Callers say 20 years in prison is too harsh for growing pot

A Toms River man could face twenty years in prison for growing pot in his garden, but not everyone thinks that punishment is fair.

Jon Peditto said he was trying to grow a good strain of marijuana for himself, and that he could eventually sell the strand to state growers for medical use. However, Garden State laws make Peditto's activity illegal, and the charges against him characterize him as a drug dealer.

I asked our listeners what they thought about the case, and many said twenty years is harsh, even though Peditto broke the law.

"This is not the justice system, this is the injustice system," said John, a police officer who called us from Turner Hill. He said many laws are written in black and white, but life is full of gray. According to him, discretion is necessary when applying the law, and twenty years is over the top.

Victoria in Hammonton said twenty years is the kind of punishment given to rapists and pedophiles, and this man didn't even harm anyone.

A caller named Elaine, however, disagreed, saying most hard drug users begin with pot, so the Peditto deserves prison time to keep him from selling pot to people.

I think it's time to revamp our laws surrounding marijuana. What about you? Tweet @nj1015 and @BillSpadea to continue the conversation.