Because people are legally innocent until proven guilty, they should generally not be kept in jail unless and until they are found guilty. However, the justice system owes a duty not only to defendants, but also to the public.
Current drug penalties pass neither of these tests. Lawmakers owe it to both those accused of drug crimes and the taxpayers, who fund their prosecution and incarceration, to make sure that drug classifications and penalties are grounded in objective fact.
It has been truly said that justice delayed is justice denied. As memories fade and evidence becomes stale, it is harder for juries to accurately determine truth.
