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It was another year before he could finally hold her, in a visitation room at Louisiana\u2019s infamous Angola prison. His daughter, Charlee, is four now and thinks she visits her father at work. \u201cShe asks when I\u2019m going to get off work and come see her,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022 xmlns:xlink=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center info \u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/27932\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/corey_0.jpg?itok=D9WqAFG_ 250w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/corey_0.jpg?itok=zqcUWV-M 946w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 width=\u0022946\u0022 height=\u00221097\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/corey_0.jpg?itok=zqcUWV-M\u0022 alt=\u0022A picture of Corey, taken in 2014. \u00a9 2015 Private \u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewBox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=250315#sprite-expand\u0022 \/\u003E\n \u003C\/svg\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EA picture of Corey, taken in 2014. \n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2015 Private \u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n \u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECorey is one of thousands of Americans serving long prison terms for drug possession\u2014in his case 17 years without possibility of parole for a half-ounce of marijuana, the weight of 3.5 sugar packets. Because of prior drug possession convictions, he was sentenced as a \u201chabitual offender.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBy the time Corey comes home Charlee could be almost 17.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAll U.S. states criminalize drug possession and many aggressively prosecute drug users. Over the past several months I have interviewed 150 people, including Corey, prosecuted for the sole offense of possessing a controlled substance that was for personal use, not for sale. Their punishment often begins long before formal conviction\u2014and lasts long after their sentence is served. In addition to harsh criminal penalties many suffer family separation, job loss, housing problems, financial debt, health complications, and deep insecurity and stigmatization.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EShortly after Corey was sentenced, Louisiana amended its marijuana laws. But the changes aren\u2019t retroactive, and Corey can\u2019t petition the governor for clemency until he has served at least 10 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile decreased sanctions for marijuana in many states is a welcome move, around the country possession of \u201charder\u201d drugs like cocaine, heroin, meth, and pills is met with harsher penalties.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHuman Rights Watch opposes the criminalization of drug possession for personal use. This practice violates the right to autonomy and is inherently disproportionate. It is also a waste of resources\u2014not only of government budgets and personnel but, more importantly, of the human lives it impacts. Instead of criminalizing drug possession, countries should ramp up access to effective treatment and other health services for those users who need them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn two weeks the United States will participate in a rare United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem. At the last one\u2014in 1998\u2014the United States led the charge for harsh law enforcement approaches to drugs and drug use. This is the approach that is responsible for many of the abuses chronicled on this blog. This time the US government should set a positive example and commit to the full decriminalization of personal use of drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-center embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--center\u0022 xmlns:xlink=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center info \u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/27933\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/freecorey.jpeg?itok=BKTpwqva 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/freecorey.jpeg?itok=3cZhy-lQ 946w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 width=\u0022946\u0022 height=\u0022339\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/freecorey.jpeg?itok=3cZhy-lQ\u0022 alt=\u0022Corey, who is in prison, drew this Christmas card for his daughter. \u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewBox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=250315#sprite-expand\u0022 \/\u003E\n \u003C\/svg\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ECorey, in prison for drug posession, drew this Christmas card for his young daughter. \n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n \u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null},{"command":"insert","method":"prepend","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__288571__en","data":"","settings":null}]