Try Not to Laugh
I think drug czar John Walters has really lost it this time. Here he is, comically grim faced, chiding Hollywood for playing marijuana for laughs. Apparently, the nation’s top drug policy expert believes adults not only can’t be trusted to use marijuana responsibly, they also can’t be trusted to view material that depicts marijuana users as anything but the deranged hedonists who so clearly haunt his nightmares.
By the way, I’ll be on CNN’s “Showbiz Tonight” at 11 p.m. Eastern this evening talking about how popular culture’s take on marijuana has evolved. Just don’t expect me to be as funny as Mr. Walters.
Tagged with: California and CAMP and comedy and drug czar and drug war and drug warriors and eradication and law enforcement and ONDCP by the author
4 comments
Funny Czar Walters, it seems to me that the folks most ardently perpetuating the myth that the only Americans who use cannabis “are the folks still living in their mother’s basement” isn’t Hollywood, it’s you!
http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/stoners/
It’s not really funny so much as it is frustrating and banging-your-head-against-the-wall-inducing. People actually consider this guy to be an authority on the subject, despite the fact that almost all of the “problems” (such as Mexican drug cartels making millions) could be solved by letting people grow it themselves.
You must have been on towards the beginning of the show. I watched the last 45 minutes or so and I didn’t see your segment.
How did it go?
I just came across this.
Most people know that the “drug czar”, — the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) — is an advocate for the government’s position regarding the drug war. But not everyone knows that he and his office are mandated to tell lies as part of their Congressional authorization.
According to Title VII Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998: H11225:
Responsibilities. –The Director– [...]
(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that–is listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812); and
has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration;
For example, the issue of medical marijuana. If the government finds that marijuana has “currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States” or “accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision,” then by law, marijuana cannot remain in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, which would immediately legalize it for medical purposes.
But by law, the drug czar must oppose any attempt to legalize the use of cannabis (in any form). Therefore, despite the fact that there is extensive evidence of medical marijuana’s safety and effectiveness (including the fact that even the federal government supplies it to patients), and clearly the drug czar would know about all this information, he is required by law to lie about it. The job description also means that since he must oppose any attempt to legalize, he has no choice but declare that the drug war is working, that legalization would fail, etc., regardless of any scientific facts.
This is particularly disturbing because on Tuesday, July 15, the Bush Administration’s second-in-command of national drug policy, Scott Burns, visited Humboldt County as part of a California tour to condemn the state of the illegal cannabis industry. Burns, deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) met with county officials, participated in a sweep of grow houses in Eureka and points south, then came to Arcata. He spread so much misinformation during his visit, including in this interview. This “misleading information” creates undue fear in Congress, the media, and the American populus. It’s extremely difficult to make progress on scientific and medical grounds regarding cannabis when the White House pays official to supply “misleading information”.
On April 2, 2003, Congressman Ron Paul wrote a letter to the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) asking for an investigation into ONDCP lobbying activities and their dissemination of “misleading information” (a polite euphemism for “lying”)
The GAO responded (pdf):
Finally, apart from considerations of whether any particular law has been violated, you have asked whether the Deputy Director’s letter disseminated misleading information in connection with statements relating to the debate over legalization of marijuana. [...] ONDCP is specifically charged with the responsibility for “taking such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use” of certain controlled substances such as marijuana — a responsibility which logically could include the making of advocacy statements in opposition to legalization efforts. The Deputy Director’s statements about marijuana are thus within the statutory role assigned to ONDCP. Given this role, we do not see a need to examine the accuracy of the Deputy Director’s individual statements in detail.
Translation: Since “lying” is in the job description of the ONDCP, there’s no point in bothering to see whether they’re telling the truth. Keep in mind that this requirement to avoid the truth if it interferes with the mission of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is not limited to the current drug czar, John Walters and Scott Burns. The next drug czar, even if appointed by a President who tepidly supports certain reform measures, will be constrained by the same job description defined by Congress.
This post is an abridged version to see the whole thing check out:
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2007/10/09/theDrugCzarIsRequiredByLaw.html
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