Obama’s Pick to Head DEA Needs to Answer Some Tough Questions

[Truth2Tell]

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/129219-obamas-pick-to-head-dea-needs-to-answer-some-tough-questions

By Paul Armentano - 11/15/10 02:46 PM ET

This Wednesday, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will be considering Michele Leonhart for the position of director of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Several organizations that lobby on drug policy issues have voiced serious concerns regarding Ms. Leonhart’s nomination.

As Interim DEA director, Ms. Leonhart has overseen dozens of federal raids on medical marijuana providers, producers, and laboratory facilities that engage in the testing of cannabis potency and quality. These actions took place in states that have enacted laws allowing for the production and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes, and they are inconsistent with an October 19, 2009 Department of Justice memo recommending federal officials no longer “focus ... resources ... on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.”

It is now 14 years since California voters recognized the medical value of marijuana by amending state law; fifteen other states and the District of Columbia have since acted likewise. Yet under Ms. Leonhart’s leadership the DEA has failed to take a single step toward revising its practices in accordance with these changes to state law and administrative policy.

Furthermore, Ms. Leonhart has actively blocked scientific research that seeks to better identify and quantify marijuana’s medicinal properties and efficacy. These actions contradict this administration's pledge to let science rather than ideology guide public policy.

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/129219-obamas-pick-to-head-dea-needs-to-answer-some-tough-questions">Continued...

[glitch]

1. Craven attempt to boost her agency creds with low hanging fruit.

Raiding people who are obeying state laws AND stated federal administrative policy: :thumbsdown:

[Truth2Tell]

2. It's not just her

All it would take is one call from the Commander and Chief saying "knock it off" and all this would stop. I think we can safely assume that hasn't happened.

[glitch]

3. Agreed. Why write a memo stating policy and then not enforce it?

We're still in bizarro world.

[Fumesucker]

4. Gil Kerlikowske speaks for Obama on "drugs"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Kerlikowske

Richard Gil Kerlikowske (born November 23, 1949) is the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position generally referred to as the United States "Drug Czar". He assumed office on May 7, 2009.

(...)

In a May 22, 2009 interview on KUOW radio, he said any drug 'legalization' would be "waving the white flag" and that "legalization is off the charts when it comes to discussion, from my viewpoint" and that "legalization vocabulary doesn't exist for me and it was made clear that it doesn't exist in President Obama's vocabulary." Specifically about marijuana, he said, "It's a dangerous drug" and about the medical use of marijuana, he said, "we will wait for evidence on whether smoked marijuana has any medicinal benefits - those aren't in."