cannabisnews.com: DEA Workshop Deals With Myths of Drug Legalization DEA Workshop Deals With Myths of Drug Legalization Posted by FoM on May 09, 2001 at 14:25:35 PT By Diana Washington Valdez, El Paso Times Source: El Paso Times Advocates who favor legalizing drugs nearly "bought New Mexico" during the recent legislative session, state District Attorney Matthew Sandoval said Tuesday. "We have been targeted to become a state where drugs are legalized. The advocates for this spent lots of money and almost bought the state," said Sandoval of New Mexico, a guest speaker at a Drug Enforcement Administration workshop on the myths of drug legalization. New Mexico law-enforcement officials "spent the 60-day legislative session with our backs to the wall, and this is not going to stop," he said. Although legislation to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana failed, New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson says he continues to support the bill. During the workshop, DEA Special Agent David Monnette rebutted a couple of statements Johnson made previously in a debate with former U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey. Workshop participants saw video excerpts of the debate. Monnette also criticized what he said are misleading and misguided statements used by legalization advocates. One of the myths, he said, is the idea that legalizing drugs will reduce violent crime. Monnette said most inmates in U.S. jails today are serving time because they are repeat offenders of violent crimes -- homicide, robbery, assault, rape -- they committed under the influence of drugs. Sandoval said that contrary to Johnson's statement that thousands of New Mexicans are in prison due to drug use, "there are zero inmates." Most are in state prisons for other crimes, he said. DEA officials said the use of illicit drugs in the United States has dropped 50 percent since 1979, a clear sign that broad anti-drug efforts are working. Stefanie Fraire, 17, a Paso Del Norte Academy student, said Tuesday's workshop helped dispel some wrong information about drug legalization. Fraire, who takes part in the DEA Teens in Charge program, said she was glad "to know what our plan was for fighting illegal drug use." Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at: dvaldez elpasotimes.com Source: El Paso Times (TX)Author: Diana Washington Valdez, El Paso TimesPublished: Wednesday, May 9, 2001 Copyright: 2001 El Paso TimesContact: opinion elpasotimes.comWebsite: http://www.elpasotimes.com/CannabisNews Articles - Governor Gary Johnsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=gary+johnson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on May 10, 2001 at 06:23:50 PT: Once more, unto the breach, dear friends... I couldn't let this pass; here's my reply to this piss-poor example of sophomoric journalism:Dear EditorSomeone needs a refresher course in journalism.In the title of Ms. Valdez's article, she betrays herlack of journalistic objectivity by not framing theword "myths" with quotation marks…to distinguishopinion from fact.It has been the agents of local, State and Federalanti-drug agencies that have been dispensing mythsconcerning illicit drugs, drug users, and theirefficacy in 'fighting' both. For the past 20 years, atall levels of government, the US has spent upwards of500 billion taxpayer's dollars in such a fight. Andwhat do we have to show for our money? Drugs arecheaper, more plentiful, and purer than ever before.Hardly a sign of success.And you have to ask (as Ms. Valdez for some reasonforgot to do) just how much of the taxpayer's moneyhas been wasted by the Drug Warriors in doing whatthey complain so bitterly that private individualswith concern for public issues are doing? You can betthe private citizens were outspent by a factor of atleast 1,000 to 1. The DEA agents complaining about citizens spendingtheir own money to bring these issues to light israther like a fat man complaining that a skinny maneats too much. And is offering advice in dietarymatters.Sincerely,(Me) [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by MikeEEEEE on May 09, 2001 at 18:58:47 PT Screamers It's called the screaming anti's, the more they scream the more stupid they look, they're losing, no doubts. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on May 09, 2001 at 17:01:44 PT: Ask yourself this question How much money has the US Federal Government spent in the DrugWar?Estimates vary; anywhere from 200 to 500 Billion dollars in the just the last 20 years of this 87 year long 'war'.Of this, how much was used to 'educate' (a better word is indoctrinate) the American public in DrugWarrior cant?Frankly, I don't know right now. One thing I do know is that it is considerably more than the total amounts that The Three Wise Men have spent in refuting government lies and disseminating the truth about medicinal cannabis.But you know what I really get a kick out of?That these supposed public servants are no doubt using Federal taxpayer dollars to convene these little anti 'workshops' in the vain hope that they can derail publicly sponsored initiatives."The advocates for this spent lots of money and almost bought the state," said Sandoval of New Mexico, a guest speaker at a Drug Enforcement Administration workshop on the myths of drug legalization. New Mexico law-enforcement officials "spent the 60-day legislative session with our backs to the wall, and this is not going to stop," he said. During the workshop, DEA Special Agent David Monnette...DEA. Federal agent. Federal agent of Federal agency. Federal agency supported and funded by taxpayer dollars. Engaged in openly political activity in an attempt to influence the voters of a State.About as clear a violation of the Hatch Act as can be made.If only Johnnie Cochrane or F. Lee Bailey had the guts... But even worse: they are casting aspersions as to the native intelligence of New Mexicans.We've heard this before: immediately after Prop200 and 215 were passed into law, Barry, Shalala and Reno had the unmitigated gaul to assert that the voters of California and Arizona were fooled into voting for them.The implication, as plain as the noses on everyone's faces was that the electorate were inherently stupid and couldn't be trusted with the exercise of their sovereign franchise as voters. And here they go again. I don't know about you, but if I were a New Mexican, I'd be damn' pissed that a bunch of Federal yahoos were implying that I was stupid. And using my tax dollars in the process of insulting me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by jorma nash on May 09, 2001 at 16:24:39 PT damn the truth, full spin ahead i'm getting tired of these"a few rich financeers are buying policy" people.would you like to compare the mountains of taxpayer money spent by prohibitioniststo the molehill spend by the "evil advocates?"and isn't it interesting how these billion dollar budget Drug Warriorsfeel seriously threated by a few million dollars spent the "wrong" way?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"DEA Workshop Deals With Myths of Drug Legalization"oh, good, so we're finally going to get around to discussingwhose ideas are facts and whose ideas are myths?i'm *ALL* for that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by observer on May 09, 2001 at 15:29:52 PT Prosecutor: Nobody in Jail for Drug Use to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana . . . One of the myths, he said, is the idea that legalizing drugs will reduce violent crime. Monnette said most inmates in U.S. jails today are serving time because they are repeat offenders of violent crimes -- homicide, robbery, assault, rape -- they committed under the influence of drugs. More reefer madness. The attributing of crimes of violence, sexual assault, insanity, moral decay, etc. have been an integral part of efforts to prohibit the currently illicit drugs. A key element in this theme is the arbitrary designation of "good" and "evil" drugs with evil drugs possessing powers that can overwhelm all efforts at human control. "The Devil made him do it" is changed to "the drug made him do it." This aspect of prohibitionist philosophy is so often reported, there is no need to belabor the point. A few illustrative examples will-be outlined.NIDA: Themes in Chemical Prohibition, 1979, William L. Whitehttp://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html Sandoval said that contrary to Johnson's statement that thousands of New Mexicans are in prison due to drug use, "there are zero inmates." Most are in state prisons for other crimes, he said. Hey: that's great. So, in that case, there should be no problem with formalizing "there are zero inmates" in the law: repealing laws on the books that jail people due to drug use, because, after all, "there are zero inmates" in jail for "drug use". Right? And also, since "there are zero inmates" in jail for "drug use" we can stop arresting marijuana smokers (~700,000 arrests per year in the US), 80% of which are charged with simple possession. Right? That's what the goodly agent of the Federal Government is saying, isn't it?Tell me there aren't "drug users" serving unthinkable amounts of time. Here's one man who had five tiny plants in his garden. Read about James Geddes: http://hr95.org/Geddes,J.html Tell me with a straight face this man was anything but a user. he's in jail for 90 years for five plants. How much marijuana was that? A few ounces? The DEA prevaricates at every turn. They feel they must, obviously: their paychecks are on the line. They've been putting away kingpins like James Geddes away for years, they have quite an emotional investment in convincing themselves that giving life sentences to international cartel bosses like James Geddes (who grew five measly pot plants with the tomatoes,) is moral and good. Men like Geddes are dangerous "violent" criminals that deserve the worst from righteous, upstanding men like prosecutor Matthew Sandoval and gestapo agent David Monnette. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: