cannabisnews.com: DEA Head Can Lead in a New Direction or Fail DEA Head Can Lead in a New Direction or Fail Posted by FoM on August 25, 2001 at 09:45:33 PT Bee Editorial Source: Sacramento Bee As Asa Hutchinson, the former congressman and new Bush appointed administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency, makes his first trip across the United States, it's hard not to compare him to Michael Douglas, the actor who played the hapless but earnest fictional DEA chief in the searing movie "Traffic." In an editorial board meeting with The Sacramento Bee, Hutchinson urged the American people not to give in to the cynicism that the film about the international drug wars invites. Still, he acknowledged "Traffic's" realism, particularly its portrayal of deep corruption among Mexico's highest-ranking drug police. In fact, when he met with Mexican President Vicente Fox, Hutchinson said Fox told him that he thought that the movie's depiction of Mexican law enforcement was accurate. Despite that, the Hutchinson-headed DEA is moving forward in partnership with Mexican agents -- only vetted agents (those not on the drug lords' payrolls), Hutchinson assured the editorial board -- to stem the flow of drugs from that country to ours.Frankly, it's hard not to be cynical about the international drug wars, and the DEA's leadership of it. The United States has pledged $1.3 billion to finance interdiction efforts in Colombia, a dubious venture that even Hutchinson acknowledged is "a risk." The new "Plan Colombia" follows recent DEA admissions that the amount of cocaine producedc in that South American country is almost three times greater than the agency previously estimated, this after years and billions of dollars in anti-drug efforts there.Closer to home, Gilbert Bruce, leader of the DEA's San Francisco office who accompanied Hutchinson, said the agency's effort to combat the methamphetamine trade in the Central Valley has succeeded in squeezing out the small operators, only to see them replaced by more sophisticated organized crime elements from Mexico. Even the efforts to stop the sale of chemicals used to make meth, Bruce says, have prompted traffickers to search out alternative ingredients and concoct new, more explosive and more dangerous meth recipes. "Soon we're going to have to control dirt as a precursor chemical," he added. A joke, yes, but an acknowledgment of the frustration experienced by the most capable and veteran drug warriors.The overwhelming approval of Proposition 36, last year's initiative that mandated treatment instead of incarceration for nonviolent drug users, suggests that the public is losing faith in law enforcement's ability to solve the nation's drug problem. Hutchinson says that more treatment is needed. He sees "a shift, not a diminished support for law enforcement," in the public's attitudes.More than a slight shift is at work here. People who hate drugs, including ordinary citizens and even police and prosecutors, are beginning to doubt that the DEA approach, with its heavy emphasis on law enforcement, can solve the nation's drug problem. As the new head of the DEA, Hutchinson needs to acknowledge those legitimate doubts. He can either help lead the nation deeper into the morass or help to find a way out. Complete Title: Hutchinson's Turn: DEA Head Can Lead in a New Direction or FailSource: Sacramento Bee (CA)Published: August 25, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Sacramento BeeContact: opinion sacbee.comWebsite: http://www.sacbee.com/Related Articles:New Drug Enforcement Chief Pledges a Tough Fighthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10675.shtmlDEA Head Says No to Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10674.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Asa Hutchinsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Hutchinson END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by Hope on August 27, 2001 at 11:38:30 PT name registration ok....thanks.:-) [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 27, 2001 at 09:38:36 PT Thanks Hope If you don't mind me mentioning it you might want to register your name. Just a suggestion. Thanks! I love that name.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/register.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Hope on August 27, 2001 at 09:30:51 PT I got a reply from the Sacramento Bee Mr. Hutchinson was in town for a separate purpose, a speech (I believe it was a Hispanic law enforcement group, but I'm not sure. The speech was in the evening, he arrived earlier in the afternoon. It's not unusual for visiting officials, when they have an hour to spare, to swing by for a visit. We have probably five-seven meetings a week with various individuals and groups. Sure, the folks who come in are obviously trying to get across their point of view. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on August 26, 2001 at 13:26:34 PT lookinside I don't remembering seeing anything about a meeting that I can recall but I'll keep my eyes open. We don't get any newspapers because all they are is mostly advertising. I'm glad your friend won. That's good news. I've noticed that the 34 percent for legalization article isn't being used in other papers so far. They are trying to keep good news quiet. I feel it in my bones. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by lookinside on August 26, 2001 at 13:01:38 PT: i cancelled... my subscription to the bee last week...citing a number ofreasons(i posted that letter here)...i recieved noreply...the accusations were apparently unimportant to theeditor there...now they have a meeting with top governmentdrug warriors..to plan the next "spin" campaign?...i think so...i heard that several county DA's met in sacramento last weekto decide on their stand on the issues concerning medicalmarijuana...no news concerning decisions yet...i have thefeeling that no agreement was reached...FoM: have you seen anything?some good news: a friend of a friend won his case inmanteca, california on medical marijuana grounds...he had170+ plants...the jury found him not guilty... [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Hope on August 26, 2001 at 08:07:30 PT "meeting" An e-mail has been sent to the Bee:I don't know much about the newspaper business and I once believed that themedia was supposed to be a watchdog of the government for the people. I alsounderstand that there have been recent concerns that the government is"buying" the media in an effort to maintain backing for it's drug policies.Why is the DEA having meetings with the Editorial Board of the SacramentoBee?This citizen is concerned about who our "watchdogs" appear to be havingstrangely close relationships with.-----------------------------A reply would be a big surprise, but if such a thing should happen, it will be posted here.A "meeting" with the entire editorial board, instead of a news conference, or interview? Sounds irregular, but, perhaps, it's not. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by dddd on August 26, 2001 at 01:01:58 PT Dogs and their Masters "So much for the media being the "watchdogs" of government, for the people."It's too bad that these "watchdogs" of the media,have now been bred to towthe party line,,,,the feds have been humping these old dogs quite effectivelyfor years now,and have created a whole new breed of media showdogs...Theyknow who fills their bowls,and they will bark on command.dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dddd on August 26, 2001 at 00:52:19 PT Extremely good point Hope Hope says;"My concern here is, why is the Editorial Board of the Sacramento Bee meeting with Hutchinson and other DEA people?It sounds as though they are on a little nationwide tour of meeting with editorial boards of papers. Why?"Yes,,,,why the special meetings with such influential groups?Why no such meetings with other,more relevant groups?...dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on August 26, 2001 at 00:37:23 PT Editorial Board meeting with the DEA? My concern here is, why is the Editorial Board of the Sacramento Bee meeting with Hutchinson and other DEA people?It sounds as though they are on a little nationwide tour of meeting with editorial boards of papers. Why?So much for the media being the "watchdogs" of government, for the people. Seems our "watchdogs" are having "meetings" with the ones they are supposed to be watching. Considering the already revealed problems of the government buying favorable news items to back their drug policies...I find this meeting business a bit strange. Does anyone else? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by E. Johnson on August 25, 2001 at 15:26:45 PT You'd think they'd be tired of it by now The DEA has been my political enemy but as a sufferer of chronic PTSD, in a way I have a weird empathy for these aggro bullheaded hate-filled control freak racial profiling vaginal-anal-searching home-seizing law enforcement types.They're all damaged from the field by now. They live deep witin in the violence that they have helped to escalate. It's not a pleasant place to be. They aren't the way they are because they're happy people. They aren't running around saying deranged things like hemp is the same as the kind bud because they're in a place of calm and reason and clarity.Hate is our problem here, and I think we all know deep in our hearts that there is one and only one real cure for hate, and that is love.Our society is deeply wounding itself in this War.Somehow love has to be applied to this problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by drfist on August 25, 2001 at 12:34:42 PT actually need to ban Carbon, hydrogen, Oxygen The basic precursors are basic elements of earth and the air we breath, a good organic chemist can start from that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar on August 25, 2001 at 10:09:15 PT DEA can joke too "Soon we're going to have to control dirt as a precursor chemical," I had to laugh when I read that.When the DEA starts makingjokes like that you know its just a matter of time.Although if your life was ruinedby the WOD atrocity I don't see how you could laugh. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment