after Reagan signed the crack laws possession of $50 of crack would get you the same sentence as possession of $50,000 of cocaine powder. Seems really fair doesn’t it?
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Pretty crazy. But even those guys moving powder get crazy sentences compared to the guys slinging Robitussin-DM on practically every street corner. The robo dealers can’t even be charged with a crime! Something about it being legal to work at Walgreens. I call that an EXCUSE.
Heck, they even have some Roboitussin marketed for use by infants!
Think of the CHILDREN, America!
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
If we were in the 19th century Walgreen’s would be the guys moving powder (coke in soda).
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 9:27 am
it’s also been proven that Robitussin does next to nothing to relieve coughs, for what it’s worth.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I guess they all had crack pipes, in those Senate hearings. Hahaha
July 17th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
The charges should be the same. Powder cocaine ruins homes and lives. You can not have crack without the powder. Cocaine is the devil every1 no matter how it is used.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Powder cocaine ruins homes and lives.
Plenty of things ruin homes and lives – like locking a family member in a box for a dozen or more years.
Outlaw imprisonment! It ruins homes and lives!
Seriously, drug use needs to be entirely decriminalized.
Cocaine is the devil every1 no matter how it is used.
Well, it is a handy local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor – though it isn’t used much for that kind of stuff anymore.
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Maybe,pot should be legal but cocaine is beast. I have to disagree with you about the stuff being decriminalized.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Oh, most definitely, pot should be legalized, whereas cocaine should only be decriminalized.
Sticking people in a box, filled with violent, deranged people, is not the way to deal with a person with a drug problem (and of course, not all drug users have a drug problem – but all people in prison have a number of very serious problems).
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Coke makes any1 deranged. Have you seen the test having mice in 1 cage using coke and mice in the other cage on H ? The mice on cocaine went nuts while the other cage the mice on H acted alot better. Aolt of people that are in jail where deranged on cocaine.
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Steve think about the time where you could go to a local pharmacy and get a “shot in the arm”(cocaine in coke). Coke is what brought us Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams (although later on he did go into rehab after he began intravenously injecting coke). I’m very Libertarian when it comes to drug laws. Criminalizing a personal health issue is not the way to go to reduce use in the population IMO.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Coke makes any1 deranged.
LOL, now that’s just silly. As CW mentioned earlier, it is what put the ‘Coke’ in ‘Coke’. Plenty of folks have used/use coke without becoming ‘deranged’.
Cocaine is an addictive drug that people should not use recreationally, but that said – it most certainly does not make ‘every1′ deranged.
The mice on cocaine went nuts while the other cage the mice on H acted alot better.
Heroin is not something I would advise people use recreationally either, even if you do prefer junkie mice to coke head mice.
Aolt of people that are in jail where deranged on cocaine.
If someone does something violent, they should be arrested for doing something violent. If someone has a cocaine addiction, they should be treated for it – not crammed in an overcrowded jail with violent antisocial professional criminals.
I realize my fellow Americans are addicted to making people suffer in prison, but we really need an intervention here. 5% of the worlds population, but 25% of the world’s prison population.
It’s a mighty big world out there, the US is a small part of it – yet one in four people incarcerated worldwide are sitting in a US prison. Mostly on some drug charge.
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Steve said the charges should be the same. Did you mean the sentences should be the same? When you say you can’t have crack without the powder it may sound as though you’d favor harsher sentencing for powder than crack (it’s derivative). Anyway, I’m with Um Cara on this 100%. Decriminalization for personal use/possession. Now as far as manufacturing/distributing, that’s different activity than personal possession. We should treat simple possession offenders as a medical issue rather than a criminal issue. We’d save a whole heckuva lot of money that way.
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Yes,because BIG DRUG LORDS BRING THE STUFF INTO OUR COUNTRY IN POWDER FORM. I am in favor to make pot legal and the law can focus on hard deadly drugs.
blissfulconservative Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
You mean like alcohol? Just about every narcotic people pop to feel better?
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Ok Steve, you said yes to harsher sentencing for powder because of the drug cartels. Very well, but we are doing the opposite of that and it creates a socioeconomic disparity in how we are pursuing criminals. May I ask you further why you are in support of legalizing pot because antipot people could use your argument that pot makes you act deranged too. Just go watch “Reifer Madness.”
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Booze is bad,hell i am a ex-dope head. Cocaine is a monster and affects the body about the same as booze but at a faster rate. I hate coke is my problem the s#%t took me to the cleaners i have no1 to blame but myself.
I see your point however,drunk driving and drive bys. Some1 is going to die or get hurt.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Oh, the drug cartels are all for harsher sentencing, nothing like increasing the barrier to enter for the competition.
Same reason Altera (Marlborough is one of their brands) was in favor of these new, more rigorous tobacco laws. Keeps the competition out.
The crazier we get with our drug laws, the more powerful we make the drug cartels.
We can’t keep drugs out of the prisons, people – what makes you think we can keep them out of suburbia?
WAKE UP!
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Bliss is alcohol really a narcotic? Medically narcotic is used to described drugs derived from opium although nowadays it’s commonly applied to pot, cocaine, and other illegal drugs. You are right that it is the most used “drug” in America.
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
You have me laughing crh3e. I hate cocaine is my problem for being wasted on the s*(t 20 years ago. I blew alot of money on it and the affects it has on the people that used it. I have watched Reefer Madness several time and it makes me laugh. I concede,ok ?
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
You are a good case in point, Steve. Coke is very, very illegal – but you managed to become addicted to it.
If we spent half the cash we have wasted on this drug war on treatment programs, perhaps you would have kicked it sooner (assuming you have kicked).
Did you ever do serious prison time? If not, why would you be in favor of others with your problem being stuck in boxes with violent psychopaths?
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I have Um Cara. 20 years ago so i concede because i hate the stuff.
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Steve, it’s all good man I understand. We’ve all done things we later regretted. You don’t have to concede to me. Your viewpoints are valid enough for me.
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
BTW Reifer Madness makes me laugh too. Those people are not smoking cannabis. They have to be smoking PCP.
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
PCP for sure,every1 was dying in the movie. Going to bed,i have to go in early. Have a good 1.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Steve, Most people would love pot to be legalized. I never had done any drugs, but what is coming up fast and it is legal drugs. Kids getting ahold of Family members prescription drugs. One thing, do they know what they can do to them. What would happen if you are taking heart meds, or thyroids diabetes etc and they do not have to spend money to get it. I believe if mom is taking diet pills? Wow, a stimulate, or if dad takes depressants, wow a depressants!
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
You don’t have to concede to me. Your viewpoints are valid enough for me.
Accepting sticking people in boxes with violent psychopaths for medical problems is wrong, and we should call people out on it whenever we can.
This madness must end!
Having compassion for someone with an addiction problem is a separate issue, and I am very glad you kicked it, Steve – and more than that, I’m sorry we stuck you in a box for it.
steve Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
10 months 20 days Um Cara. They tossed the coke charge out and charge me 1 to 5 on 10 dollar bag of pot.
Um Cara Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
10 months 20 days Um Cara.
Which probably didn’t help your employment opportunities over the years. That really sucks, dude.
Can’t you see that you can be against recreational drug use, that we can do things to get people off their addictions, but we don’t have to rob people of their freedom, future, or lives by tossing them in prison (which is often a University in how to become a career criminal)?
crh3e Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
“This madness must end!”
-I was just showing compassion there when I said you don’t have to concede to me. I didn’t want him to feel ganged up on here. Valid was a poor-word choice there. I’m in total agreement with you on this issue.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Cara: “We can’t keep drugs out of the prisons, people – what makes you think we can keep them out of suburbia?”
-anything that can grow out of ground you’ll never be able to stop humans from experimenting with. You’re right but we’re stuck with these laws that came about during Nixon’s war on drugs because he wanted to spend political capital on the hippies/antiwar crowd. It may take us some time before we as a society move beyond this childish mindset.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
jeff sessions and marion barry… lost brothers?
July 17th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Hello all! I’m new here. You may know my mother, CelticWitch. She told me about this site and I’m glad she did. I really like it.
My comment:
This article has made me a bit irritated. And I have to agree that prison is not the place for a drug addict. Users need help, not prison. Actually, prison could make certain individuals worse. Having been hooked on H, I can honestly say that I would’ve be one of the people that gets worse with jail.
There’s never a happy medium when it comes to substance. However, I am for the legalization of pot and I don’t totally disagree with recreational drug use. Eh, but like I said, never a happy medium.
Does anyone remember hearing about when Herion and Coke being legal back in the early 1900’s? You could mail order it from Sears. Heh, imagine if it were still like that today. Would we still have as much crime? I really don’t know, but it’s still interesting, nonetheless that Sears was it’s own cartel…
Um Cara Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:04 am
There’s never a happy medium when it comes to substance.
Huh? You don’t know anyone who can drink a beer after mowing the lawn on a hot summer day without feeling the need to drink another dozen? For that matter, there are plenty of people who have done coke or heroin without ever becoming addicted.
I don’t understand where you got the idea there is ‘never a happy medium when it comes to substance’.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:19 am
She know Cara, she knows. She is also on Painkillers that is for her back; She does not like what it does to her. I am her mother and she is 29. I am not proud that she tried drugs nor do I approve of them. As for beer, yeah I do know someone. I am living with an Alcoholic, the only abuse that I do, is smoking.
My daughter has a great medical mind, well I could be prejustice. I wished that she did not throw her life away. She is one smart cookie. I remembered when my mother was a nurse and there was a woman who OD on drugs, her boyfriend would sneak in her room welll drugs.
Cara, she actually could tell you that she tried Coke and was never addicted, but since she was on Morphine 100 mg, and she did Herion yes the addiction is there. She told me about her problems, yes I did help her, because she is my child, and I gave birth to her.
Um Cara Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:27 am
My daughter has a great medical mind, well I could be prejustice. I wished that she did not throw her life away.
She’s 29, she has not had time to ‘throw her life away’. Seriously, I hope you are not filling her head with thoughts that her life has been thrown away.
I am not proud that she tried drugs nor do I approve of them. As for beer, yeah I do know someone. I am living with an Alcoholic, the only abuse that I do, is smoking.
Of course it is possible to abuse alcohol, nicotine, or sugar – but that is entirely different from saying ‘there is no happy medium when it comes to substance’ unless I entirely misunderstood what she was saying.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Absolutely not Cara! I still have hope for her and she is thinking about going back to college, but what she would do, I cannot say. When she went to a Community College, she said she was not ready to continue her studies. Yes I do want her to go on, to make something of her life, because I will not live forever, like my mom always told me.
I guess if you never smoked pot, nor snorted coke or injected H, then we who never did, don’t really have a clue. It is not coming down on anyone, but we don’t know.
I find that recreational drugs is a waste of good money. I may drink alcohol about three times a year and yes I drink coffee too, but not all day long.
Um Cara Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:44 am
I guess if you never smoked pot, nor snorted coke or injected H, then we who never did, don’t really have a clue. It is not coming down on anyone, but we don’t know.
Sure we do, we know that all people who smoke pot, snort coke, or inject H do not become addicted. I have never been to the moon, but I know it is not made of cheese.
I find that recreational drugs is a waste of good money.
Then don’t do them. I feel the same way about sporting events, so I don’t go to them.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:56 am
what’s this you say…the moon isn’t made of cheese?
when did they discover this?
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 10:57 am
but more importantly if it was made of bbq spare ribs would you eat it? I know I would.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Cara, Have you ever done drugs, which is a question to you, I am addicted to cigarettes, wish I wasn’t. I know that I don’t have a tolerance to Alcohol not hard drugs. When I had a hysterectomy in 2001, I had a morphine drop, it made me so sick. They gave me something only after I vomited, which was so painful. As for the buying the recreational drugs, who do you support, not the big Pharmaceutical Companies, but drug cartels. There maybe some who tries it once who may not get addicted, but to do it everyday, three to five times a day, to get that high, then I would definatly say yeah they are addicted. When I first started to smoke, I could have quit, but as the years went on it was harder and harder to do so.
It is like the old saying if I get someone to inject me
with H, I would not get addicted to this crap, thinking wrong, if a nurse gives me a shot for allergies, that I could not develope more Allergies?
and I know that the moon is not made of green cheese, she is a woman’s best friend, for the goddess three, so mote it be. The three phases of the moon is the symbol of the three goddesses, “Maiden (waxing), Mother (full) and Crone (waning). I thought you like to know that one. Why the moon is like a female it cycles every 28 days.
Guido, If the moon was made up of bbq ribs, don’t you think we would be still going up there? LOL
Um Cara Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Why the moon is like a female it cycles every 28 days.
CW, you are a kooky chick, I’ll give ya that. I dig kooky chicks, so you are OK in my book.
As for the buying the recreational drugs, who do you support, not the big Pharmaceutical Companies, but drug cartels.
Well, I suppose it depends on which recreational drug you are talking about, and who you purchase it from. But your point is valid. Prohibition does support the drug cartels (who are it’s biggest proponent) – but I remain opposed to full legalization of all recreational drugs. I do waver on the issue, however – and will keep an open mind to future arguments you make in favor of full legalization of all recreational drugs.
For now, I am only in favor of the re-legalization of doobage, and decriminalization of other currently illegal recreational drugs.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I’m like the Sun…full bore intensity of flaming heat with sporadic flareups that make me even more intense.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Thanks for being kookie I do like that! I guess the Huge Drug Cartels well they would not be too happy and well there would no longer be any use for The DEA.
I am not for illegal drugs, but if they would legalize pot, I have no problem with that. I would not smoke it, but if I was a cancer patient I would smoke it, to counteract with the Chemotherapy. Like I said I was not one for drugs, it is you are for drugs or not. I also know if you are caught with Crystal meth, you can get in a lot of trouble and alot of jail time.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
meth is so insanely stupid to use.
placefield Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Meth is insanely stupid to use. Wish I would have cared about that fact when I was 19. Lucky for me I only wasted a few years of my life messing around with it. Haven’t touched it in 15 years. That is why I waver on the issue of legalizing the hard drugs, generally not supporting it. I see no reasons not to legalize pot though.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Let me clarify my comment. What I was trying to say is, a lot of people that are arrested on drug charges are addicted. They need help. Rehab not jail.
And yes I know that not everyone who uses drugs recreationally get addicted. I’ve taken just about every drug there is and was never addicted to any of them except herion. Had I only used it once or twice, I would’ve been fine, but I used it a lot and became addicted. My father is an alcoholic, my brother and sister in law lost their house due to crack and misc drugs, I lost 2 family members because of coke and herion.
I know all too well the dangers of drug use. But as I said before, I’m not against recreational drug use. If you can afford it, have at it. Just be careful.
I guess it looks like I contradict myself. Hating drugs for what they have done but not having a problem with occasional usage. I just have a lot of experience with them I suppose.
July 18th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Um Cara, I know my mom is kooky, lol. However she’s right with the moon phases and our menstral cycles. Weird but true. She’s still kooky though… (sorry mom)hehe.
Celticwitch Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:40 am
No your not, ha ha ha
July 19th, 2009 at 2:08 am
do any other animals have menstrual cycles like humans do?
Celticwitch Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I think Guido they go into heat, and it is a cycle. Funny my cat Abbie and Mysti goes into heat alot.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:51 am
just read up on it..
I actually used an incorrect term but was too lazy to search my memory bank for the one I wanted to use, and it’s early in the morning…I was actually wondering if they have vaginal bleeding as part of their cycles.
Apparently some animals do. One odd little nugget I just learned is that if mice copulate when they aren’t in the right phase they have a false pregnancy of sorts, that’s because copulation stimulates the uterus to form like the mouse is pregnant.
July 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Guido, Dogs do bleed! when I was younger, we had a cut dog named Pepper, she went into heat and we had to place a diaper on her.
I do know that my daughter loves to bring in homeless animals. We had cats, dogs, mice, rats, an Iquana, a snake, several parakeets, a dove, box turtles. I think that is it and I actually don’t think she would stop at that. :)
July 19th, 2009 at 10:17 am