"God has qualified each of us for a specific purpose...some realize that purpose and carry it out with true conviction...others just tackle their passion with unbridled strength and courage, never realizing that they are fulfilling that purpose...Oh, that we all would do the latter." (AE-1/07)
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Drug Possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one's possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. Illegal drugs fall into different categories and sentences vary depending on the amount, type of drug, circumstances, and jurisdiction. In the U.S., the penalty for illegal drug possession and sale can vary from a small fine to a prison sentence.
In The Beginning: Although the present "War on Drugs" is a distinctly modern phenomenon, drug laws have been a common feature of human culture throughout history.Perhaps the earliest recorded example in the old world is the prohibition of the use of alcohol under Islamic law (Sharia), which is usually attributed to passages in the Qur'an purportedly dating from the 7th Century. The next great wave of anti-drug legislation began in the late 19th century, and continues to the present day. The United States has been the driving force in the present-day "War on Drugs". The first law outright prohibiting the use of a specific drug was a San Francisco, California ordinance which banned the smoking of opium in opium dens in 1875. The primary cause of the movement for the law was a moral panic based on a fear of Chinese immigrants and other railroad workers seducing white women with the drug. This was followed by other laws throughout the country, and federal laws which barred Chinese people from trafficking in opium. Cocaine was prohibited in the first part of the 20th century, this was followed by the Harrison Act, passed in 1914, which required sellers of opiates and cocaine to get a license. While originally intended to require paper trails of drug transactions between doctors, drug stores, and patients, it soon became a prohibitive law. The law’s wording was quite vague; it was originally intended as a revenue tracking mechanism that required prescriptions for opiates. It became precedent that any prescription for a narcotic given to a drug addict by a physician or pharmacist – even in the course of medical treatment for addiction - constituted conspiracy to violate the Harrison Act.
The prohibition of alcohol commenced in 1920. Because alcohol was the most popular recreational drug in the country, reactions to its prohibition were very different to those of other drugs, which were commonly perceived to be associated with racial and ethnic minorities. Public pressure led to the repealing of alcohol prohibition in 1933.. In response to rising drug use amongst young people, efforts to enforce prohibition were strengthened in many countries from the late 1960s onwards. In 1972 United States President Richard Nixon announced the commencement of the so-called "War on Drugs." Later, President Reagan added the position of drug czar to the President's Executive Office. In 1973, New York State introduced mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment for possession of more than four ounces (103g) of a hard drug, called the "Rockefeller Drug Laws" after New York Governor and later Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Similar laws were introduced across the United States. California's broader "three strikes and you're out" policy adopted in 1994 was the first mandatory sentencing policy to gain widespread publicity and was subsequently adopted in most United States jurisdictions. This policy mandates life imprisonment for a third criminal conviction of any offense. In the United States today, mandatory sentencing laws are being questioned, due to prison overcrowding and controversy about the ethics of convicting non-violent drug addicts. Starting in 1989, a new institution was created, called the Drug Court, which offers non-violent drug users accused of crimes the opportunity to successfully complete substance abuse treatment in lieu of incarceration. The program, supported by the Department of Justice grew to over 1200 Drug Courts in each of the Fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia by 2003.
Georgia's Drug Situation: The state of Georgia is both a final destination point for drug shipments and a smuggling corridor for drugs transported along the East Coast. Extensive interstate highway, rail, and bus transportation networks, as well as international, regional, and private air and marine ports of entry serve the state. Moreover, Georgia is strategically located on the I-95 corridor between New York City and Miami, the key wholesale-level drug distribution centers on the East Coast and major drug importation hubs. In addition, Interstate Highway 20 runs directly into Georgia from drug entry points along the southwest border and Gulf Coast. The city of Atlanta has become an important strategic point for drug trafficking organizations as it is the largest city in the South and is a nexus for all East/West and North/South travel. The entire state, Atlanta in particular, has experienced phenomenal growth over the last several years with a corresponding increase in drug crime and violence. With Georgia bordering North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, Alabama and Florida, Atlanta is the base for several major dealers who maintain trafficking cells in these states.
Part of Georgia's answer to it's ever increasing drug problem is the strategic placement of Interstate Crime Units. Though they are sometimes called by different names and have more responsibilities than drug interdiction, they are all trained with a key purpose in mind...stopping the flow of illegal drugs into and through our state, thus keeping those drugs out of the hands of our children.
In researching the subject of the "War on Drugs", many opinions were found...they varied from the support for the legalization of certain drugs to the outright loathing of the suppliers and transporters that make those drugs so readily available. The one fact that seems evident is that as long as there is a demand for illegal drugs, there will be someone willing to take their chances and deliver the product...Let's hope that there will always be those willing to "tackle their passion".
