"Then why are greater than half of people in federal prisons there for those offenses?"I would hazard a wild guess that they were either trafficking or dealing illegal drugs, that's why.
The DEA focuses on federal drug offenders, the majority of which end up in federal prison. Unlike local law enforcement, where a drug arrest will end up, most likely, in a probation.
"Ah, so the DEA budget doesn't allow pursuit and prosecution of cannabis related offenses, there being no money in the budget for them?"
If the DEA had the money and the manpower to go after cannabis users, they'd be all over California, arresting people by the thousands. They go after the marijuana traffickers and dealers.
"The taxpayer is spending billions on this "war", "
About 1% of the budget is spent on the WOD, about half of that at the border where they can use the additional help anyway.
The DEA focuses on federal drug offenders, the majority of which end up in federal prison. Unlike local law enforcement, where a drug arrest will end up, most likely, in a probation. What's a "federal drug offender" that is not a state drug offender, except those actually captured coming on the American shores?
Probation or not, over half of the space in federal prisons is wasted by cannabis offenders. That, right there is a money drain. Then we have the entire due process course from investigation to sentencing that costs money.
About 1% of the budget is spent on the WOD, about half of that at the border where they can use the additional help anyway.
I'd think it would be a lot more. Got a source?
I doubt seriously that if cannabis were dropped from the schedule, we would have a DEA as such.
