Tag Archives: Department of Justice

Drug Policy, Politics, Teens

Court of Appeals Rules DOJ can enforce law on federal land

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Department of Justice can go after pot growers on federal lands.  The ruling says a congressional budgetary restriction preventing the enforcement of federal laws in medical pot states does not apply to the growing and manufacturing of marijuana on federal land.
Under the court’s ruling, pot growers can now be investigated by DEA and prosecuted by United States Attorneys if their pot operations occurred on federal lands managed by the Forest Service and other federal agencies, even in states where “medical” marijuana is allowed.

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Addiction, Drug Policy

AG Sessions Cites Role of Drug Policy in Addiction and Death

In a speech on January 26, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said: “In recent years, there was an erosion of support for anti-drug law enforcement – in Congress, in state legislatures, and even among some of the general public.  One law enforcement professional told me he felt disappointed that government officials didn’t seem to understand the importance of his work.  Resources were redirected.

“What has been the result?   We saw drug purity and availability go up and drug prices go down.  We saw addiction and death spread like never before.” Continue reading AG Sessions Cites Role of Drug Policy in Addiction and Death →

Colorado, Drug Policy, Oregon, Washington

GAO Critiques Justice Department for Allowing Failed Pot Experiment

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Government Accountability Office Takes on DOJ for Failure

Today the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report recommending the Department of Justice (DOJ) implement a specific plan for documenting the effects of marijuana legalization.
The report, which Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) requested, states that DOJ has not “documented their monitoring process or provided specificity about key aspects of it[.]”  This lack of specificity includes missing information about “potential limitations of the data [DOJ officials] report using and how they will use the data to identify states that are not effectively protecting federal enforcement priorities.”

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Drug Policy

How to End America’s Drug Overdose Death Crisis

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Nearly all young people who die of drug overdose begin their drug use with marijuana. A national policy based on harm reduction will never be nearly as effective as a policy based on drug prevention. We support addiction treatment, but admit there is no guarantee of success.

Yesterday a coalition of national groups ran an ad in the Washington Times calling for enforcement of federal marijuana laws, as a step to end the national crisis of drug overdose deaths.  The ad was sponsored by the National Institute of Citizen Anti-drug Policy (NICAP)  Below is most of the full page ad:

“There is virtually no one in America today who does not personally know of a drug-related tragedy among their Continue reading How to End America’s Drug Overdose Death Crisis →