What happens when the drug that put you in prison is legalized? Are you released? Or do you remain imprisoned for once possessing something that is no longer a criminal offense to have?
Since the legalization of recreational marijuana in the states of Colorado and Washington, the internal contradictions of federal drug policy have come under heavy public scrutiny- with a particularly significant one sparking national debate. Should criminals who were imprisoned for marijuana-related offenses be granted amnesty? Or should they remain incarcerated, even as the drug that put them in prison is granted legal status?
The new issue is generating heated exchanges between advocates of both sides. While Congress previously adjusted drug-related prison sentences with the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, they still cannot reach a decision on what to do with the thousands of inmates who are now serving jail time- even life sentences- for possessing a substance that is no longer a criminal offense to have.
Got to figure this out, guys!
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