blog stage 6

   After reading Mai's blog, it has really opened my views on drug abuse. In the blog, it brings up how misinformed people really are about what a controlled substance really is. Personally, i agree with this statement. I do not believe the average person knows every single controlled substance there is lingering. Most of these controlled substances lingering are prescribed drugs. Mai highlights the increasing drug problem that is slowly making its way to the surface. Toward the end of her post she brings up that the "Good Samaritan" law should be implemented in doctors offices.
   Mai proves how lengthy and extensive the list of controlled substances are by providing the Texas Health & Safety code. It consists of tons of substances, too long for the average person to remember. She gives the link to a Dallas News story going over how the death count was worse than we thought in 2013. But as for the 2017 data, there is not very much hard evidence.
  Ultimately Mai's article persuades me that the government should take action in making sure people are more informed on what a controlled substance is. As well as not making the list so complicated. I also agree that doctors should be informed of the "Good Samaritan" law, this could possibly lead to an alternate path back to health.

Blog Stage 5

Texas has too many people arrested for minimal amounts of marijuana. I believe Texas should decriminalize marijuana. This will reduce the amounts of non-violent arrests for small amounts of marijuana. This is far from recreational use but these small movements forward could spark change and enlightenment to other illegal states. Based on many polls, the majority of the voters in Texas support partial legalization. A lot of people who are arrested are seeking stress or pain relief, in many cases they are not interested in prescribed pain killers by their doctor. The outcome for possessing a small amount of pot is a Class B misdemeanor that shows up as a conviction on someone's criminal record. On top of this it is punishable by up to 180 day in jail or a 2,000 dollar fine. I believe this is a very harsh punishment for possession of the minimal amount of marijuana. When people are charged with a crime like this, it can greatly effect their life. They can have a harder time finding a job, getting a home or even a car. Luckily, in some counties they might give you the opportunity to pay a fee and take some classes so that no criminal charges will be pressed. In my opinion the outcome of possessing the minimal amount of marijuana in a non-violent arrest are little to intense for the severity.