Kentucky's marijuana policy is a financial burden

Several major newspapers have recently reported that with the state facing a budget deficit of $500 million, hundreds of inmates are being released from jail in an effort to save money. According to The Louisville Courier-Journal Kentucky's spending on its criminal justice system grew by 74 percent between 1996 and 2002. With each prisoner costing taxpayers an average of about $18,000 a year to maintain, something clearly must be done.

Reforming Kentucky's draconian marijuana laws would be a logical first step in saving the state money and ensuring that nonviolent offenders, not murderers and rapists are released from jail. Under current law, a single marijuana possession offense is punishable by up to one year in jail. For subsequent offenses, the charge is a felony with between one and five years of incarceration. Clearly, marijuana crimes are a major contributor to the more than 3,000 drug criminals now housed in Kentucky jails.

We need to spend our money more wisely. Incarcerating nonviolent marijuana offenders is not a luxury we can afford.

Please use Take Action button to send an e-mail to your state legislators, asking them to sponsor legislation to lower the penalties for marijuana possession. It would save the state millions of dollars annually.