Independent Commission to Review US War on Drugs

[Skip]

The US House of Representatives this week approved a bill to setup an independent commission (like the 9/11 commission) to review and report and make suggestions regarding America's failed War on Drugs.

The focus will be on US programs in Latin America including Plan Colombia and how effective they've been. Congress has been finally coming to terms with the failures of the US drug war.

`Billions upon billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent. In spite of our efforts, the positive results are few and far between,'' says Engel, who chairs the House Western Hemisphere subcommittee. ``Clearly, the time has come to take a fresh look at our counternarcotics efforts.''

The bill goes to the Senate for approval and is expected to pass with bi-partisan support.

In addition, the Obama Administration will soon announce a new National Drug Control Strategy that will focus more on demand reduction than its predecessors.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...msoppenhrctnop-a20091210dec10,0,7392721.story

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Most likely, the proposed independent commission will not recommend decriminalization of marijuana, but will install the issue as a legitimate debate. Meantime, the Obama Administration will soon announce a new National Drug Control Strategy that will focus more on demand reduction than its predecessors.

That's where it starts folks, legitimate debate.

"Focus" means money. The more money spent on education and prevention means less money for arrest and incarceration.

Grover Norquist wants to shrink federal government small enough to drown in a bathtub. Maybe we can start with the DEA, lol.

 

[ArcticBlast]

if this was facebook, i'd click the like button on this one

ArcticBlast

 

[Skip]

Grover Norquist wants to shrink federal government small enough to drown in a bathtub. Maybe we can start with the DEA, lol.

Not so funny, tho. We really DO need to get rid of the DEA. We have the FDA, the Food and Drug administration whose job it is to approve or disapprove of drugs.

The DEA was setup to specifically go beyond a focus on the drugs themselves to a focus on "enforcement", meaning criminalization of people just for using drugs on themselves, a VICTIMLESS crime, as well as for going after the people selling drugs, but NOT BIG PHARMA!

Big pharma is immune to prosecution by the DEA since the FDA regulates it. So big pharma is in a special class, allowed to sell drugs, including so many dangerous ones (many lead to death just by following the directions), but rarely facing criminal sanctions for the thousands of deaths they've caused.

There is something extremely unfair and unjust about this situation. The DEA exists only to prosecute people and spread drug war propaganda and paranoia. The FDA exists to regulate legalized drugs for the benefit of the companies that make them, without full accountability.

This is why they don't want us to compare marijuana with tobacco or alcohol or big pharma. Because to do that is to threaten the raison d'etre of the DEA. If we were to place marijuana and other recreational drugs in the same category as alcohol then there is no need for a special agency as we already have the FDA to do that.

But you see the DEA has an INTERNATIONAL mandate, at least the US seems to think so, therefore we are funding DEA offices and operations in nearly every country and major city in the world. I really hope this commission will review the cost of these foreign operations. We really need to stop being the world's NANNY!

Don't want the DEA to be your NANNY? Then LEGALIZE IT!

 

[SpasticGramps]

This is huge news. The findings of this should play out in the media and I think we all know what the findings are going to be. It seems they are beginning to look at this in an honest way. I have to think some of that cerebral approach is trickling down from up top the administration. They are laying the foundation. Credit when credit is due.

 

[inthelight]

Am I really seeing this happen? amazing! This is it people the real beginning of the end of marijuana prohibition right there!

 

[pipeline]

Right on thanks skip!!!!!

Think I'll smoke to that!!!!

Last time this type of a commissioned report was done in the US as well as canada and Mexico, legalization of cannabis for adults was recommended... Yeah... decriminalization may not be his intention, but it sure as hell will be the logical outcome!!!!

 

[Pistil_Party09]

aw this is one of those dream things again isnt it...*slaps self in face...*

holy shit this IS happening....

time to party.

 

[Norrath]

oh im smoking to this right now. fuck waiting for 420 mandatory marley on the radio...EFF IT, smoking best shit right now.

weeeeeee amendments! my favourite word.

 

[Grat3fulh3ad]

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

 

[headfortrinity]

This is a great step towards a better future,
My opinion is that the government should take the war on drugs funding and put it into educating the people, I'm not talking about just drug education but all around wisdom. We have the ability to create a better educational program, smarter people will make smarter choices in general life, the children are the only future there is.

 

[kaotic]

We really need to stop being the world's NANNY!

K+ for that.

I think we all know what the findings are going to be.

Just remember what always happens to the "findings."

I hate being the negative one but I'm a cynic by nature. I need to see amendments. This is a very good place to start though...especially coupled with the recent AMA statements.

 

[Nesnarb]

awesome. any honest, legislature approved review of the failures of the drug war sounds like the beginning of federal legalization to me

 

[Grat3fulh3ad]

K+ for that.



Just remember what always happens to the "findings."

I hate being the negative one but I'm a cynic by nature. I need to see amendments. This is a very good place to start though...especially coupled with the recent AMA statements.

didn't Nixon throw the last 'findings' in the trash?
I'm sure Mr. Obama would not do the same, however...

 

[kaotic]

I'd say there are a lot more than that which have been suppressed. The Government is reaching ICmag censorship levels.

 

[Guest 88950]

this is a precursor to cannabis being rescheduled from a class 1 to a class 2 controlled substance.

come on govt b/c fla is in an uphill battle with getting medical cannabis on the ballot in 2010.

DEA = Democracy Ends Abruptly

 

[Fuzz420]

LaGuardia Report. Well maybe it will work the second time around.

 

[fatigues]

If I was Obama's Chief of staff - I'd be quietly delaying this thing. It's the wrong time. It's a wee too early, from the Obama administration's perspective.

This is something he would be FAR wiser to order about 15-18 months from now - in the wake of Cali's TC2010 ballot vote. A HUGE public commission with public hearings all over the country that last for freakin EVER. Long enough that the findings of THAT commission will be delivered AFTER the next Presidential election - not before it.

The Canadian Senate's Special Committee on Illegal Drugs took nearly two and a half years to hear from witnesses and deliver its report. (If you have never read the Nolin Commission's Report - you should. It is, far and away, the most thorough, honest and complete governmental report on Marijuana ever written.)

That sounds like JUST the sort of timing Obama needs - starting in about early-to-mid 2011.

Just sayin'.

 

[SpasticGramps]

If I was Obama's Chief of staff - I'd be quietly delaying this thing. It's the wrong time. It's a wee too early, from the Obama administration's perspective.

This is something he would be FAR wiser to order about 15-18 months from now - in the wake of Cali's TC2010 ballot vote. A HUGE public commission with public hearings all over the country that last for freakin EVER. Long enough that the findings of THAT commission will be delivered AFTER the next Presidential election - not before it.

The Canadian Senate's Special Committee on Illegal Drugs took nearly two and a half years to hear from witnesses and deliver its report. (If you have never read the Nolin Commission's Report - you should. It is, far and away, the most thorough, honest and complete governmental report on Marijuana ever written.)

That sounds like JUST the sort of timing Obama needs - starting in about early-to-mid 2011.

Just sayin'.

I completely agree. I hate to be an optimist, but they way public opinion is swaying and the fact this commission report will have probably a year to played out before the elections. Could this be the beginning of the formation of a MMJ platform for 2012? I dunno. A lot of economic, political, and social elements are coming together a little quicker than I thought. Fuck it, I like it either way!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

I'd say there are a lot more than that which have been suppressed. The Government is reaching ICmag censorship levels.

ROTFLMAO! Ain't that the truth. LOL