cannabisnews.com: DEA: Pot Law Would Strain Cops





DEA: Pot Law Would Strain Cops
Posted by CN Staff on September 20, 2006 at 18:46:54 PT
By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News 
Source: Rocky Mountain News
Colorado -- Opponents of the proposed ballot measure that would legalize possession of marijuana statewide said today that its passage would put further strains on federal law enforcement. Drug Enforcement Agent Jeffrey Sweetin said by making the state a place for legalized possession of small amounts, drug runners will begin trafficking in large amounts of marijuana to sell. Large amounts, he said, becomes a federal problem.
"It will clearly impact what we do," he said. "Right now, a smaller amount of focus is on pot, but if this passes, we will be able focus less and less on other drugs and pot will become a major focus." Standing with medical professionals and Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, they all urged voters to reject Amendment 44 in November. That measure seeks to legalize possession of marijuana by adults across the state. Supporters of the amendment have said that legalizing marijuana possession for adults — less than an ounce — would free up law enforcement to pursue drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine. They have also claimed prohibition isn’t working and use the prohibition of alcohol in the ‘20s as an example of a failed policy.Source: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)Author:  David Montero, Rocky Mountain News Published: September 20, 2006Copyright: 2006, Denver Publishing Co.Contact: letters rockymountainnews.comWebsite: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/Feds Shouldn't Use Offices To Keep Off Grasshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22129.shtmlDEA Should Butt Out of State Ballot Debate http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22122.shtmlDEA Education vs. Lobbyinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22118.shtml 
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Comment #18 posted by Hope on September 21, 2006 at 21:13:30 PT
Comment 13
Man! BGreen, you think just like a DEA agent!That's amazing. That's so hard to do!
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Comment #17 posted by The GCW on September 21, 2006 at 20:42:30 PT
Dangerous sad logic and armed with gun.
Drug Enforcement Agent Jeffrey Sweetin is beside Himself.(Are they going to let Him continue being a spokesperson???)He doesn't seem to understand what 10 minus 10 =.Does He carry a loaded gun?Colorado is in trouble and it isn't from having Initiative 44; it is because there are loonies with guns out running wild.My children are not safe with this type of servant at large.If inititiative 44 passes, doesn't it mean there is less, not more chance that dummy servants will approach citizens if they are holding a tiny amount of cannabis?They are safer holdin' pot that ignorant thinking cops approaching them holdin' guns.420If The Ecologicain / Our Heavenly Father has anything to do with this, Police are going to face some layoffs after election day!Either that or they are going to have to use their time card to actually make the streets SAFER.Their bread n butter is going to come from somewhere else.LET US PRAY.The Green Collar Worker
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Comment #16 posted by whig on September 21, 2006 at 10:34:01 PT
BGreen
Of course marijuana falls from the sky, if you call it Manna, which it is. Metaphorically speaking.
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Comment #15 posted by whig on September 21, 2006 at 10:31:53 PT
Fish jello
I don't even know where that came from, but if you're trying to make some sense out of it, I could as easily have said any two random words.
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Comment #14 posted by whig on September 21, 2006 at 10:30:12 PT
Paul Armentano
It hurts my head to even try to make fun of the DEA's illogic. It's like responding to someone that says fish jello makes good sandwiches. You just want to shake your head and wonder what planet that even makes sense on.
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Comment #13 posted by BGreen on September 21, 2006 at 08:22:30 PT
Paul re: post #10
It's perfectly clear to me.You see, right now you have all of this cannabis being illegally consumed but actually involves no large distributors (it of course falls from the sky,) so the DEA pretty much ignores all of this. But, if people started consuming cannabis LEGALLY it will no longer fall from the sky, and the DEA will have to start enforcing the cannabis laws that AREN'T on the books, thereby diverting all of their resources away from all of the other drugs which ARE illegal and continue to fall from the sky.See, it's perfectly clear. Of course, I haven't even woken up yet this morning, and reading this makes me just want to go back to bed. LOLThe Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #12 posted by dongenero on September 21, 2006 at 08:07:40 PT
Whaa?
Right now, with marijuana being illegal, the DEA has a smaller amount of focus on marijuana.If it is legalized, the DEA will have to make marijuana a major focus, and focus less on the remaining illegal drugs....I think agent Sweetin's head is about ready spin right into orbit. His statements are absolutely ridiculous. He should learn from our current White House administration that , if you are going to say things as stupid as this, it needs to be repeated over and over and over, in 30 second sound bytes, on every...ahem! news station.....for days on end before the public will believe it.If he can make it rhyme, even better.
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Comment #11 posted by paul armentano on September 21, 2006 at 07:23:39 PT
CBS video: Feds Couldn't Pursue Pot Cases...
http://cbs4denver.com/politics/local_story_264085008.htmlFeds Couldn't Pursue Pot Cases If State Law PassesTough Question: If Colorado's Marijuana Law Is Changed, Will All Pot Enforcement Go Up In Smoke?Alan Gionet
Reporting(CBS4) DENVER Law enforcement leaders in Colorado doubt that federal authorities would have time or resources to prosecute people for possessing small amounts of marijuana if Amendment 44 passes. The ballot measure would make it legal to possess an ounce or less of marijuana under state law.CBS4 asked the tough question: If Colorado's marijuana law is changed, will all pot enforcement go up in smoke?"Would it be legal if Denver officers ended up enforcing federal law in that regard, or are they going to have to go to the feds if that happens?" CBS4 asked Attorney General John Suthers."They could write somebody up, but they would have then go to the United States attorney and ask them to prosecute the case," Suthers answered. "And I'm telling you right now, the United States attorney has a threshold, I used to be the United States attorney, and I think their threshold used to be about 100 plants. They're not going to take possession of an ounce cases.""Can a local entity enforce federal law?" CBS4 asked a local Drug Enforcement Administration agent."There aren't enough federal resources on the entire planet to handle ounce size marijuana possession," Jeffrey Sweetin, a DEA agent said. "Your viewers should understand if this passes, we're really legitimately legalizing an ounce of marijuana. They're not going to be prosecuted."The U.S. attorney's office and the DEA told CBS4 resources would still go toward prosecuting bigger drug cases.Denver police said they hadn't researched the issue. Denver officers have been prosecuting local marijuana offenders under state law since earlier in the year when a city initiative passed that made possessing an ounce or less of marijuana legal under city code.(© MMVI CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
http://cbs4denver.com/politics/local_story_264085008.html
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Comment #10 posted by paul armentano on September 21, 2006 at 07:06:24 PT
Huh??
Such tortured logic only a DEA official could understand..."Drug Enforcement Agent Jeffrey Sweetin said by making the state a place for legalized possession of small amounts, drug runners will begin trafficking in large amounts of marijuana to sell."
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on September 21, 2006 at 06:57:07 PT
Very Telling
"It will clearly impact what we do," he said. "Right now, a smaller amount of focus is on pot, but if this passes, we will be able focus less and less on other drugs and pot will become a major focus."That is a very,very telling statement! Freewillks and Dan B are right on target. The Cannabis laws are the very foundation of the drug war and provide the "easy meat" so that leo's don't have to fight real crime. The cannabis laws have nothing to do with saving us from ourselves and everything to do with oppressing us and denying us the chance to grow our own food,fuel,fiber,paper,plastics,
building materials,medicine,etc.Is the Colorado media now censoring Mason Tvert or what? I'm sick of listening to these leo's whine and lie all the time. Like you can believe one word they say anyway. Screw the fascist feds. Let Mason be heard!Here's a relevant article with video...Feds Couldn't Pursue Pot Cases If State Law Passes:
http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_264085008.htmlOther news...Medical pot law called 'illegal' - County supervisors to vote on the issue: 
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/NEWS01/609210332/1006/news01Willie Nelson: stoner legend:
http://www.aspendailynews.com/article_16041Crowd packs Stetson chapel for marijuana debate:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newWEST05092106.htm
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Comment #8 posted by Dan B on September 20, 2006 at 22:34:46 PT
I agree, John Tyler
If the feds feel that their resources will be strained by the passage of this ballot measure, I say that we should get as many of these things passed as possible. The more they strain against marijuana and neglect the truly dangerous substances that are out there, the more they put a lie to all that they do, and the faster the American people will understand that the war on some drugs has nothing to do with making anybody safer. It's all about money and power.Feel the strain, feds. If you think that it is more important to go after cannabis (and by the way, the vast majority of cannabis that is "confiscated" in this country is actually ditch weed) than to go after meth and heroin, then your demise should be welcomed by all Americans who value their tax dollars.Dan B
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Comment #7 posted by mrdevious on September 20, 2006 at 22:14:02 PT:
Added strain on federal law enforcement?
I'm sure there will be plenty of added strain to the federal law enforcers. Considering this strain is self-imposed, however, they can expect little sympathy from me. 
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on September 20, 2006 at 21:42:15 PT
Comment 2
That is exactly what he is saying, isn't it?Not a very heavily veiled threat at all, is it? But it most certainly is a threat.
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Comment #5 posted by Wayne on September 20, 2006 at 21:20:32 PT
p.s.
Oh, and as for Mr. Sweetin, he just doesn't quit, does he?"It will clearly impact what we do," he said.God willing, sir, God willing...
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Comment #4 posted by Wayne on September 20, 2006 at 21:19:17 PT
re: fw #4
Does this 'Riverside County DA' have a name? Or does he not want to be contacted?Someone needs to remind this gentleman that he is a 'county' DA, not a US attorney. Federal law is a little bit outside his jurisdiction. I swear to God, the DA's all across this country need to be put on a leash. They have usurped so much power in American courtrooms that a defense attorney is pretty much powerless anymore (and that's even if you can get one to represent you).
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Comment #3 posted by freewillks on September 20, 2006 at 20:29:54 PT
Case in point.
By Arnell DiMaandal
KESQ NewsChannel 3The Riverside County District Attorney's office released its opinion today on the legality of medical marijuana. The bottom line, the DA says, is marijuana is illegal. NewsChannel 3 has more on what many consider a very debatable issue. The district attorney's office says the state medical marijuana law, which voters OK'd in 1996, violates federal law. It's all written in what the DA's office calls ‘white paper.' Medical marijuana advocates say that's an opinion not worth the white paper it's written on. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors will vote on this issue next week. 
Riverside County DA says medical marijuana is illegal
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Comment #2 posted by freewillks on September 20, 2006 at 20:16:43 PT
The DEAth Threat!
"It will clearly impact what we do," he said. "Right now, a smaller amount of focus is on pot, but if this passes, we will be able focus less and less on other drugs and pot will become a major focus." Translation:"It will clearly impact our reputation,right now, a smaller amount of focus is on pot smokers, but if you DARE make us look like fools, we will invade your state, and wage full scale milatary war on pot smokers and turn a blind eye on other drugs just to prove our point."Could our government be any more screwed up! We as a nation need to take back our country, Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness. Not the Nation of big brother watching over our shoulder, dictating to our states, and imprisoning those who seek a little health and happiness from a plant.I hope every one else is fed up with our current government and votes them ALL out. Thats how to turn our country back to the people. If we don't the DEAth threats will only expand and destroy our Nation.
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on September 20, 2006 at 19:13:12 PT
Can' be helped
Let the Feds. worry about it. If given the chance why should the people give up their precious and hard won liberty just to make it more convenient for the Feds. to enforce an unjust law in the first place. 
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