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| DEA Nominee Won't Outline Plans for Marijuana |
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Posted by FoM on July 17, 2001 at 16:49:08 PT By Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press 
Rep. Asa Hutchinson, President Bush's pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, declined Tuesday to commit the agency to vigorously enforcing the federal ban on medical marijuana. The question came up during the Arkansas Republican's confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Supreme Court ruled in May that a federal law classifying the drug as illegal includes no exception for medical uses. "Do you think the federal government should make it a priority to prosecute people who are distributing marijuana to ill people?" asked committee chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The 50-year-old Hutchinson said he personally opposes the use of marijuana for medical purposes -- "It is still illegal, it is harmful, and there's many potential dangers. The scientific community does not support the medical use of it," he said -- but wouldn't say going after medical marijuana dealers would be a priority for the DEA. "I think as far as enforcement policy, that's something I'm going to work with the attorney general on and develop an appropriate policy," Hutchinson said. "In other words, you can't take a position today," Leahy said. Like Hutchinson, the Bush administration has been silent about its next move on medical marijuana and has taken no public action to enforce the Supreme Court ruling. Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon and Washington allow the infirm to receive, possess, grow or smoke marijuana for medical purposes without fear of state prosecution. Those states have done little to change their statutes since the Supreme Court ruled federal law prohibits people from dispensing marijuana to the ill, saying it's up to federal authorities to enforce the court's decision. Hutchinson, a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Speaker's Task Force for a Drug Free America, was nominated by Bush to lead the DEA in May. A vote on his nomination by the full committee will come later, officials said. Hutchinson -- who as U.S. attorney for western Arkansas in the 1980s prosecuted and got a guilty plea from Roger Clinton on a drug charge -- called the battle against drug use "a noble purpose worthy of a great crusade." "I will bring my heart to this great crusade," he said. "My heart will reflect a passion for the law, a compassion for those families struggling with this nightmare and devotion to helping young people act upon the strength and not the weaknesses of their character." Hutchinson was one of 13 House members who argued in the Senate for President Clinton's impeachment for the Monica Lewinsky affair. The Senate, with Leahy as one of Clinton's primary defenders, acquitted him. Hutchinson "never showed anything but the highest integrity," Leahy said. "Thank you for taking a different approach and for seeing my nomination as an opportunity to demonstrate to the American people that despite any differences, we can be in harmony on one of the most critical problems facing our nation," Hutchinson said. On other issues, Hutchinson said that: * Mandatory minimums laws have helped reduce violent crimes but he would support having Congress take another look at them. "You don't want to overly tie the hands of judges," Hutchinson said. * Federal funding should continue to help Colombia fight drug smugglers. "I believe it is a risk we have to take to support a very old democracy," he said. * Racial profiling would become a thing of the past for the DEA. "It's important that the federal agencies set an example for the states," he said. Complete Title: DEA Nominee Won't Outline Plans for Medical Marijuana Prosecution Drug Enforcement Administration: http://www.dea.gov/ Senate Judiciary Committee: http://judiciary.senate.gov/ Source: Associated Press Related Articles: Drug Agency Nominee Talks Tough Enforcement President Names Congressman To Drug Agency CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #16 posted by Sireal on July 18, 2001 at 23:11:13 PT:
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| Everybody,....please,...I beg you,..talk about this once per day,..even with a stranger if you have to. Take the side of the warrior first if you wanna test the water, I actually recommend starting this way. Then, mid conversation, do a 180 and you will ALWAYS win the conversation, usually making a convert! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #15 posted by Andrew on July 18, 2001 at 23:05:06 PT:
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| Everybody.........please......make it a point to discuss this topic with everyperson you can, stranger or not. Start as the conservative, out of safety, then let the your conservative opponent rant in agreeance. He/she will start to see their own blathering ways, especially if you slowly do a 180 in the coversation. It's funny how it always works! You can actually convert 'em rather quickly this way by duping them into thinking that you are "like thinking" with them...their defenses go down and the you do a 'bout face and crush to conversion! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #14 posted by Andrew on July 18, 2001 at 23:04:33 PT:
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| Everybody.........please......make it a point to discuss this topic with everyperson you can, stranger or not. Start as the conservative, out of safety, then let the your conservative opponent rant in agreeance. He/she will start to see their own blathering ways, especially if you slowly do a 180 in the coversation. It's funny how it always works! You can actually convert 'em rather quickly this way by duping them into thinking that you are "like thinking" with them...their defenses go down and the you do a 'bout face and crush to conversion! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #13 posted by Andrew on July 18, 2001 at 23:02:42 PT:
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| Everybody.........please......make it a point to discuss this topic with everyperson you can, stranger or not. Start as the conservative, out of safety, then let the your conservative opponent rant in agreeance. He/she will start to see their own blathering ways, especially if you slowly do a 180 in the coversation. It's funny how it always works! You can actually convert 'em rather quickly this way by duping them into thinking that you are "like thinking" with them...their defenses go down and the you do a 'bout face and crush to conversion! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #12 posted by dddd on July 17, 2001 at 23:39:46 PT |
| I assume you know what I was saying about hate..... no apology needed for being honest...... keep an eye on that goat....... cheers...dddd [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #11 posted by lookinside on July 17, 2001 at 21:40:57 PT:
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| i hope to see the war crimes trials also...i would not want to be on a grand jury though...i'm too angry to give anyone a fair chance, before they were hung... every deputy DA who fought for life imprisonment for monsanto and other companies who supported our crooked high quality hemp rope would be used for the above i think cooler heads should prevail...i appeal to you who [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by E. Johnson on July 17, 2001 at 21:25:31 PT |
| They're afraid to take a firm position here because they are deeply aware of the strength of voter sentiment on this issue, and they are deeply aware that there are legitimate conservative issues here that make it far from obvious that Republicans should be against medical marijuana. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #9 posted by Digit on July 17, 2001 at 21:22:23 PT:
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| Refocus your energies dddd. You gotta feel sorry for these azzholez, not hate em. I mean, they really don't know do they? They are just misguided, no one could be that corrupted could they? They obviously just dont know that they are spreading an ignorance is bliss attitude? ? :-\ -=-=-=- Hypocritical B*****ds -=-=-=- sorry, but to be honest, people like him really get my goat too. -=-=-=- All, this compasion pish he speaks of is just to try to save face with the public, they are not tackling the problem with any common sense yet. Old school UK politics is alive and well in the US (worse even), and aint getting any better. -=-=-=- On a differant note, Bush sure does know how to pull his publicity stunts to divert public attention. Missiles and CO2 emisions to name the biggies. -=-=-=- it may be flawed and falling appart now, but at least it is free, asuming you can wait 2 years for your surgery... what am i talking about? NHS of the UK in comparison to the US's capitalist doctors. -=-=-=- sorry dddd, i'm on the wrong side of the pond to answer that. :) [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 17, 2001 at 20:45:51 PT |
| Hi dddd, That will be coming up real soon. You can feel it in the air. I know I do. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by dddd on July 17, 2001 at 20:30:21 PT |
| Question;;does anyone know whether Waters is officially the "Czar" now?....dddd [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by pissedonandoff on July 17, 2001 at 20:06:31 PT:
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| I have suffered from ulcerous colitis for 23 years. If you don't take medication and you become inflamed you could find yourself in a situation where you bleed to death in a matter of minutes. All you need for it is a simple sulfur compound that is probably about as cheap to make as aspirin. I don't think it has any known side affects although it does say stay out of the sun on the warning label. Anyway I think it should be sold over the counter. About ten years ago my colitis flaired up (a potentially deadly situation)and I called a new doctor. Before I could get a prescription he wanted several thousand dollars to do a colonoscopy. No colonoscopy no prescription. Damned bastards. I know I have colitis. Once you have it you have it for life. I don't want to say much about using marijauna but it may have saved my life. The last time when I went for a colonoscopy (having insurance this time) the doctor said that if he didn't know I had colitis before the exam he would not have known I had it at all. The doctors don't care if they kill you. They say "Your disease may have progressed. We need two thousand dollars to protect you." They don't care if you are in pain and losing blood. And why you cannot go into a pharmacy or a nutrition store for that matter and buy a little sulfur compound pisses me off. If it sold over the counter a pill would be a dime instead of 50cents. I don't appreciate the FDA protecting me from the dangers of over the counter medicines when your continually losing blood. I say take the money out of the equation. Not only should there be legalized THC products for medicine, marijuana should be totally legalized. People, it is all about money. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #5 posted by Pontifex on July 17, 2001 at 19:52:37 PT:
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| Kaptinemo, your words ring true. Once the drug warriors begin to admit guilt, there will be no end to their culpability. I'm really hoping the Hague, 200X will be like Nuremburg, 1946. Only this time we'll have cable news and full-color photos of the atrocities. Let global opinion condemn those who have killed and robbed for so long with impunity. But war crimes trials have been the exception in history, not the rule. Even as Eichmann was being sentenced, his Japanese equivalents got off scot-free. There were no Japanese criminals tried their crimes against humanity. And of course the allies didn't have to answer for their crimes, either. Will the Drug Warriors also escape blame? They certainly have better connections and political skills than their cousins in the dock at Nuremburg. Let's hope the public demands accountability. MikeEEEEE, you're absolutely right. Hutchinson is going to play his hand loyally for the antis -- not only does he have the usual political incentives, but he also has the Mena gun to his back. dddd, I believe Hutchinson doesn't need congressional approval to be appointed head of the DEA. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only supreme court justices actually require congressional approval. I'm sure it would make Bush think twice if congress withheld its endorsement (as unlikely as that seems). But I don't think that would legally affect his appointment. Or would it? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on July 17, 2001 at 18:33:05 PT:
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| We here know that the antis, particularly those residing in the States, are desperately fearful of cannabis legalization...and we partly know why. Because it would be an admission, however tacit, that they were wrong. Such an admission would be absolutely devastating to the system of societal control that has been established, via means both overt and covert. Such an admission would presage the largest trials in human history. For the governments of entire nations would be held accountable by their citizens for their actions, when heretofore they have acted without the slightest regard for their support. Just as the Church Committee in the mid-1970's exposed the myriad horrors of Project MK-ULTRA and its attacks upon US citizens by 'their' own government, any such trials examining the prosecution of the DrugWar would yield ever expanding connections between incidents that only a few scholars are aware of. When such linkages are discovered and pursued, they will lead to even wider connections between goverments, organized crime, and non-governmental bodies possessing enormous behind-the-scenes power to negatively affect not only single nations, but the entire planet. The people in charge of these organizations (Yes, I'll name one of them: the American-run 'Council on Foreign Relations' is a perfect example of this at work) really don't want you to even say their organizations' names; they operate from the shadows and don't care too much for sunlight. But they wield power through their members...who, nine times out of ten are pols who have done everything in they can to avoid mentioning said membership in these supposedly innocuous little clubs. (If they were forced to 'fess up and admit such membership, even a Down's syndrome victim would catch on that there's entirely too many people making policy with suspect loyalties and hidden agendas.) Oh, yes, there's much to dig up. And, like Pontifex, I sincerely hope I am around long enough to see these people who so unctuously intone that they are doing it 'all for our own good' to finally face the music. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by MikeEEEEE on July 17, 2001 at 18:14:19 PT |
| "I think as far as enforcement policy, that's something I'm going to work with the attorney general on and develop an appropriate policy," Hutchinson said. Translation: How much they could get away with. Watch as America becomes a third world policy in a world of reform. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by dddd on July 17, 2001 at 18:12:09 PT |
| Well said Pontifex....... ...For me,,,seeing this guy becoming head of the dea,,is When the Clinton impeachment hearing were happening,I I dont like this Hutchinson.....I have a question,,does anyone know if ....dddd [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #1 posted by Pontifex on July 17, 2001 at 17:13:05 PT:
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| Asa Hutchinson sure picked an interesting point in history to become drug czar. As the world recoils from America's atrocities, it's Asa's job to wave the flag higher and stomp the jackboot harder. "I will bring my heart to this great crusade," he said. Asa, my heart also reflects a passion for the law. Asa, spare us your false "compassion" for "families And Asa, as one of the "young people" unlucky enough It's all been said before and it will be said again, lastly God grant me the fortune to end up on a post-bellum [ Post Comment ] |
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