Obama is AWOL in the Drug Wars

Accuracy in Media ^ | March 17, 2010 | Cliff Kincaid

[AIM Freeper]

On March 1, Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance had expressed pleasure that "Obama and his Drug Czar, Gil, have made it clear that they don't want to talk about marijuana at all." Nadelmann considered the silence to mean assent to his agenda of marijuana decriminalization and legalization. But just three days later, in a dramatic development, Gil Kerlikowske, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), came out in strong opposition to almost everything that Nadelmann and his "progressive" backers represent.

In a major speech on March 4, Kerlikowske denounced the use of marijuana, including its "medical" version, and cited facts and studies linking the weed to all kinds of health problems. "The concern with marijuana is not born out of any culture-war mentality, but out of what the science tells us about the drug's effects," he said. "And the science, though still evolving, is clear: marijuana use is harmful. It is associated with dependence, respiratory and mental illness, poor motor performance, and cognitive impairment, among other negative effects."

This has to be perceived as a tremendous setback for Nadelmann and the rich liberals, led by George Soros and Peter Lewis, who have financed the drug legalization and "medical marijuana" movements. The Kerlikowske speech constitutes belated recognition that the drug wars south of the border are inexorably linked to the growing use of marijuana in California, where some of the same Mexican drug gangs are planting and harvesting their crop.

[jessduntno]

Sometimes taking no action is an action...

[stephenjohnbanker]

I wonder if Obama is getting his cut?

[ETL]

[Sir Gawain]

You can’t destroy the market. The War on Some Drugs is like a pebble. The market is the river that just rushes around the pebble without even slowing down.

[jessduntno]

“I wonder if Obama is getting his cut?”

Taking it out in trade, judging from his performance with Bret Baier ...

[Vaquero]

[stephenjohnbanker]

;-)

[Erik Latranyi]

The 21st century version of “Let them eat cake”.......”Let them smoke weed”

[HiTech RedNeck]

A diet of potato chips isn’t particularly helpful to health either, but they’re not banned (except Bloomberg has done it in NYC). I wish the research reports would quantify the usage and usage patterns versus the harm (especially when polypharmacy is involved), because otherwise depending on what axe is being ground we will hear wildly different generalities and nobody will be the better informed.

A more salient concern would be that a lot of pot is coming from Mexico (rather than leaking from state sanctioned medpot operations) with all the trouble that feeds.

[HiTech RedNeck]

except Bloomberg => unless Bloomberg

[dirtboy]

AIM continues its crusade against pot, which IMO is less harmful than booze (and no, I don’t smoke pot).

[dirtboy]

where some of the same Mexican drug gangs are planting and harvesting their crop.

And why do Mexican gangs grow and traffic pot? Because it is illegal, just as criminals trafficked booze when it was illegal.

The Drug Warriors just don't want to acknowledge that the black market in pot is solely a function of it being illegal - you can grow the crap at home, it's even easier to create than home-brewed beer.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Weight for weight the booze would obviously have less effect. There need to be some parameters put to this, such as typical habits etc.

[dirtboy]

Weight for weight the booze would obviously have less effect.

Ask any cop what they fear more - responding to a party or domestic dispute where they are smoking pot, or a party or domestic dispute where they are drinking.

[Ken H]

Kincaid has already outed himself as fraud on the Tenth Amendment. From a previous article where he supports fedgov action over a State's prerogative:

Alluding to the refusal of the Obama Administration to use federal resources to combat the growing "medical marijuana" problem, Roger Morgan, the executive director of the Coalition for a Drug-Free California, told AIM that "It is unthinkable that the Commander-In-Chief, whose primary responsibilities are to protect people and our tax dollars, could allow the untenable situation that exists in California today with de facto legalization."

http://www.aim.org/aim-column/pentagon-shooter-pot-scandal-grows/

___________________________________

[dirtboy]

whose primary responsibilities are to protect people and our tax dollars, could allow the untenable situation that exists in California today with de facto legalization

Sounds like another not-so-limited-government conservative, who is in favor of limited government just so long as it doesn't limit what he wants government to be doing.

[Ken H]

Suppose CA votes to legalize marijuana. Do you think they have that prerogative under the Tenth Amendment; or do you think fedgov has legitimate authority under the Commerce Clause to override the state?

[Boogieman]

The commerce clause should allow the Federal government to step in and settle disputes between the States about commerce in goods such as Marijuana, but it shouldn’t give them the power to flat-out ban it nationwide. For example, if Oregon has banned it, but California continues to illicitly import it into that state, the Federal government could use the commerce clause to step in and put a stop to that.