Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP -- the drug czar's office) head Gil Kerlikowske said Tuesday that the country is "in the midst of a serious national conversation about marijuana" -- an at least rhetorical advance from his 2009 position that marijuana legalization is "not in the president's vocabulary and not in mine."
Gil Kerlikowske
But they also come in a political context altered by last November's elections, when two states, Colorado and Washington, easily approved marijuana legalization initiatives. The use and possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults over 21 is now legal in both states, and officials in both are now grappling with the task of coming up with and implementing regulations for legal marijuana commerce. The federal government has yet to respond substantively as to whether or not it will seek to impede that process.
"Coming out of the recent election, it is clear that we're in the midst of a serious national conversation about marijuana," said Kerliwowske. "At President Obama's request, the Justice Department is reviewing the legalization initiatives passed in Colorado and Washington, given differences between state and federal law."
That was the extent of Kerlikowske's response, except for referring readers to a recent Barbara Walters interview with President Obama in which he said he wasn't ready "to go that far" when it came to the topic of pot legalization, but added that "we're going to need to have is a conversation about how do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal."
The rhetorical shift was "pretty significant," said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, a recently-formed group calling for decriminalization or legalization.
"I guess it makes a difference when marijuana legalization gets more votes than your boss does in an important swing state, as happened in Colorado this last election," Angell said. "From 'legalization is not in my vocabulary and it's not in the president's,' as Gil Kerlikowske often used to say, to 'it is clear that we're in the midst of a serious national conversation about marijuana' is a pretty stark shift."
Actions speak louder than words, Angell said, but still…
"Of course, what really matters is to what extent the administration actually shifts enforcement priorities and budgets, but I sure do like hearing the US drug czar acknowledge the fact that marijuana legalization is a mainstream discussion that is happening whether he likes it or not."
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Comments
The new buzzword for this administration is "middle ground"
But it's just meaningless rhetoric. Ever since we've entered this "serious discussion about marijuana" (Read: the people are sick and tired of prohibition), the administration has changed up its stance to this whole idea that "legalization is one extreme end of a spectrum opposite from criminal law enforcement. We think the solution lies in a middle ground between the two, and that neither opposite extremes are effective."
Why do I say that is meaningless? Because there IS no middle ground on this issue. Someone please explain to me, where this mythic middle ground exists? Weed is either legal, or illegal. There can't be a "middle" between the two... the idea is just stupid. They talk about diverting people out of the criminal justice system with drug courts, but drug courts are still the criminal justice system. You're just replacing jail time with mandatory rehabilitation courses, and you're just replacing fines with all the fees associated with that... oh, and by the way: you're still stigmatizing people with an arrest record even if they're bound for "drug court" instead of criminal court.
Part of that conversation is comparing alcohol vs. cannabis
The prohibitionists act like they have attention deficit disorder if you try to get them to compare the dangers of alcohol vs. marijuana. But it's Public Health 101 to make that comparison, though you wouldn't know it from the public health community, who are asleep at the switch.
No Shite Sherlock
 But what about our ... our
But what about our ... our dear beloved teeny-weeny children?
The fun is just starting.
Obama's DOJ has been able to sneak around going after patients with little difficulty. If they decide to go after WA and Co though it will have to be head on against those state's voters.They will not get a pass on the evening news for this attack on voters rights compared to federal law. This would show the country, on a large scale, that the reasons for their efforts to continue cannabis prohibition, are not based on sound logic, but are continued for monetary gain and social control. The drug czar loves to talk about control when talking about the war on drugs. The drug czar also needs to tell his counterpart at the UN that Americans can change bad laws, we call it voting, or at least that is what they taught me in school.
War is Over!
The feds are keeping quiet because they have no real response.
The truth is the feds have no real power at all and are loath to admit it.
That's It?
When the best Gil can do is refer to a Barbara Walters interview, I think that means it's about time for an official policy statement. If somebody used that interview as a defense in a federal trial, they'd be out of luck. But in lieu of something real, it's the best the feds have right now. Pretty pathetic.
Why They're Keeping Quiet
The feds can't actually take action until something "official" happens in WA or CO. Like a legal mj store opening for business. Until then, there're no "damages" upon which to base a court case. Nothing they can do about a state dropping criminal penalties, so the only real issue would be the state licensing and sanctioning the sale of a controlled substance. And for now, that's all still hypothetical. Hence, there's really nothing for the feds to say at this time. When the stores start opening, the raids and court challenges will begin.
psshh
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
psshh
man u r from another planet,the feds don't need to do anything to Co.and Wa. the sate and the PEOPLE remember we elect who goes in office and the feds can't cut spending check ur facts dude wait ur not worthy to talk to u know nothing u need help real bad sir because u look and sound like a nut case and u r,rapeing little girls smoking in the bathroom give me a break wake up and toke up,,,
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
Wow!
Sooooo....Should we still have slaves? Should woman still not be allowed to vote? Those laws changed. Everything you said is a lie! Quit trollin' around on this site because most the people who read the stuff you post have IQ's higher then a plant (pun intended) when its clear you do not. Oh yeah... The Constitution was written on Hemp paper troll!
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
u
u r disturbed my friend,,,
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
You sir are a very ignorant,
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
hilarious
Has to be satirical, no one is that ignorant
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
swavvy
You are truly a Patriotic American ! And ,like all 'good' Americans , an Ignorant follower of Corporate Media lies .Prohibition didn't work against alcohol and it won't work against Pot. The only person the kids need worry about are YOU ! Now put down that Mien Kampf Bible and go back to the Playboy articles .
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
Kevi writes;Â "You can not
Kevi writes;
"You can not legalize something that's illegal"
Well then, guess we better start arresting homosexual people again.
Oh, and if you can't change laws, does this mean slavery is legal again?
Dr Jane.
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
Pot and pedophelia?
Kevi, you have absouletly NO clue what you are talking about. I'd rather have ANY of the stoners I know for a Dad than the square who cussed us, beat us, and raped us While under the influence of FRESH AIR. Stoned people sit and enjoy the buzz and the company or the hobby of choice. I can guarentee you if you are not wicked anyway POT will NOT make you wicked. Oh yeah, I've been to college foe psychology 4 times due to my desire to deal with people like you. Then I realize you can't fix delusional (or stupid.)
In reply to psshh by kevi swavvy (not verified)
I can honestly say that i
I can honestly say that i have never heard about someone smoking a joint and going out to murder/rape/molest anything but thier own fridge.......Let alone anybody "overdosing" from pot. Please post a link to an article about such crimes... I would be quite interested to read more on this. The instance that you are speaking of is about "fake weed". Thats potpourri sprayed with a thc mimicking characteristic.. Now that's an entire different subject all together.. There's plenty of articles of rapes/murders/ and molestations happening because of heroin,meth,coke,those types manufactured drugs.
people
please people that don't know anything about marijuana keep ur comments to urself because they r of no value to us who do know,,,stay out,,,
Hilarious
Has to be satirical, no one is that ignorant.
check out Marijuana Majority
Checked out their web site (www.marijuanamajority.com), and i think you'll agree they have an effective approach to advancing legalization.
Retreat Mode
Vice President Biden and his pals at the ONDCP are laying low in the bush and watching and waiting to see how things go . They see that " Big Green Tsunami " coming . What are they going to do ? States do not have to enforce Federal Law . When you see Humans waging war against a plant , then you know that corruption is in full effect . Who on Earth wants their child to grow up to be a " plant " cop ?
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