It varies from state to state, region to region. Look at the US on a map, we're a very large country with very different cultures around it.(Yes Canada is large too, but the US population is 10x that of Canada spread over the entire landmass) but it's really not that bad, it's pretty easy not to get busted, and in most states where it's not decriminalized, you get community service, a fine, maybe probation for a few months, and it's generally stricken from your record. As a whole though, America is the shit
some states are cool some are harsh----Nevada is harsh Calif is cool ask about specific states and someone will tell you whats happenning in that state now
The people are great, the landscape is beautiful, the food is plentiful. But the laws are draconian and there's a LOT of conservatives...
This again depends on what state you live in. The federal government as a whole is powerful because, well the United States as a whole is very powerful. But most power still rests with each individual state. Take here in Connecticut for example. If you get arrested, as long as it's not that serious(i.e. as long as you won't go to jail in most cases) you will get accelerated rehab your 1st time being arrested, in another words your case gets put on hold basically, and as long as you don't get arrested again while on probation, all of the charges, including the initial arrest record all gets stricken from your record.