A few weeks ago, famed country music star Billy Ray Cyrus ignited a social media debate after posting a photo of his wife standing in front of several massive bags of marijuana.
The Cyrus family is transparent about their recreational marijuana use, including their daughter, Miley, who informed “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon she is an avid marijuana user.
Still, the photo was jarring. Tish Cyrus excitedly pointing to approximately 16 bags of marijuana the size of her head was enough to incite rage within social media users who claimed the photo further emphasized the notion of “white privilege.”
American broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien was one of the many Twitter users who expressed disappointment at the photo: “Think of all the people incarcerated right now on marijuana charges. And you wonder why so many people understand that criminal justice is neither fair nor just.”
It is unclear where the photo was taken, as the Cyrus family spends a majority of their time in both California and Tennessee. It is also unclear whether or not the photo was actually taken on their property or if it belonged to another private citizen or a legal dispensary business.
Regardless, the photo exposes the inconsistency of marijuana use and association in the U.S.
Government officials still are not clear on marijuana, and it seems the drug sits in a gray area for many legislators. Many states refuse to legalize marijuana and still impose harsh penalties for possession or usage. However, 10 states have legalized the drug (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington).
According to Drug Policy, more than 33 states have legalized the medical use of marijuana, and 22 states have decriminalized marijuana possession. Yet, thousands of individuals still sit in jail cells today for merely doing what the Cyrus family is so proud to post about.
Two years ago, 659,700 people were arrested in the U.S. for a marijuana law violation. Of this number, 90.8 percent were charged with merely marijuana possession violations.
Many of these individuals are still sitting in jail or remain on probation today. While the Cyrus family, and undoubtedly many other affluent, white people, post “humorous” photos of marijuana, the sad reality is there are thousands of families whose lives were shaken because of simple marijuana possession––something the Cyrus family will never have to fear.
I am sure there are plenty of white people still locked up for a simple marijuana possession charge, and I hurt for each of these individuals as well. However, an even more devastating reality is of the people arrested for drug law violations in the U.S. in 2017, 46.9 percent of them were black or Latino.
The black and Latino populations only make up 31.5 percent of the total U.S. population.
Marijuana will have an interesting future in our country to say the least, but whether or not it continues to be legalized is not my concern. As legislators remain on the fence of this issue, thousands continue to sit in cells while privileged, wealthy Americans are apparently free to do as they wish.
This is not a system anyone in our country should be proud of, and it is one we should all agree needs serious reform. For some, smoking marijuana is a rite of passage for rebellious, youthful days, but for others, it is the reason why they were arrested and sent to jail.
These inconsistencies need a remedy––now.
0
0
Be First to Comment