Drug paraphernalia was decriminalized in the state, even if it contains drug residue, but the reform did not change an existing law that treats bong water as a controlled substance.
  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    613·
    13 days ago

    So…

    Drug paraphernalia, and drug residue in the paraphernalia is legal…

    But used bong water isn’t drug residue, it’s a controlled substance?

    Also, it was meth residue in the paraphernalia, and she had a bag of meth…

    It’s not like she decided to move her bong, didn’t dump it first, and is getting shafted.

    Just a click bait headline so people go to the article.

    • workerONE@lemmy.worldEnglish
      171·
      13 days ago

      She didn’t have a bag of meth. The bong water tested positive for meth. She says she didn’t have any drugs on her. They are charging her with the weight of the bong, the bong water, and the glass jar that also contained residue. He’s another article https://northdakotamonitor.com/2024/06/10/fargo-woman-facing-30-years-in-prison-for-bong-water/

      "The residue on the paraphernalia tested positive for methamphetamine, as did the water in the bong and the substance in the glass jar. Deputies further reported that the bong water weighed 8 ounces and, somewhat confusingly, that the crystal substance weighed 13.2 grams “in total with the packaging.”

      Beske says the “packaging” is the glass jar, and that the reason deputies included the jar in the weight is that there wasn’t a measurable quantity of substance in it. She maintains she had no drugs on her, only paraphernalia containing residue. That’s precisely the sort of offense that lawmakers decriminalized in the 2023 bill."

      • vxx@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        12 days ago

        Ahh, that’s how they catch tons of cocain sometimes, they weight the whole submarine it’s attached to.

  • LinkOpensChest.wav@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    27·
    13 days ago

    And anyone convicted of first-degree possession crimes could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, a fine of no more than $1 million, or both

    I don’t care what was in that bong water. This is gross for a paraphernalia charge, no matter how you look at it.

    • Maddier1993@programming.devEnglish
      151·
      13 days ago

      Whats supposed to be punishment for Execs that pollute the earth and cause human suffering is being doled out to people who happened to transport some drug paraphenalia.

      • hydroptic@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        101·
        13 days ago

        Yep, and instead those psychopathic suits get multimillion dollar bonuses and pays, and they’re nearly completely untouchable by the law

      • DancingBear@midwest.socialEnglish
        51·
        12 days ago

        30 years? You down voters can bite me. If the product is pure and she was a drug dealer I still say so what.

        Addiction is not a crime. Our community being such low level that we have literal crack heads and schizophrenia diagnosed people, members of our communities without a place to even sleep, let alone live in peace and find themselves and heal, this is the criminal act.

      • setsneedtofeed@lemmy.worldEnglish
        10·
        12 days ago

        Not that it’s still agreeable, but sentencing guidelines seem to suggest 7 years for a guilty on the charge.30 years is an absolute max. Given the variables of the details and lawyers involved, a diversion program with a suspended sentence seems possible to me as a semi-informed layperson.

        So yeah, if you are of strong view that possession of drugs including meth should be legal (and I know some people are) and you understand that 7 years or less is what is the likely punishment, I think informed resistance to that can be valid. Unfortunately the article title (and it being posted in a weird news community here) is trying to frame it as “pot water = 30 years” for anyone who just skims.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    3·
    13 days ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    A North Dakota woman pulled over by deputies in Minnesota could face up to 30 years in prison after a bong containing water that tested positive for methamphetamine was found in her car.

    Deputies allegedly smelled marijuana coming from her car and searched the vehicle, the outlet reported.

    Beske wrote in court documents obtained by NBC News that she was found to be in possession of three pieces of drug paraphernalia that tested positive for meth.

    The deputies allegedly found a bong, a glass jar containing a “crystal substance” and pipes, the Minnesota Reformer reported.

    But, according to the Minnesota Reformer, the changes did not roll back an existing law that treats bong water as a controlled substance.

    And anyone convicted of first-degree possession crimes could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, a fine of no more than $1 million, or both.

    The original article contains 290 words, the summary contains 145 words. Saved 50%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!