The head of the DEA doesn't set policy; the head of the DEA enforces policy. Their personal views matter not.
so much for not raiding med marijuana places
- Thread starter SmarterthanYou
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The head of the DEA doesn't set policy; the head of the DEA enforces policy. Their personal views matter not.
Topspin
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they are going against Obama, and Hopefully Holder will make a statement to shut them up. I don't see anyone who thinks the co guy was legit, that said this snails pace of progress is harshing my Buzz.
I love me some Southern Oil companies but they are Ghestapo lite when it comes to drug testing. In Cali, no safety sensitives can't be tested. Now that's some worker rights there.
I love me some Southern Oil companies but they are Ghestapo lite when it comes to drug testing. In Cali, no safety sensitives can't be tested. Now that's some worker rights there.
Cancel 2018. 3
<-- sched 2, MJ sched 1
absolutely to that and the rest of the post
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DEA Agent Changes Tone After Threatening to Raid Dispensaries
by Kurt A. Gardinier
Chris Bartkowicz was conducting a medical marijuana growing operation in his suburban Denver basement and was so confident that he was complying with state law that he decided to talk to the media, boasting to Denver’s NBC affiliate about the size and success of his operation, saying that he’s “living the dream.”
The next day his dream ended when DEA agents entered his home, placed him under arrest and carried off dozens of black bags full of marijuana plants and growing lights. While some details of this case remain unclear, Jeffrey Sweetin, the DEA special agent in charge of the Denver office, left little ambiguity as to his position. “It’s not medicine,” Sweetin said. “It’s still a violation of federal law [and] we’re still going to continue to investigate and arrest people.”
Sweetin went on to tell the Denver Post that “the time is coming when we go into a dispensary, we find out what their profit is, we seize the building and we arrest everybody.” Sweetin’s comments come just months after a recently announced change in policy by the Obama administration, which said in October that the federal government would respect state laws allowing for the growing and selling of marijuana for medicinal use.
Sweetin’s stance on the issue has seemed to soften a bit. He told the Denver Westword yesterday that the DEA is “not declaring war on dispensaries.” He went on to say, with an apparent laugh, “If we were declaring war on dispensaries, they would not be hard to find. You can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting thirty of them.” Apparently someone with the Obama administration has updated Mr. Sweetin with its new policy.
Meanwhile, Chris Bartkowicz has been formally charged with “possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense 224 marijuana plants ” — a crime that could put him behind bars for five to forty years and cost him up to $2 million in fines.
by Kurt A. Gardinier
Chris Bartkowicz was conducting a medical marijuana growing operation in his suburban Denver basement and was so confident that he was complying with state law that he decided to talk to the media, boasting to Denver’s NBC affiliate about the size and success of his operation, saying that he’s “living the dream.”
The next day his dream ended when DEA agents entered his home, placed him under arrest and carried off dozens of black bags full of marijuana plants and growing lights. While some details of this case remain unclear, Jeffrey Sweetin, the DEA special agent in charge of the Denver office, left little ambiguity as to his position. “It’s not medicine,” Sweetin said. “It’s still a violation of federal law [and] we’re still going to continue to investigate and arrest people.”
Sweetin went on to tell the Denver Post that “the time is coming when we go into a dispensary, we find out what their profit is, we seize the building and we arrest everybody.” Sweetin’s comments come just months after a recently announced change in policy by the Obama administration, which said in October that the federal government would respect state laws allowing for the growing and selling of marijuana for medicinal use.
Sweetin’s stance on the issue has seemed to soften a bit. He told the Denver Westword yesterday that the DEA is “not declaring war on dispensaries.” He went on to say, with an apparent laugh, “If we were declaring war on dispensaries, they would not be hard to find. You can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting thirty of them.” Apparently someone with the Obama administration has updated Mr. Sweetin with its new policy.
Meanwhile, Chris Bartkowicz has been formally charged with “possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense 224 marijuana plants ” — a crime that could put him behind bars for five to forty years and cost him up to $2 million in fines.
"Sweetin’s stance on the issue has seemed to soften a bit. He told the Denver Westword yesterday that the DEA is “not declaring war on dispensaries.” He went on to say, with an apparent laugh, “If we were declaring war on dispensaries, they would not be hard to find. You can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting thirty of them.” Apparently someone with the Obama administration has updated Mr. Sweetin with its new policy."
Yup. He doesn't just "change his mind" in a few days on his own.
I have no doubt they're working behind the scenes on this to reign these guys in. This will be an interesting conversation to re-visit in about 6 months...
Yup. He doesn't just "change his mind" in a few days on his own.
I have no doubt they're working behind the scenes on this to reign these guys in. This will be an interesting conversation to re-visit in about 6 months...
224 plants sounds well beyond. It's supposed to be 6 plants per patient, I think....
Did Obama and Holder not know of the other raids that have recently taken place in Colorado?
I'm sure they did. No one was prosecuted, right?
It's a new policy. You seem pretty quick to want to believe that the policy was some kind of public show, and that they're really encouraging raids behind the scenes. I think Sweetin's backtrack on his words from a few days earlier shows the opposite; they (or someone) is quietly letting these kinds of agents know to back off.
Like I said - let's see how it plays out. If you had told me when the policy was introduced in October that there might be a few stray raids in the ensuing months, it wouldn't have shocked me. The key question is, are they addressing that, and trying to make sure the locals start behaving in accordance w/ the policy.
I don't think they have an ulterior motive here, to really see the policy fail....
Hasn't your argument been that these are rogue agents?
Cancel 2018. 3
<-- sched 2, MJ sched 1
i'll believe it when i see it....holder said the new policy went into effect february 2009...its been a whole year and this agent is still spouting bush era crap...he backpeddled, while good, is really only the barest minimum backpeddle....holder or obama should have come out and said, hey folks, obama stands by his campaign pledge....and this agent is wrong
i'm still disturbed by obama's choice to head the dea
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Agreed 100%, I'd say I expect less out of Obama on the topic. He's a fucking sellout big time. I believe he is deadly afraid of looking soft on war or crime as are most dems who are afraid of thier own shadow. Obama is a much tougher campaigner than commander in Chief. He's trying his ass off not to fuck up instead of standing for his beliefs.