cannabisnews.com: DEA Director Criticizes Marijuana Ballot Measure





DEA Director Criticizes Marijuana Ballot Measure
Posted by CN Staff on July 12, 2002 at 07:13:13 PT
By Elaine Goodman, Reno Gazette-Journal 
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal 
The director of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration denounced Thursday a Nevada ballot measure that would legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, saying it would bring the wrong type of tourists to the state.Director Asa Hutchinson said the initiative, if passed by voters, would encourage teens to experiment with drugs and put Nevada in conflict with federal law. “That would leave Nevada with one of the most liberal policies on drugs. What kind of tourism will Nevada attract?” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said the initiative is the work of a national group that wants to see marijuana completely legalized — not a grassroots effort of Nevadans.Hutchinson was at the Reno Convention Center as part of a 30-state tour called “Meth in America: Not in Our Town.” He addressed the national Elks convention, receiving a standing ovation from thousands of conventioneers.In another speech to local, state and federal officials, Hutchinson said methamphetamine is different from other illegal drugs because much of it is produced in the United States.“We can’t blame methamphetamine on our South American neighbors,” Hutchinson said.Meth labs leave behind toxic byproducts that are costly to clean up, according to the DEA.And many meth labs are in homes with children, who not only witness the illegal activity, but often end up with drugs in their system, Hutchinson said.Hutchinson praised Nevada lawmakers for tightening controls on pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in methamphetamine recipes.Hutchinson called for more drug testing in the workplace, and employee assistance programs for workers found to be using drugs. About 75 percent of drug users are employed, he said.Although Hutchinson’s talk focused on methamphetamine, reporters who met with him afterward wanted to know his views on the marijuana initiative.The measure, which qualified Tuesday for the Nov. 5 ballot, would legalize adult possession or use of 3 ounces or less of marijuana.In 2001, state legislators relaxed marijuana laws by making possession of less than an ounce a misdemeanor. Nevadans approved the use of medical marijuana in 2000.Hutchinson said although he opposes Nevada’s marijuana initiative, his office won’t campaign against it. But if opposition forms against the ballot measure, Hutchinson said his office would be willing to help by providing information.Hutchinson said some mistakenly believe that marijuana is not harmful. But more teen-agers seek treatment for marijuana abuse than for any other drug, including alcohol, he said.DEA agents seized 42 kilograms of methamphetamine in Nevada last year, up from 24 kilograms in 2000 and 31 kilograms in 1999. Fifty-two percent of the DEA’s drug investigations in Nevada are methamphetamine cases, officials said.Federal, state and local officials shut down 255 meth labs in Nevada last year.Despite the seizures, methamphetamine still is readily available locally, said Theresa Lemus, executive director of Northstar Treatment and Recovery Center in Reno.Northstar treated more than 3,000 patients last year, and more than 75 percent of those were meth abusers, Lemus said.The effects of methamphetamine addiction are devastating, Lemus said, ranging from medical and dental problems, trouble with the law and families that fall apart. And methamphetamine use cuts across age groups and economic levels, she said.“This is not confined to lower-class populations in any way, shape or form,” Lemus said. Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)Author: Elaine Goodman, Reno Gazette-Journal Published: July 11, 2002Copyright: 2002 Reno Gazette-Journal Website: http://www.rgj.com/Contact: rgjmail nevadanet.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Legalize Pot? Not So Fast http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13371.shtmlMedical Marijuana Vote Denounced by U.S. Aidehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13343.shtmlMarijuana Petition Qualifies for Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13341.shtml The Drug Legalizers Are At It Againhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13321.shtml
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Comment #15 posted by illuminati on September 13, 2002 at 12:00:25 PT
LAND OF THE ....free?...
ever wonder why some articles you click on come back saying "message error, etc...",? since we all know that the government is trying to tax the internet and make you pay for e-mailing -because it is hurting the postal service (which i can see why, faster and more effecient). what makes us think that the NET is safe or accurate (there is a point here and about marijuana also)? what if the government proof-reads the NET before allowing it's display? that way they control information. just look at the news, it's totally controlled, when was the last time any of you saw information or the goings-on of marijuana? if you did manage to catch something it was very brief and thrown in discreetly for about a second or so. it's a big world and we all rely on commercialism so-to-speak, if we aren't getting enough advertisement and/or publicity on anything, we hardly know it's there and on top of it all we hardly know anything about it. it's obvious the government is against legalizing marijuana, so none of you will see advertisement and support, just brief inserts. however, there is the NET, which is only a matter of time before it is censored and controlled. think about it a huge information leak to society to make the masses question and speculate, what makes any of you think the government wants something like that? it's all about control over the masses, to make them work longer and pay more taxes to the men and women who will never give you individual freedom. here in amerika there is no free will, no individuality. "to think for yourself you must question authority" -Bill Hicks-sincerely an Illuminati
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Comment #14 posted by CorvallisEric on July 12, 2002 at 14:05:13 PT
Las Vegas
If there's any city that I "love to hate" it's LV. My then-girlfriend and I spent a morning there while passing through in 1970. She played the nickel slots, won a couple pounds of coins with great excitement, and I just wandered around and watched. Mostly there were middle-aged women, completely passive, totally bored and unimpressed by any win, simply feeding the slot and pulling the handle in a steady rhythm like some slow-motion assembly line. Sure seemed a whole lot like addiction. "Mothers' Little Helper".
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Comment #13 posted by Zero_G on July 12, 2002 at 10:47:10 PT
Dead tour in Vegas
I remember, years ago, some Vegas city politician got into a fender bender with a Deadhead in the massive traffic jam that lead to the concert and thereafter tried to ban the Dead from coming back.Well, it seemed that the Dead shows somehow coincided with some of the most profitable times in Vegas and he failed quite miserably....It was quite a hoot seeing tie-dye all over the casinos. And, I haven't been back since Jerry died. But, I do remember something else:The MGM Grand was new the last time I was there, 1994, and they had an exhibit of the Emerald City, from the Wizard of Oz. The part that interested me was the faux foliage in the exhibit:Poppies
Morning Glory
Amanita Muscariahmm, seems some designer had a sense of humor.
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Comment #12 posted by BGreen on July 12, 2002 at 10:00:21 PT
Cannabis is Acid is Crack is Heroin is Meth is ...
To the pro-jail idiots, it's all the same.
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Comment #11 posted by bongathon on July 12, 2002 at 09:43:47 PT:
go for broke
How did it go from "legalizing" MJ to the proliferation of Meth labs? I guess that is a logical progression to Asa.Oh my gosh, a national organization trying to pull the wool over the general public's eyes. IT MUST BE A CONSPIRACY! Wait a minute, I thought we were the ones who leaned toward unearthing conspiracies. Look out, Asa is adopting the methods of the evil reefer madmen. What's next?
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 12, 2002 at 09:42:19 PT
Meth and Marijuana
They are as different as night and day. Why does he mention Meth with Marijuana. That's very wrong. Meth is a very dangerous drug. Marijuana has NEVER killed anyone!
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Comment #9 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 12, 2002 at 09:39:31 PT
Methamphetamines in the Membrane
Hutchinson has had a hard blow to the head.No matter what he starts talking about, he ends up telling people he is fighting meth labs.In this article it just "appears" out of nowhere.I linked the transcript of his appearnece recently on Crossfire. He sat and told James Carville that pot smoking was bad. Its a good read.As carville politely and gently confronts Hutchinson with what we would call "reality", Hutchinson launches into his "Im out here fighting Meth Labs" schtick. He is simply incomprehensible. And those IDIOTS of the EIC must be some real gems if they were "stunned" with the "information" imparted to them. I stopped watching TV years ago and Im highly skeptical of any new movie anymore - 95% of them are formulaic trash. A situtation I wouldnt expect to improve with the DEA as scriptwriters.Hmm.. perhaps they can make a fake reality TV program where people are violently raided by police and all the violence visited upon the invaded people is then justified, glorifying the State. Could use the TV programs to get the People (baaa-a-a-a-a-a) to endorse unconstitutional things done on the program, saying it's ok to do them in real life."cause he's a Liar...a liar...cause he's a liar..liar" Henry Rollins Paraphrased for the good of the USA.
Hutchinson on Crossfire
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Comment #8 posted by BGreen on July 12, 2002 at 09:23:46 PT
They give free alcohol to the gamblers
if you're gambling at the tables or other high dollar betting activities. I was at the nickel or dime slots so I didn't get anything. I couldn't even stomach the quarter machines. I just don't like to gamble. I did, however, make a killing at the buffet's!
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 12, 2002 at 09:16:40 PT
BGreen
We spent a day in Reno a number of years ago. I went with about $50 and that would be all I would use to gamble. I had a great time pulling the arm of a quarter machine. I don't remember what they are called. They kept offering everyone free drinks so I got lots of free diet cokes but I watched the people getting really high on alcohol and not gambling as a form of cheap entertainment but it was like they were on a mission or something. I had fun putting quarters in a machine and pulling the arm and watching it spin and watching other people. Very interesting experience but I sure don't want to do it again. Once was enough but it was fun.
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Comment #6 posted by BGreen on July 12, 2002 at 09:06:58 PT
I went to Vegas a few years ago
A guy traveling with us (friend of a friend) got "fit-shaced" on the plane, and lost all of his money gambling at the Vegas airport.To add to his bad luck, his girlfriend's ring got swiped out of their room by housekeeping (so he said. He'd shown so much good judgement to that point, there wasn't any reason to doubt him. Yeah, right!).Remember, alcohol helps people have fun.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 12, 2002 at 08:53:53 PT
Tourism
I can visualize a coffee shop in the casinos. The only thing in might not promote is gambling. Alcohol gets people fired up and they will act irresponsible when they are gambling. So maybe in the coffee shops in the casinos they will have really cool video games instead. Just a thought. Sounds like it won't hurt anyone and be much better then drinking and gambling. I'm sure people who only smoked pot would gamble but would be way more sensible about it. Heck prostitution is legal so it would be much like Amsterdam at least in certain areas. That sounds just fine to me.
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Comment #4 posted by MikeEEEEE on July 12, 2002 at 08:48:49 PT
Job Security
Who's cares what Asa Hutchinson has to say, there's drug war job$ at risk.Hutchinson said his office would be willing to help by providing information.Standard protocol would be to provide propaganda.
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Comment #3 posted by Lehder on July 12, 2002 at 08:44:34 PT
one state
“That would leave
   Nevada with one of the most liberal policies on drugs. What kind of tourism will Nevada
   attract?”Exactly the kind of tourist that Nevada businesses will want to attract: people with the money to get there and more to spend when they arrive. And when the tourists return home they'll want more marijuana, and once having enjoyed its salubrious effects will demand to know what all the fuss is about. Marijuana law reform will attract new residents and new businesses as well as tourists. The first state to offer people the legal chance to enjoy the healthful benefits of cannabis will prosper. Finally, an economic force gounded in the reality of citizens' wishes will arise to oppose the destructive, contrived monetary incentives of property forfeiture and profit based prisons. One state, and the others will tumble too. Alaska, Michigan, Ohio, DC, Arizona, Nevada. We're building to a showdown.I've taken to carrying matches now just in case Ashcroft should anoint himself again in oil.
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on July 12, 2002 at 08:11:33 PT
He never says what he thinks
He only parrots the party line. A very useful useless idiot. Antis go home. think for yourself.
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Comment #1 posted by observer on July 12, 2002 at 07:56:32 PT
Nevada: What kind of tourism?
Flippin' Nitwit.“That would leave Nevada with one of the most liberal policies on drugs. What kind of tourism will Nevada attract?” Hutchinson said.see: Legal Prostitution in Nevada.
http://www.subgenius.com/bigfist/mens/X0001__Legal_Prostitution_.htmlTravelASSIST Magazine - Las Vegas Nevada Casinos
http://www.travelassist.com/mag/a71.htmlTouching how this deep "man of God" is oh-so concerned about adults being able to toke up. Smoking pot is never condemned as "sin" in his Bible, -- but Whoredom (always an explicit sin): he doesn't mention.This man of "God" is a rank and stinking hypocrite.Hutchinson said the initiative is the work of a national group that wants to see marijuana completely legalized — not a grassroots effort of Nevadans.The "national group" isn't voting on the matter: Nevadans are the voters. I supposed he figures the people are all so stupid they can't figure that out.
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