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Bunyip: I think the recent revelations at the human genome project (more on which in a subsequent post), illustrate that cheaters do tend to be found out. Sometimes it takes a while, but all science is part of the same big puzzle, and if someone manufactures a false piece, as more pieces fall into place they'll discover that their piece no longer fits. Most scientists realize this, and this viewpoint limits the cheating quite effectively. It stil happens, though.
About Marijuana laws, it depends mostly on where you're caught and who catches you. Penalties can range from a ticket through many years in prison for the same offense. Mandatory minimum sentences, whil popular among lawmakers thanks to Nancy Reagan's farcical war on drugs, are proving to be impractical. Growing lobbying efforts by judges and other justice officials will hopefully begin repealing them soon. Property seizure laws are another matter. It is possible for people to lose their homes because their children sell a joint in the basement. It's also possible for a charter boat operator to lose his boat and go to jail for smuggling if one of the tourists on his boat gets caught with a roach in his pocket. All this for a drug that's dramatically less harmful than alcohol or tobacco.
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