Surprise Cocaine Addiction - Judiciary Committee Approves Cocaine Sentencing Bill

Surprise Cocaine Addiction - The House Judiciary Committee recently approved a bill that will balance the stiff penalties for crack cocaine with the much less harsh penalties for powder cocaine.

The bill, called the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act, was introduced by Representative Bobby Scott of Virginia. President Obama has repeatedly voiced his support of such a bill.

The bill will now be put to a vote in the House of Representatives. If passed, the bill would reduce the amount of powder cocaine necessary to warrant a five-year mandatory sentence.

"For 20 years, the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentencing has been a blight on our justice system," a representative for the ACLU explained in a statement. "This historic legislation is long overdue."