Michigan should reduce marijuana penalties to save money

A recent Detroit Free Press story featured two bills pending in the Michigan legislature that would give judges the same discretion in sentencing drug offenders that they exercise in sentencing violent criminals.

Some nonviolent offenders spend more time behind bars than rapists and murderers because of Michigan's harsh mandatory drug sentencing laws. You can read about the sentencing reform bills in the "In The News" section of MPP's Michigan Web site: /MI

Unfortunately, these bills (HB 5394 and HB 5395) do not affect penalties for marijuana offenses, which are not subject to mandatory sentencing. Nonetheless, penalties for marijuana offenses can be steep.

Cultivation of 20 plants is a felony punishable by seven years in prison and a $500,000 fine. At the highest level, sale of 45 kilograms of marijuana or more is punishable by 15 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.

While the need to punish those who sell drugs may remain, the Detroit Free Press clearly articulates why the current system has failed:

"All over Michigan, voters are realizing that imprisoning addicts and low-level drug dealers indefinitely has made a bigger dent in their wallets than in drug abuse. Legislators should not be afraid to acknowledge the same truth."

Indeed, Michigan was facing a $970 million budget deficit earlier this year. That figure alone underscores the need to overhaul the state's errant drug laws, which have sent prison costs soaring while failing to provide the public with any sizable benefit.

Please visit MPP's Michigan Web site and ask your legislators to reduce prison sentences for nonviolent marijuana offenders as part of the effort to reduce state spending.

Your correspondence could be the catalyst to positive change, so take action soon—and be sure to forward this alert to others in Michigan who want to reform state government.

Also, if you receive any feedback from your legislators, please forward it to state@mpp.org so that we can track their preferences and encourage them to follow through on your call for change.