DEA warns Utah against legalizating Medicinal Marijuana

[Wanderjar]

The DEA's attempt to justify a continued ban on a victimless crime because of "environmental reasons" (as though there aren't plenty of legal substances toxic for animal consumption which we have legalized) is laughable. This is what the DEA is down to. This is your war on drugs, ladies and gentlemen.

I once heard a fantastic interview with a DEA agent in Kentucky. When asked what would happen if Prohibition ended, his eyes grew wide and fear crossed his face as he gasped, 'Tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs! That's just unteneable!' And that's when it hit me: like the rest of the American economy, it's all about this ridiculous notion that somehow jobs are an end in their own right, rather than existing to serve a specific function. The DEA and drug war are perfect examples of that.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

The DEA's attempt to justify a continued ban on a victimless crime because of "environmental reasons" (as though there aren't plenty of legal substances toxic for animal consumption which we have legalized) is laughable. This is what the DEA is down to. This is your war on drugs, ladies and gentlemen.

I once heard a fantastic interview with a DEA agent in Kentucky. When asked what would happen if Prohibition ended, his eyes grew wide and fear crossed his face as he gasped, 'Tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs! That's just unteneable!' And that's when it hit me: like the rest of the American economy, it's all about this ridiculous notion that somehow jobs are an end in their own right, rather than existing to serve a specific function. The DEA and drug war are perfect examples of that.

We need problems to be solved in order to have jobs, really.

However, the drug war is a manufactured problem.

[Ashmoria]

The DEA's attempt to justify a continued ban on a victimless crime because of "environmental reasons" (as though there aren't plenty of legal substances toxic for animal consumption which we have legalized) is laughable. This is what the DEA is down to. This is your war on drugs, ladies and gentlemen.

I once heard a fantastic interview with a DEA agent in Kentucky. When asked what would happen if Prohibition ended, his eyes grew wide and fear crossed his face as he gasped, 'Tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs! That's just unteneable!' And that's when it hit me: like the rest of the American economy, it's all about this ridiculous notion that somehow jobs are an end in their own right, rather than existing to serve a specific function. The DEA and drug war are perfect examples of that.

http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-Fi ... the+scream

excellent book about the drug war. the author johann hari has been all over the media lately. its worth looking up interviews with him on the subject of addiction and the drug war.

[Americanada]

Which is a good argument for them to not get an increase.

How is it?

---

You have to admit, it's a pretty smart racket. Even though they're completely useless, the DEA manages to get their budget increased based on their uselessness.

"We can't stop all these drug deaths. Give us more monies!"

*More monies given, deaths continue*

"We can't stop all these drug deaths. Give us more monies!"

I'm still waiting to hear how exactly they make a profit.

That argument still confuses me a bit. People tend to forget that the ATF didn't stop kicking down doors of seedy bars and alcohol brewers once prohibition ended, because the regulations meant that unlicensed alcohol was and still is illegal due to defiance of regulations and applicable taxes. Considering how relatively easy to grow marijuana is, there would still be a black-market for marijuana's equivalent to moonshine, a untaxed product with none of the regulations. The legalisation of marijuana would probably just mean that either the DEA or ATF or some combination of the two would have newfound regulatory responsibilities for the above-ground marijuana operations in addition to the DEA's dealing with the "legitimate businessmen's discount cannabis", their responsibilities regarding every other substance that isn't legalized, their funding of state and local law enforcement, and their demand reduction strategy of promoting the avoidance of both illicit and controlled substances.

[Ifreann]

How is it?

---

I'm still waiting to hear how exactly they make a profit.

The idea behind that thinking is that deaths have continued to increase, even in the face of increased funding. Something in their minds isn't working about the DEA's methods, and money could be better spent elsewhere.

That sounds like an argument for putting better people in charge of the DEA, not for just giving them less money.

[Wanderjar]

I once heard a fantastic interview with a DEA agent in Kentucky. When asked what would happen if Prohibition ended, his eyes grew wide and fear crossed his face as he gasped, 'Tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs! That's just unteneable!' And that's when it hit me: like the rest of the American economy, it's all about this ridiculous notion that somehow jobs are an end in their own right, rather than existing to serve a specific function. The DEA and drug war are perfect examples of that.

http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-Fi ... the+scream

excellent book about the drug war. the author johann hari has been all over the media lately. its worth looking up interviews with him on the subject of addiction and the drug war.

I took a class on counter-terrorism as a grad student and we actually had to read that book for our segment on Narco-Terrorism. The class was structured to present the perspective of the counter-terrorist, the terrorists themselves, and then to synthesize the knowledge gained from both to find the best approach to combat them. Really fascinating and well done course, run by a former Royal Air Force intelligence officer. Anyway, good read and good suggestion

[Geilinor]

Grow it in a greenhouse. Problem solved.

[Zakuvia]

The idea behind that thinking is that deaths have continued to increase, even in the face of increased funding. Something in their minds isn't working about the DEA's methods, and money could be better spent elsewhere.

That sounds like an argument for putting better people in charge of the DEA, not for just giving them less money.

I agree. A more logical head of the organization would seek to use a softer hand on relatively harmless drugs like marijuana, and crack down on the actual killers, both chemical and human.

The way I see it, marijuana should be medicated. Not fully legalized for open use, but perfectly allowed for legitimate medical practice. And even then, make the standards low for allowing it. A lot of people neglect that marijuana actually does have some harmful long-term side-effects on cognition and the like. It's obviously not as bad as cocaine or even cigarettes, but it's still something that has to be taken into consideration.

[Mavorpen]

That sounds like an argument for putting better people in charge of the DEA, not for just giving them less money.

I agree. A more logical head of the organization would seek to use a softer hand on relatively harmless drugs like marijuana, and crack down on the actual killers, both chemical and human.

The way I see it, marijuana should be medicated. Not fully legalized for open use, but perfectly allowed for legitimate medical practice. And even then, make the standards low for allowing it. A lot of people neglect that marijuana actually does have some harmful long-term side-effects on cognition and the like. It's obviously not as bad as cocaine or even cigarettes, but it's still something that has to be taken into consideration.

No drug should be "cracked down" upon. And marijuana has no long term effects on cognition unless you use a large amount regularly during teenage years.

[Zakuvia]

I agree. A more logical head of the organization would seek to use a softer hand on relatively harmless drugs like marijuana, and crack down on the actual killers, both chemical and human.

The way I see it, marijuana should be medicated. Not fully legalized for open use, but perfectly allowed for legitimate medical practice. And even then, make the standards low for allowing it. A lot of people neglect that marijuana actually does have some harmful long-term side-effects on cognition and the like. It's obviously not as bad as cocaine or even cigarettes, but it's still something that has to be taken into consideration.

No drug should be "cracked down" upon. And marijuana has no long term effects on cognition unless you use a large amount regularly during teenage years.

Which is exactly when a lot of people get into heavy marijuana consumption, if you haven't noticed.

Also, it's the height of foolishness not to strongly control things like cocaine, heroin, and their derivatives.

[Mavorpen]

No drug should be "cracked down" upon. And marijuana has no long term effects on cognition unless you use a large amount regularly during teenage years.

Which is exactly when a lot of people get into heavy marijuana consumption, if you haven't noticed.

And? That's not a problem with marijuana. That's a problem with our failure to actually inform teens rather than try to scare monger them.

Also, it's the height of foolishness not to strongly control things like cocaine, heroin, and their derivatives.

No one said anything about not regulating them.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

I once heard a fantastic interview with a DEA agent in Kentucky. When asked what would happen if Prohibition ended, his eyes grew wide and fear crossed his face as he gasped, 'Tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs! That's just unteneable!' And that's when it hit me: like the rest of the American economy, it's all about this ridiculous notion that somehow jobs are an end in their own right, rather than existing to serve a specific function. The DEA and drug war are perfect examples of that.

This is honestly one of the biggest problems with Capitalism as a whole.

We have to keep industries afloat because industries are the only way for the vast majority of the populace to support themselves, and after a while society needs the industries to keep providing those jobs regardless of whether society still wants what the industry produces.

[Ifreann]

Which is exactly when a lot of people get into heavy marijuana consumption, if you haven't noticed.

And? That's not a problem with marijuana. That's a problem with our failure to actually inform teens rather than try to scare monger them.

Also, it's the height of foolishness not to strongly control things like cocaine, heroin, and their derivatives.

No one said anything about not regulating them.

Another thing no one has said is just how rising drug deaths is an argument for the DEA not getting budget increases.

[Mavorpen]

And? That's not a problem with marijuana. That's a problem with our failure to actually inform teens rather than try to scare monger them.

No one said anything about not regulating them.

Another thing no one has said is just how rising drug deaths is an argument for the DEA not getting budget increases.

Okay.

[Arcturus Novus]

Can we just do away with the DEA? Or at least, cut their funding significantly?

[Mavorpen]

Can we just do away with the DEA? Or at least, cut their funding significantly?

No. Change the laws themselves and then reform the DEA.

[Grand Britannia]

Rabbits look like they're stoned most of the time I don't see the issue.

[Diopolis]

Let me get this clear: I do not like drugs. The likelihood is that I will never use them, and I don't like spending time with people who do. But I still think that "stoned rabbits" is probably more of a reason to pass the bill than to stop it. That just sounds hilarious. Then again, it's not like there aren't other good reasons for marijuana to be legalized.

[Ifreann]

Another thing no one has said is just how rising drug deaths is an argument for the DEA not getting budget increases.

Okay.

Can we expect that at some point?

---

Can we just do away with the DEA? Or at least, cut their funding significantly?

Maybe, but that might not actually be a good idea.

[Arcturus Novus]

Can we just do away with the DEA? Or at least, cut their funding significantly?

No. Change the laws themselves and then reform the DEA.

Yes, this is a better idea.

[Mavorpen]

Okay.

Can we expect that at some point?

---

Can we just do away with the DEA? Or at least, cut their funding significantly?

Maybe, but that might not actually be a good idea.

That depends on if you believe throwing money at something that doesn't work effectively is a solution.

[Holly Golightly]

At first I thought this was an NS joke - no purportedly intelligent adult could've possibly cautioned anyone about stoned rabbits and said it with a straight face.

That being said, rabbits all over California have been heavily stoned for the past 40 years.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

So I think I just figured something out about the DEA. They are farming drug dealers.

If they actually cracked down on drug dealers in a way that would make it impossible for them to do business, the drug problem would be dramatically reduced and we might not see so much of a need for DEA agents.

So instead they ignore just enough drug activity for the criminals to keep making a profit, so they can still get paid to bust them from time to time.

[Ifreann]

Can we expect that at some point?

---

Maybe, but that might not actually be a good idea.

That depends on if you believe throwing money at something that doesn't work effectively is a solution.

...how's that?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

No drug should be "cracked down" upon. And marijuana has no long term effects on cognition unless you use a large amount regularly during teenage years.

Which is exactly when a lot of people get into heavy marijuana consumption, if you haven't noticed.

Also, it's the height of foolishness not to strongly control things like cocaine, heroin, and their derivatives.

A continuous large consumption would be consuming (chewing or smoking) more than normal every day from the day you're a teen until you stop developing at 21 IIRC. Not the binge amounts certain people don't use as often when they want to get high.