i was going to comment about this, specifically about "never get a decent job". yes, having a criminal record will prevent you from getting some jobs, maybe even a majority of jobs... but certainly not all jobs. i'm 95% sure i wasn't asked about my criminal record during recruitment for my current job, and i consider it a very decent job. even for those that do ask, i'm not sure that an possession conviction will necessarily disqualify you. as an employer, i'd be way more interested in theft, any form of fraud/embezzlement, tax evasion, etc.). i'm certain there are zero tolerance folks out there too, but let's not assume 100% coverage.
(now that i think of it, i did have to take a pee test for one of the two jobs i've held out here... but was explicitly told that they're not looking for MJ)