cannabisnews.com: New Drug Enforcement Chief Pledges a Tough Fight New Drug Enforcement Chief Pledges a Tough Fight Posted by FoM on August 20, 2001 at 16:05:24 PT By Sue Pleming Source: Reuters Three-term congressman and federal prosecutor Asa Hutchinson was sworn in on Monday as head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and pledged to do all he could to ``stay ahead'' of drugs traffickers. Best known as one of the House of Representatives ''prosecutors'' during the 1999 impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, Hutchinson acknowledged that the task before him was daunting. ``(Drugs) are one of the greatest national challenges that we have,'' Hutchinson, a Republican from Arkansas, told reporters minutes before being sworn in as the new DEA administrator.He said one of his priorities was to back up state and local law enforcement agencies fighting the drugs trade and to strengthen ties with international agencies.In addition, he said the DEA needed to develop a technological advantage over traffickers, who resorted to encryption and other methods.``We can't outnumber them perhaps, but we can turn to technology to make sure that we have the finest tools in our law enforcement effort so that we can stay ahead of the drug traffickers,'' Hutchinson said.He highlighted America's close ties with Mexico and Colombia in trying to eradicate the source of drugs.``We have to have a team effort with our international counterparts. What happens in Mexico affects us. What happens in Colombia affects us. What happens in the Netherlands in terms of the production of 'Club Drugs' affects our teen-agers in the United States,'' he said.At the swearing-in ceremony at DEA headquarters across the Potomac in Virginia, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Hutchinson was the best man to lead the DEA.``It may have become fashionable to say there is little we can do to fight drug abuse. I reject that conclusion and that cynicism and I know Asa rejects it as well,'' said Ashcroft, who referred to a ``scourge of drugs'' in America.Rehabilitation is Key GoalWhile targeting traffickers was important, Hutchinson said it was also key to provide access to rehabilitation for people who abused drugs.``How many times has Mr. Downey Jr. in California gone through rehab, because it started with law enforcement,'' he said, referring to actor Robert Downey Jr. who was sentenced last month to spend a year in a live-in drug rehabilitation program.Hutchinson said great strides had been made in the war against drugs, pointing to a drop of 75 percent in cocaine use over the past 15 years, but that there were always new challenges ahead.Asked about his views on the use of marijuana for medical purposes, Hutchinson said he would enforce the federal ban on the use of the drug even though some states have let patients use marijuana.He said scientific and medical communities had thus far found no legitimate use for marijuana, adding that he remained open to further study on the topic.Hutchinson worked on drugs issues during his time in Congress and comes from a legal background, having served as city attorney in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, as a U.S. Attorney in Fort Smith and as a private lawyer before he was elected to the House in 1996.Hutchinson's older brother, Tim, also a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Arkansas. Source: ReutersAuthor: Sue PlemingPublished: Monday, August 20, 2001Copyright: 2001 ReutersRelated Articles: DEA Head Says No to Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10674.shtmlDEA Nominee Won't Outline Plans for Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10334.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Asa Hutchinsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Hutchinson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by dddd on August 21, 2001 at 02:53:26 PT Forced Treatment II Well put Dr Dan.....The idea of "coerced",or forced treatmentis alot like a type of kidnapping,,,or some scientology nightmarewhere a person is subject to being "helped",,or "treated" for theirown good........The overall idea of "coerced treatment" is quitedisturbing...Like the drug court proponents who use the term,"carrot and stick",,as if the state had somehow been asked todefine the limits of allowable personal choices,and was in chargeof enforcing a proper way of living...It's quite chilling to imaginethe logical extension of the new "treatment" craze....One can onlyimagine the mind-control,and brainwashing techniques that private"treatment" corporations will subject people to,with the full supportand blessing of the government. There is a whole new treatment industry gearing up behind the scenes,and it will be run by the same corporate entities that run the prison industrytoday....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Dan B on August 21, 2001 at 02:22:06 PT: Forced Treatment "How many times has Mr. Downey Jr. in California gone through rehab, because it started with law enforcement," he said, referring to actor Robert Downey Jr. who was sentenced last month to spend a year in a live-in drug rehabilitation program. How many times, indeed! Gee, Hutch, it looks like you've just stumbled over your own pathetic logic.If forced treatment that starts "with law enforcement" is the key to all of America's addiction woes--the panacea that will end all drug use forever--why is it that Downey went back a second time, and a third? Each time, they tried to convince him that what he wanted wasn't what he wanted, and that he should let his ol' Uncle Sam tell him what he may and may not place within his own body, and all under threat of violence (if you don't think a prison term is a threat of violence, go visit a prison). Yet, he kept coming back formore. Gee, I thought coerced treatment was supposed to work, Hutch?Go figure.Treatment can only work if those entering treatment do so willingly. Anything else one might call "treatment" is merely indoctrination. It may work for a little while, but if any part of the patient's brain is still active afterward, eventually he or she will come to the realization that forced compliance with arbitrary values is an affront to human dignity and human rights. And when that happens, consider the monster re-awakened.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Digit on August 20, 2001 at 22:13:20 PT: Don't use Recycling!this rubbish is un-re-useable! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! very annoyed at scum like "hutch"."greatest national challenges that we have" - yup, he's not wrong... especially if they keep trying to go about it the wrong way... the way that "ups" the fight."one of his priorities was to back up state and local law enforcement agencies fighting the drugs trade and to strengthen ties with international agencies." - to make sure the the innocent get the shit beat outta them to put the fear of god in them so as to grass up the freindly local hippy``We can't outnumber them perhaps, but we can turn to technology to make sure that we have the finest tools in our law enforcement effort so that we can stay ahead of the drug traffickers,'' - in other words "we use bigger sticks to hit em with... and did i mention that we got chemical warfare, bio warfare, Nukes, and top of the line spy equip (thnx coldwar), satelites, etc, etc, all at great cost to the taxpayer. them some very big stick we got. Ungh, Urgh.``We have to have a team effort with our international counterparts. What happens in Mexico affects us. What happens in Colombia affects us. What happens in the Netherlands in terms of the production of 'Club Drugs' affects our teen-agers in the United States,'' - yeah but not nearly as much as hitting em with big sticks does."Attorney General John Ashcroft said Hutchinson was the best man to lead the DEA." - "he tows the line well""Rehabilitation is Key Goal" - ... not yours though matey"Hutchinson said he would enforce the federal ban on the use of the drug even though some states have let patients use marijuana." - No species on this plannet would purposely try to kill of its own just because they are sick. And this goes against the very laws he's supposed to uphold... the workings of a overly corrupt administration.He said "scientific and medical communities had thus far found no legitimate use for marijuana" - Lies. And how does he account for the 8 people exempt from cannabis laws because they have a legitimate medical use for marijuana??"Hutchinson's older brother, Tim, also a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Arkansas." - Proof that being an asshole is genetic. :pnow if you'll excuse me i have to clean up some vomit.vomit, which i might add, would not have happened had i been granted easier access to the world's best nausea supresant... cannabis. oh the irony! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by SWAMPIE on August 20, 2001 at 18:56:53 PT 75 % REDUCTION IN COCAINE USAGE?????? PERHAPS THERE HAS BEEN A SMALL REDUCTION IN COCAINE USE DUE TO THE HEAVY JAILING OF THE COUNTERCULTURE POPULATION,BUT I'LL BET ON THE IDEA THAT THESE SKEWED NUMBERS COME FROM THE ADDITION OF 3RD,4TH,5TH,AND 6TH GRADERS TO THE LISTS OF PEOPLE/CHILDREN POLLED,AND THE FACT THAT AS WE GET OLDER,WE ALL SLOW DOWN A BIT AND MANY DO QUIT USING THE HARD STUFF.FoM is right in her comment. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by MikeEEEEE on August 20, 2001 at 18:38:14 PT Yawn... Same old crap.Yawn... [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Jose Melendez on August 20, 2001 at 18:35:30 PT: Dear Asa Hutchinson Sir,As a citizen of these United States of America, I feel forced to ask publicly, how does this "right message" square with current policy of dropping the cigarette lawsuit, or not prosecuting tobacco company executives for perjury under oath, CEO's that denied the truth about something that kills 400,000 Americans annually?How can you allow legal sales of poison, and prosecute me for getting high? You are claiming to enforce rules that don't apply to you, you don't get high, unless you drink, right? Or is it Prozac? Maybe a nephew is on Ritalin, because he or she is hyperactive, right?Marijuana is safer than the alternatives for all these things, yet you continue to just say no. No to the truth, which is that Cannabis is good for us. Give it back. Jose Melendez - owner/founder of narcosoft.com - Buy Sell Quit Drugs Online! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 20, 2001 at 18:31:18 PT My 2 cents The drug war isn't making the statistics go down in my opinion but it is the good sense of people who have experimented with drugs, had a good time, but realized the side effects can get in the way of their life so they stop. It's called maturing isn't it? When we have a chance to try a few different drugs we know how they could cause a problem so most people get it in check. Then you can remember fondly, most times, the memories of those experiences. That's how I feel. What's New in Drug Policy Reform [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Kickaha on August 20, 2001 at 18:18:22 PT We're Winning ``It may have become fashionable to say there is little we can do to fight drug abuse. I reject that conclusion and that cynicism and I know Asa rejects it as well"This reductive repudiation of the reform movement is in fact a strong validation. The mere fact that he needed to address it at the swearing in indicates we're having an effect.``How many times has Mr. Downey Jr. in California gone through rehab, because it started with law enforcement''If you want to go right, fake left! The shift of official rhetoric to rehabilitation is another indicator we're having an effect, and we get a forerunner of their official strategy: Yes, we now realize rehab is good, but we still need the Drug War to get people into rehab!"Hutchinson said he would enforce the federal ban on the use of the drug even though some states have let patients use marijuana."Whistling past the graveyard. Hutch will have to effectively turn the screws to the max or become a laughingstock(look what happened to Hellawell in England)either way it plays right into our hands.Compare the tenor of this speech with any vintage McCaffery, and you'll see how much progress has been made. We're moving the line in the sand. Changing the rhetoric is the first step in changing reality. Now we need get ready for the backlash, and crank up the pressure! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Patrick on August 20, 2001 at 16:18:34 PT It's your method that is wrong. The pro-legalization effort is the essence of lowering drug abuse you freakin morally bankrupt expletive depletive."It may have become fashionable to say there is little we can do to fight drug abuse. I reject that conclusion and that cynicism and I know Asa rejects it as well,'' said Ashcroft, who referred to a ``scourge of drugs'' in America."Locking up drug users has not, and will not, lower abuse. Your idiocy knows no bounds! 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