Man receives 20 years for half an ounce of marijuana

Storified by AJAMStream· Fri, Sep 27 2013 14:33:55

@Lawsonbulk this is insanity-shows what a colossal #fail #congress is on #marijuana laws & waste of #tax dollars let alone personal tragedySCVIndy

@FieldsHG The "Justice" system is just amazingMatthew Kirton

@rcooley123 That really is cruel and unusual punishment. Disgraceful.Beth Smith

One Twitter user chose to focus on the strict punishments enforced in Louisiana in particular:

@consprcy_carrot That would be legal or non-criminal in other parts of the SAME country.Rick Nothing

Another person criticized the U.S.' "War on Drugs" policy:

@jackhartmann we need to criminalize the drug war.Michelle

Although Ladd's race was withheld, some used his case to highlight the disproportionate incarceration rates that have come to characterize the War on Drugs:

@DrugPolicyNews @GreenerGA Continued SILENCE about #DrugApartheid Discrimination Policy = These Hate Crimes continuing unabated. WAKE UP!Medcanpoet

@Michelle9647 @dabreakradio This seem more personal than just, if nt colr, judge hvin a bad day.ccwriter

Others chose to pinpoint the implicit roles of private prisons in the continued policies that constitute the drug war:

@Michelle9647 They have to keep those privatized corporate prisons full. It's in their contracts.FriendofTrees

27-Year-Old Man Gets "20 Years Hard Labor" for Half Ounce of Pot.This is how they keep private prisons full http://www.alternet.org/drugs/27-year-old-man-gets-20-years-hard-labor-half-ounce-pot #CorruptAlmaz

A few felt that the punishment was warranted:

Louisiana Man Ladd Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Half Ounce Of Marijuana http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/drug-law/louisiana-man-ladd-sentenced-20-years-prison-half-ounce-marijuana He's a Habitual Offender. So?David

@derekbayer @joerogan prior drug convictions, sentenced as habitual offender. Also his sentence is UP to 20 years, not a flat 20RJ Reber

@jaylee4291 But some of the cities in America are ravaged by drugs, it's a tragedy. So complicated.David Brown

What do you think about the sentence? Leave a comment below.