"Let's also think about the human cost here; throwing the book at nonviolent offenders for committing victimless "crimes". It is also important to consider the trust factor between the public and the police in the USA, which is currently at, or near, an all time low. This type of distrust only serves to divide us, and arguably puts the lives of both citizens and officers in danger during every street encounter."

Citizens should respect and work with police (who should have conduct worthy of respect) rather than fearing them and the consequenses of being "caught" doing things that do not hurt anyone other than potentially themselves, as I believe people have the right to make that (ideally informed) choice on their own, when it comes to recreational substances.