Annotated Bibliography

Beckett, K., & Herbert, S. (n.d.). The consequnces and Costs of Marijuana Prohibition. 38-45.

In this journal, Ms. Beckett along with Mr. Herbert track the cost marijuana prohibition has on
the United States, and its effect on the lives of certain individuals. The legalization of marijuana effects
everyone across the United States from the users to the law enforcement that deals with enforcing the
rules. There are millions of Americans that use Marijuana to deal with chronic pain that require the drug
to get through their day, many can are Parents and Grandparents with families that can be put in jail and
be slammed with tremendous fines that can not only ruin their lives but the lives of their families. The
Individual is not the only one effected by the cost of the implementation of the prohibition of
Marijuana, the States and government pay for the law enforcement. Sates spend upwards of billions of
dollars on the total process of creating the laws, prosecution cots and holding for the arrestees.
As an Associate Professor of Sociology Kathrine Beckett and Steve Herbert an Associate
Professor of Geography at the University of Washington, they have researching the effects that the
Prohibition of Marijuana has on the country. Their research has been conducted over many years and
consisted of a variety of variables such as many different people with real lives and actual life events.
They are both much unbiased by showing both the pros and cons of the legalization and costs of
marijuana I believe they allow you to choose a side for yourself after reading their research.
This article is useful to my topic, to show how greatly the lives are changed by the people that
are caught in the enormous amount of the legal consequences that can associated with being charged

with possession or use of marijuana, many of which are simply just trying to treat their choric pain.
Beckett goes in get depth on not just the actual physical cost of the fines associated with Marijuana
prohibition but the cost of the human life.
Cunnings, J. (2015). Nonserious Marijuana Offenses and Noncitizens: Uncounseled Pleas and
Disproportionate Consequences. UCLA Law Review, 62(2), 510-569. . UCLA Law Review, 510569. .

In this article done by Jordan Cunnings publish by the UCLA Law Review Department analyzes
how marijuana is being decimalized by some parts of the United States and even legalize the
recreational use of this drug. Even with the acceptance of marijuana being more widely accepted across
the United States many still see it as a major deadly drug that also involves bring in a whole new wave of
problems to the country and thats immigration. There are many citizens in America that are legal from
other countries and many that are not, the question this article brings to mind what happens to
criminals that are arrested for marijuana possession that are immigrants hear in the country legal or
non-legal. Is it fair to the rest of Americans here not charge them for a crime or should they have the
same punishment and be jailed and not allowed to return to their county where they might need the
medical benefits of marijuana to deal with a certain illness. Should Citizens that gained citizenship legally
lose their right to be here if they are caught and sentenced with the drug marijuana? Many question
arise in what to do in this situation and the fairness and equality for our own citizens and the rights of
visitors to our country.
The article was very different from other sources I have researched, many talk about what the
drug is doing to our economy and how its effecting the lives of Americans but there are not only
Americans in the county we are a melting pot of people around the world and what to do when they
brake a law in America.

This article fits my research extremely well by bringing in a new dynamic to look at, what the
consequences is doing how its causing money to be spent in every way possible to effectively enforce
this law. The money required to arrest, prosecute, deport and finalize everything is money that a spent
somewhere else. Adding this article to my topic will perhaps strengthen my argument, it definitely
influenced me more to push for the legalization of Marijuana to end the needless and useless spending
and to stop ruining the lives of normal average people.
Flynn, M. (2015, october 26). How a Small-Time Pot Possession Charge Can Ruin Your Life in 24 Hours.
Houston press.

In this article Meagan Flynn follows the story of one person Rebecca Kennedy. An ex-navy
service person who had her and her husbands life ruined by the conviction of marijuana. She begins the
story talking about the living situation that Meagan was living, which was in her van at a storage unit.
She stayed here with her husband who was also a ex-Navy service man. Them staying at their car caused
them to turn heads and become suspected burglars. They were stopped by the police and Meagans
Husband was arrested for unlicensed possession of a handgun. She then begins to say how Meagan was
then arrested for drug paraphernalia because of a marijuana grinder, Her arrest Caused her to be
immediately fired from her job at UPS and also caused the firing of her mom since she needed to leave
work to bail her daughter out. She then ends the article explaining that Meagan may still have a chance
since her city offers a first conviction program for first time convicted people of non-violent crimes.
This article offers insight on the specific details that a convicted may face for the arrest from
drug possession. It is a very reputable resource since the Houston press is a well-known news site that
that does not have biased information. Overall though it achieves its goal of spreading awareness of
those arrested with marijuana.

This article was very helpful to me in helping me show specific storylines of those affected by
marijuana convictions. It in the end will help strengthen my PSA by helping with the pathosthat is much
needed.
Just a Slap on the Wrist? The Life-Changing Consequences of a Marijuana Arrest. (2016, Febuary 10).
Retrieved from DrugPolicy.org: http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/just-slap-wrist-lifechanging-consequences-marijuana-arrest

In this article published by Drug Policy, they talk about how Marijuana related drug arrested
have not only risen but tripled in the past in the forty years since 1970 to almost one million a year,
most of the drug assets were for possession not for the redistribution of the drug. The article goes to say
that many states have different laws varying on severity of the fine. In certain parts of the country
having one ounce of marijuana and get you up to five years jail time in the state prison and a fine up to
$6000. The people arrested with such amounts are put in the same jail as people that have committed
far worse crimes such as murder or robbery. Upon release from prison these individuals who were
normal members of society, are now branded for life. Acquiring anything in the future from student
loans, getting a job, maintaining a professional license, even adoption becomes nearly impossible. Aside
from the personal devastation that the law effect has on the induvial, the article also analyzes the
effects and burdens has on the states with both, financial and administrative time and money, averaging
around $3.6 billion to enforce laws Marijuana yearly.
Drug Policy Alliance is one of the nations leading groups in the awareness of the Marijuana ban
causing far more harm than good. This source showed the staggering amount of arrest that are made it
brings awareness to may topic. Like my other sources its describes just how pilotless it is to arrest
average people and destroy their life over a drug that half the country sees as less dangerous as alcohol.

This article greatly adds to my discussion to show that the states are wasting a great amount money on
sending people to jail that shouldnt be jail and ruining their lives costing both the induvial and the
Government money.
Rhodan, M. (2014). A Misdemeanor Conviction Is Not a Big Deal, Right? Think Again. Time.

In this article by Maya Rhodan, Maya talks about the many consequences that a misdemeanor
like possession of marijuana can have. Some of the consequences are said to have equal consequence to
those consequences of a felony. Some are those of not Being able to find jobs with a conviction and
even the deportation of a legal residents. Rhodan also talks about how how many Americans these laws
affect. Finally, Rhodan also talks about how permanent these consequences can be, and how hard it
may be to get these consequences removed. Rhodan overall talks on how all these consequences should
be lessened and how they should not be as permanent.
In this article, you can tell that May is a very experienced writer. She backs all her arguments
with fact and uses real examples as well. Although she does tend to have a very biased opinion about
this issue as she only seems to be showing the negative consequence of this issue.
This article pertains to my topic because my topic is the consequences of crimes associated with
the possession of marijuana. It will help me show my audience real ways that it affects those who get
convicted of marijuana. It will help reinforce the direction I have already taken in order to strengthen my
argument.
Students still face possible loss of financial for drug convictions. (2005). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
Weekly, 1-3.

Many if not most of the people arrested and charged with marijuana possession or use are
students and teens barely stating their life. An article published by Wiley Periodicals go in depth of how
a marijuana drug arrest can ruin chances for the assistance of financial aid for College. There is an active
application for the United States government to allow students to apply for financial aid, even if they
have current or past drug events. There are many organization that provide relief to past drug addicts or
help to people that have had their lives ruined by drugs such as housing or drug treatment, many of
these resources are used by older hardened drug addicts. Few programs are available to young adults
who want to start a life with college. There are two main arguments Politians use, the money received if
granted to the students will be used for more drugs, or that their debt to society has been paid and they
deserve to start a new life.
Published in Alcoholism & Drug Abuse weekly a reputable journal, they bring to light that many
Politians want to deny students the righto apply or receive financial aid after being prosecuted for any
amount of Marijuana possession or use.
I can use this article to show this law is majorly affecting our county and our counties youth, at
the age of 18 in many states teens are allowed to buy and smoke cigarettes with no legal consequences
but they are caught with a gram of marijuana and can no longer apply for financial aid, and if they need
financial aid they are most likely not able to pay the fines that are associated with getting charged.
Wegman, J. (2014, july 28). The Injustice of marijuana Arrests. Ny TImes.

In this article Jesse Wegman talks about the negative effects of the war on drugs. He talks about
the specific number of arrests and how those arrests have changed from 1991. Which he continues to
say how this is what is making this war so expensive. He says that 3.6 billion dollars goes into just
enforcing laws for possession of marijuana. He continues to say how all this policing is not affecting the

actual marijuana usage since 30 million Americans are still using marijuana. Wegman then begins to
start talking about the racial divide that this war has caused. He continues to say that the African
Americans are many more times more likely to be convicted of a drug crime. In conclusion, he begins to
start talking on how the war is changing since some states are now allowing medical marijuana.
This article clearly states Wegmans stance on the war on drugs. He uses many facts from many
reliable resources including from the FBI Statistics website. This makes this a very reliable article for my
research. This article also has new information that the other sources have not yet explained.
This article will help me broaden my research by showing new information and some
information that is more detailed. This can help me bring actual statistics into my PSA. Which in turn will
help with the logos.

References
Beckett, K., & Herbert, S. (n.d.). The consequnces and Costs of Marijuana Prohibition. 38-45.
Cunnings, J. (2015). Nonserious Marijuana Offenses and Noncitizens: Uncounseled Pleas and
Disproportionate Consequences. UCLA Law Review, 62(2), 510-569. . UCLA Law Review, 510569. .
Flynn, M. (2015, october 26). How a Small-Time Pot Possession Charge Can Ruin Your Life in 24 Hours.
Houston press.
Just a Slap on the Wrist? The Life-Changing Consequences of a Marijuana Arrest. (2016, Febuary 10).
Retrieved from DrugPolicy.org: http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/just-slap-wrist-lifechanging-consequences-marijuana-arrest
Rhodan, M. (2014). A Misdemeanor Conviction Is Not a Big Deal, Right? Think Again. Time.
Students still face possible loss of financial for drug convictions. (2005). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
Weekly, 1-3.
Wegman, J. (2014, july 28). The Injustice of marijuana Arrests. Ny TImes.