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KamaAina

(78,249 posts) Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:20 PM Nov 2015

Mounting Pressure on DEA Head to Resign For Calling Medical Marijuana "A Joke"

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/nov/20/mounting_pressure_dea_head_resig

Medical marijuana patients and supporters gathered today at DEA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, to hand in more than 100,000 petition signatures demanding the resignation or firing of DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg after he called medical marijuana "a joke."

The petition, which was started only two weeks ago, has more than doubled the number of signatures on an earlier petition that helped prompt the ouster of Rosenberg's predecessor, former DEA head Michele Leonhart....

The petition delivery came one day after a bipartisan group of members of Congress sent a letter to President Obama calling for Rosenberg's head, saying his comments "send a clear signal to the American people that the federal government isn't listening to them. It erodes trust. Cavalier statements like these fly in the face of state policy and the experience of millions of patients."

The letter blasted Rosenberg's statements as relics of "a throwback ideology rooted in the failed war on drugs" and accused him of "trivializing" both the science and the experience of millions of American who have used medical marijuana.

8 replies

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Mounting Pressure on DEA Head to Resign For Calling Medical Marijuana "A Joke" (Original Post) KamaAina Nov 2015 OP

a resignation is the right thing to do. patsimp Nov 2015 #1

The whole damn agency should be abolished. Comrade Grumpy Nov 2015 #2

Remind me again, hifiguy Nov 2015 #3

One of the areas he has always been behind on edhopper Nov 2015 #5

Actually, I'm gonna be fair, here. While certainly not perfect on the issue- Warren DeMontague Nov 2015 #6

He had his DoJ arresting medical marijuana dispensers in Calif after it was legal there. rhett o rick Nov 2015 #7

Like I said, not perfect, but better than others would have been. Warren DeMontague Nov 2015 #8

Then why oh why do they insist on calling it a DRUG!!! MagickMuffin Nov 2015 #4

patsimp

(915 posts)

1. a resignation is the right thing to do.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:25 PM

Nov 2015

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

2. The whole damn agency should be abolished.

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:28 PM

Nov 2015

Its law enforcement functions given to the FBI or Homeland Security and its drug regulatory functions to the FDA.

The DEA is a Nixonian aberration.

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)

3. Remind me again,

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:43 PM

Nov 2015

who nominated this blithering, nattering imbecile for this job?

Somehow it has slipped my mind. Was it the same guy who appointed the fox as AG to guard the henhouse? Seems to me it might have been.

edhopper

(33,584 posts)

5. One of the areas he has always been behind on

Reply to hifiguy (Reply #3)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:55 PM

Nov 2015

is decriminalizing and legalizing MJ.

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

6. Actually, I'm gonna be fair, here. While certainly not perfect on the issue-

Reply to edhopper (Reply #5)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 06:01 PM

Nov 2015

it's worth noting that Obama has, if not actively, at the very least presided over the ball moving forward re: Marijuana legalization more than any other POTUS.

He has been notable for what he has not done, as well as what he has- and some of that is good; I believe he stood up to the hard line drug warriors in DC after CO and WA legalized Marijuana. I have no doubt that they were demanding the administration do a full court press against those states.

The drug war- a 60 Billion dollar a year plus gravy train which has sat largely on the base of pot prohibition- is a firmly entrenched institution in the beltway, and no doubt carries with it more than a small amount of inertia.

I think Obama has made modest, but important progress on the matter.

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)

7. He had his DoJ arresting medical marijuana dispensers in Calif after it was legal there.

Reply to Warren DeMontague (Reply #6)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 06:39 PM

Nov 2015

He has been filling the prisons with marijuana users for his whole term.

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

8. Like I said, not perfect, but better than others would have been.

Reply to rhett o rick (Reply #7)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 06:50 PM

Nov 2015

What do you suppose would have happened if Hillary had been in the WH in 2012 when CO and WA legalized? You know Obama had to argue with Holder, et al over that whole thing, with no doubt Biden and other higher ups arguing for a tougher tack.

The institutional inertia I'm talking about is real- with CA you had asinine us attys like Melinda Haag, responsible for the prosecutions you mention. Im not giving Obama a pass, but even as head of the executive branch he is not all powerful; I recognize that he has quietly enabled real reform which a more committed President can build upon but also that a reactionary one (this is important) will have trouble rolling back.

MagickMuffin

(15,943 posts)

4. Then why oh why do they insist on calling it a DRUG!!!

Reply to KamaAina (Original post)

Mon Nov 23, 2015, 05:52 PM

Nov 2015

I would call him out on his bullshit, since it is on the DEA scheduled / classified drug list.

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