[HOOT]

In the US there are 12 levels of punishment for small possession (1oz) of marijuana. Beside the state is their most updated US rank for marijuana usage in the past year.

1) 5 Years; $5000 Fine
Florida – 24th

2) 1.5 Years; $150,000 Fine
Arizona – 27th

3) 1 Year; $500 - $6,000 Fine
Alabama – 45th
Arkansas – 31st
Connecticut – 12th
Idaho – 43rd
Illinois – 28th
Indiana – 29th
Kansas – 44th
Kentucky – 22nd
Maryland – 29th
Michigan – 11th
Missouri – 14th
New Hampshire – 4th
North Dakota – 32nd
Oklahoma – 35th
Rhode Island – 3rd
South Dakota – 40th
Tennessee – 49th
Wyoming – 23rd

4) 6 Months; $500 - $1,150 Fine
Delaware – 20th
Washington, DC – 6th
Iowa – 42nd
Louisiana – 46th
Montana – 10th
New Jersey – 47th
Utah – 50th
Vermont – 2nd
West Virginia – 39th
Wisconsin – 21st

5) 180 Days; $2,000 Fine
Texas – 48th

6) 120 Days; $500 Fine
North Carolina – 41st

7) 3 Months; $500 Fine
New York – 15th
Washington – 16th

8) 30 Days; $1,000 Fine
Hawaii – 19th
Pennsylvania – 25th
South Carolina – 34th
Virginia – 36th

9) 15 Days; $100 Fine
New Mexico – 8th

10) 7 Days; $500 Fine
Nebraska – 38th

11) Probation
Georgia – 37th

12) Fine Only $100 - $1,000
Alaska – 1st
California – 18th
Colorado – 7th
Maine – 13th
Massachusetts – 5th
Minnesota – 17th
Mississippi – 51st
Nevada – 26th
Ohio – 32nd
Oregon – 9th

Highlighted are the top 25 (~ half) in usage to compare to where they sit on the punishment scale. This a great example of why punishment is not a deterrent, people will continue to use marijuana regardless of legal or not. You have the highest and lowest user states with the same fine only punishment.

Netherlands adult usage is 25% lower than the rest of Europe, and the percentage of people who have tried marijuana in the Netherlands is 48% lower than the USA.

So instead arresting 1,000,000 people in the USA for possessing a relatively harmless drug, you can use the resources to educate and treat people who need it. Treatment is not only cheaper than incarceration, but you can get better results to get the person back into society and lead a normal life, instead of back into the crime when released. Most times meeting and learning from harder criminals, not to mention they may be forced to live a criminal lifestyle since they won't be able to find a job with a criminal record for smoking some grass.