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Why Laws Only Apply to Poor People
When talking about access to justice, one question we should consider is who really has access. Legally, access to justice and fair representation should be afforded to all; but in reality, access is largely dependent on resources and education. Access to practically anything in this world, legal resources included, is based on a person’s finances, opportunities, and connections. Poverty, race, sexual orientation, gender, nationality/language, educational level, access to transportation, and physical disability are all factors that can make justice feel out of reach for many US citizens.
Statistics show that poor, minority people suffer disproportionately from the legal system as a whole, and from various individual laws that seem to work against them. But in what specific ways does wealth make a difference? And how does this happen in a country founded on the principals of “equality for all”?
Our legal system in a nutshell
Our legal system starts with the Constitution, which establishes a federal system of government. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It specifies the authority of the federal government, establishes the judicial branch, and oversees federal courts. The U.S. Constitution also grants power to the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the nation, which has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal cases and many state cases as well.
Each of the 50 states has its own constitution to regulate government structure and legal codes. Federal courts only have jurisdiction over cases involving federal crimes, conflicts between different states, and international disputes. Most everything else gets handled by state courts.
The American Court system is largely based on the English Common Law system with two sides (the defendant vs the plaintiff), who argue their case before what should be an impartial judge (although we know that is often not how it goes), and sometimes a jury of their peers. In criminal cases, the prosecutor will often act as a plaintiff on behalf of the citizens or state.
Now, this is where the rich versus poor issue really comes into play. In the US, everyone accused of a crime has the right to legal counsel, meaning they are allowed to have a lawyer assist with their defense. Even if you don’t have money, a public defender will be assigned to your case, free of charge.
Sounds alright, but there is a catch. Public defenders are often straight of out college and less experienced than private attorneys. Not to mention, public defenders are notorious for being disinterested and disengaged. It should come as no surprise, since they are court employees and get paid the same whether they win or lose. They have even earned themselves a little nickname in many jails and prisons, “public pretenders”.
Connections matter also. They shouldn’t when it comes to the legal system, but they most definitely do. Say for instance, one of the top rated, most well-connected lawyers in your city knows the judge personally and they play golf every other weekend. That judge will be more naturally inclined to trust his buddy over the random public defender who has no reputation in the industry. It’s unfair, but that’s how it works.
Laws and poor people
Understanding the links between income, employment, and health is the first critical step to reducing poverty. But one other factor that is often overlooked is legal problems. Not only do poor and middle-class people get targeted by authorities more often than wealthy people, but the impact of the legal trouble is much more detrimental and long-lasting.
For someone who lives paycheck-to-paycheck, even something like a couple-thousand-dollar fine could have a negative effect on their finances for months to come, and felony charges can significantly reduce a person’s job prospects. If someone from a low-income family is jailed, leaving behind only one person to provide for the rest of the family (say dad gets locked up and mom is left to cover everything), that could lead to some serious life changes for everyone under that roof.
What if the free spouse/parent/other can’t afford the bills and housing payments anymore? They might lose their family home and have to move to a neighborhood that could possibly be more dangerous than where they are currently living. They might lose the ability to feed and clothe their children, they could struggle with transportation, healthcare, and other basic needs, and some might even end up homeless if they can’t find suitable housing with their newly reduced income.
Compare that to a wealthy family. Even if one person does end up in prison – which happens less often anyway because they have money for bail and good lawyers – they usually have a substantial amount of money in savings and an abundance of assets to keep the rest of their family secure.
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The War on Drugs
The war on drugs, which we can all agree has been an absolute failure, was practically targeted at poor people and was a has been a major contributing factor to the ongoing cycle of poverty around the world. People who use heavy drugs often do so as a result of trauma, mental illness, and other life stressors, so these are people who may have already been marginalized by society before the drug use starts.
The war on drugs took what should have been considered a health and social issue, and turned it into a crime, further stigmatizing users. This resulted in mass incarceration of the of poor and minority individuals, leading to many of the lasting issues described above like less employment and educational opportunities, minimal housing options, and some have even lost their right to vote. Some states will permanently bar a person from participating in our democracy for felony convictions, regardless of what the crime was… how messed up is that?
This continues to be an ongoing issue. Data on current drug arrests is inconsistent and hard to analyze, but NORML estimates that there are still around 350,000 arrests annually for cannabis alone, many of which are black and brown men. And it’s rarely those in charge of the drug trade that suffer these consequences, it’s almost always the users and lower-level dealers, the people who have the most to lose in the first place.
“Affluenza”
Affluenza refers to a “psychological malaise supposedly affecting wealthy people”, characterized by an obsession with consumerism and wealth. To clarify, it’s not a medically recognized disease. Although the term has existed for a long time, as early as the 1950s, it was popularized in mainstream culture about ten years ago, during the 2013 trial of Ethan Couch.
Ethan Couch famously used the “affluenza” defense to get off on charges for killing four people while driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. Couch was speeding through a residential area when he hit a group of people who were assisting with a disabled SUV. Four people were killed and another nine were injured. He was 16 years old at the time and driving with a restricted license.
Couch’s family attorney argued that he suffered from “affluenza”, and he should receive therapeutic treatment rather than prison time. Interestingly enough, the judge agreed, and Couch was sentenced to 10 years of probation and an undermined amount of time at an inpatient facility for therapy. How this defense was actually able to work for him, I honestly have no clue. But it just goes to show that if you have enough money, the impossible becomes much more feasible. Some people might argue that he got off easy because he was so young, but if the driver of such a horrific accident had been a black 16-year-old male who did not have rich parents, he surely would have received jail time.
And it’s not just Couch who benefitted from the privilege of having good legal representation. Like I said before, it’s their family attorney. The entire Couch clan has an extensive history of breaking laws that dates back to the 1980s. Cumulatively, they have over 20 charges against them including traffic violations, financial disputes, reckless driving, and assault. On every occasion, they relied on their wealth and connections to get out of trouble.
Final thoughts
It doesn’t really matter where you are in the world, in most places, money talks; and if you’re rich enough, you can even get away with murder (I’m looking at you Laura Bush, John McAfee, Robert Durst, and others). The only people who really suffer from the consequences of their actions are the people who don’t have enough money, educations, or connections to fight the legal system. And they suffer long after they are convicted and have served their time.
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States are starting to scramble with looming budget deficients, but marijuana is a boon to some – especially one state.
The new federal administration is revamping how the government operates. With Doge, they are changing agencies and reducing services and support of states, which has left budget deficients in many. But some states have legal marijana and it has been a boon, for like alcohol…people are still consuming. States who are fully legal are making more money on weed than booze and this state’s cannabis revenue keeps pouring in. Missouri, the show me state, is being shown unexpected revenue.
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“Due to a strong cannabis market and effective, efficient regulation of that market,” Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, told The Independent this week, “the funds available for the ultimate beneficiaries of the cannabis regulatory program continue to outpace expectations.”
Funds will help veterans and other key projects. The other benefit is as seen in data from legal states, teen use is down so it frees up some other funds. Legal states are seeing benefits from legal cannabis including lower teen use and crime reduction.
States with legal cannabis are experiencing a significant boost in tax revenue, surpassing those generated by alcohol sales. This trend highlights the economic benefits of marijuana legalization, as cannabis markets expand and mature.
In California, cannabis excise taxes have consistently outperformed alcohol-related taxes, bringing in over double the revenue. Colorado has seen even more striking results, with marijuana tax revenues totaling seven times those of alcohol. Similarly, Massachusetts has collected more tax revenue from marijuana than alcohol since fiscal year 2021, marking a notable shift in state finances.
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Nationally, legal cannabis states generated nearly $3 billion in excise taxes on marijuana in 2021—20% more than alcohol taxes. By 2024, total adult-use cannabis tax revenue exceeded $20 billion, with states like Illinois and Washington reporting record-breaking contributions. Illinois alone collected $451.9 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal year 2022—one-and-a-half times the revenue from alcohol.
The funds are being put to good use. States like Illinois are channeling marijuana tax dollars into mental health services and community programs, while Colorado has invested nearly $500 million into public education. California has allocated millions to nonprofits addressing the impacts of the war on drugs.
This growing revenue stream underscores the potential of cannabis legalization to support vital public services and bolster state economies. As more states embrace regulated marijuana markets, the financial benefits are expected to continue flourishing.
The federal administration is all over the board around fed cannabis policy…and millions of patients are worried.
The industry employees over 440,000 workers at all lives and is driven in a large part by mom and pop businesses. Millions use medical marijuana for health issues ranging from chronic pain to sleep. But there are mixed messages from the feds about cannabis, and people are very worried. The federal government’s stance on marijuana has become increasingly complex, as recent developments show conflicting approaches to the drug’s potential benefits and risks. On one hand, there’s a push for research into medical marijuana for veterans, while on the other, a campaign against cannabis use is being launched.
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The juxtaposition of initiatives highlights the federal government’s inconsistent approach to marijuana policy. While some departments are exploring the potential benefits of cannabis, others are actively working to discourage its use. This dichotomy is further exemplified by ongoing legislative efforts. For instance, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has reintroduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it’s legal. Meanwhile, documents from an ongoing lawsuit suggest that the DEA may have weighted the marijuana rescheduling process to ensure rejection of moving the drug from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.
The Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members. This initiative, driven by congressional efforts, aims to explore MDMA’s effectiveness in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) expressed pride in this development, stating that it could be a “game-changer” for service members battling these combat-related injuries.
Additionally, a bipartisan effort in Congress has been pushing for VA research on medical marijuana for PTSD and other conditions affecting veterans. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, introduced in both the Senate and House, would mandate studies on how cannabis affects the use of addictive medications and impacts various health outcomes for veterans.
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In stark contrast to these research initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has partnered with an anti-cannabis nonprofit to launch a social media campaign targeting young people. The campaign, set to run ahead of April 20 (4/20), aims to “flood” Instagram with anti-cannabis content. The DEA is offering monetary incentives to students for creating and posting anti-THC videos, with payments ranging from $25 to $50 depending on the type of content produced.
This approach has raised eyebrows, as it seems to contradict the growing acceptance and legalization of marijuana across the United States. Critics argue that such campaigns may be out of touch with current societal trends and scientific understanding of cannabis.
Not everyone has access to marijuana to help them sleep – good news, hemp is available.
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Hemp contains several compounds contributing to better sleep quality. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of hemp, has shown potential in promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, which can often interfere with a good night’s rest. Studies suggest that CBD may help individuals fall asleep faster and experience fewer sleep disturbances throughout the night.
When formulated and used properly, preliminary research and user reports suggest that hemp gummies improve subjective sleep quality. Users of quality hemp sleep gummies report feeling more rested, a better quality of sleep and fewer awakenings in the night. However, clinical research has shown that over consumption of THC negatively impacts the quality of sleep, especially with long term use.
Wana Brands has launched a hemp sleeping product nationally, Mike Hennesy, Vice President of Innovation shared the following about how it works. Naturally hemp-derived sleep gummies contain the same cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, and THC as cannabis or marijuana. These ingredients interact with receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in regulating mood, stress, and sleep-wake cycles. For example, CBD may promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, CBN can relieve discomfort and reduce awakenings, while THC can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, especially at low doses. Together, they may help ease the mind and body into a sleep-ready state.
The best sleep products don’t rely on just one cannabinoid like CBN but instead use a combination of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other sleep-supporting ingredients such as melatonin. This is because the reasons for sleeplessness are multifaceted, and include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, chronic, pain and anxiety. Each ingredient targets different root causes as well as synergizes with the other cannabinoids and terpenes for the best night sleep.
Longer lasting formulations can actually help reduce awakenings in the night. CBN has been shown in recent research to reduce the number of times you wake up in the night. Combined with other cannabinoids they can synergize to reduce discomfort and anxiety helping consumers stay asleep.
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If you do wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep products including CBD and CBG to reduce middle of the night anxiety and racing thoughts that can keep us awake, and they have only 1mg of THC so you wake up refreshed and not high in the morning.
For most people, hemp-derived cannabinoids are considered safe and non-intoxicating, with a low risk of dependence. When THC is included in small amounts, it can produce mild effects and can help us fall asleep faster. It generally poses a minimal risk when used in moderation, but there is a potential for dependence if overused, just like with any sleep aid. Adverse events are far more prevalent in pharmaceutical and even over the counter sleep aids than with hemp-derived cannabinoids.
The key is responsible use, including starting with a low dose and taking breaks when needed. If you rely on it every night at high doses, your body may adjust, and it can be habitual. But when used in moderation and with a well-balanced formula, cannabis can be a sustainable part of a healthy sleep routine.
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