The federal government’s anti-drug efforts are inefficient and ineffective, according to a just released report issued by the Congressional watchdog agency, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
As if we didn’t know.
The GAO report assessed whether the Obama administration’s anti-drug strategies, as articulated by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (the ONDCP aka the Drug Czar’s office) in its 2010 National Drug Control Strategy report, have yet to achieve its stated goals.
The answer? They haven’t.
States the GAO:
“The public health, social, and economic consequences of illicit drug use, coupled with the constrained fiscal environment of recent years, highlight the need to ensure that federal programs efficiently and effectively use their resources to address this problem. ONDCP has developed a 5-year Strategy to reduce illicit drug use and its consequences, but our analysis shows lack of progress toward achieving four of the Strategy’s five goals for which primary data are available.”
In particular, the GAO criticized the administration for failing to adequately address rising levels of youth marijuana consumption. The GAO also rebuffed the ONDCP’s allegation that increased rates adolescent marijuana use are a result of the passage of statewide laws decriminalizing the plant or allowing for its therapeutic use.
“Other factors, including state laws and changing attitudes and social norms regarding drugs, may also affect drug use. We examined studies on three of these other factors, which we refer to as societal factors, which may affect youth marijuana use. … The studies that assessed the effect of medical marijuana laws that met our review criteria found mixed results on effects of the laws on youth marijuana use. … [S]tudies that assessed the effect of marijuana decriminalization that met our review criteria found little to no effect of the laws on youth marijuana use.”
You can read the full GAO report here.
Good article, but the GAO’s new name is actually the Government Accountability Office.
Glad we’re finally making some headway in this country regarding these Draconian drug policies.
I wish they’d stop calling it a drug already…
You cannot declare war on a chemical substance–the world of chemistry does not allow that. Might as well accept the fact that just like a pregnant woman can have an abortion based on the fact that it’s her body, so should anyone be able to ingest any substance. We can never regulate the amount and type of chemicals that people plan to ingest. Admit that alcohol and tobacco are the main culprits and change the scheduling.
Let’s get to the root of the herb here.
Cops shouldnt write law.
Lets end the DEA’s unconstitutional authority to legislate marijuana.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reform-controlled-substance-act-remove-unconstitutional-authority-dea-legislate-marijuana-law/jpWpSsq2
I’m DYING to know WHY the DEA is WASTING precious resources raiding/busting LEGAL dispensaries and co-ops in San Diego county? Good luck finding a LEGAL source of MMJ anymore, because they’ve virtually shut them all down… pathetic.
Actually, I KNOW why… because the DA’s office is in bed with the DEA, and they’re REALLY enjoying their relationship… despite State law and the will of the People! I’m SO tired of it and SO pissed… something needs to change.
I feel for the person who deliver this news. U know they are going to lose there job or as they will move them down the ladder.Like the F.D.A If a person say let test this drug they are in big trobule
Duh…
So teens are increasing mj use and decreasing use of other drugs? Another study indicates that marijuana use has little/no lasting effects on the adolescent brain? (I started smoking at 15 and graduated high school with 3 foreign languages in my head). (I also smoked my way through grad school and wz recommended by my advisor for a scholarship and described as a “strong student” and graduated with a 3.67-so not a 4.0 but how much better did I need it to be?) Another study out there found that long term mj smokers tend to be thinner and more physically active (I’m 55 now and exercise 5-6 days a week b/c it’s FUN). Alcohol use can lead to fights but have you ever heard of a stoner brawl? Much of our pop culture-jazz-can be tied to mj use. Seems to me that cannabis use is almost desireable.
The only thing politics listens to money and the fear of not getting reelected . Why would another shafier report change any thing . Here is whats gonna happen…..nothing . We will be ignored yet again . Its about as unlikly as the korean unicorn.
Have to say, I would think the rising youth use is more due to the accepatibility of bud in the mainstream these days. I can think of at least 4 major network shows where at least one major character is a smoker, and thats without touching the premium channels, or even cable networks. Its being (rightfully) placed on near the level of acceptibility as beer as a recreational intoxicant, with of course just enough edginess to get the ratings provided by its still widely illicit status. After all, when a show a huge number of teens watch tells them everything is better with a bag of weed, what are they supposed to think? Of course kids being their pesky selves would smoke ganja even if it wasnt being portrayed so casually by the media. After all that I hope no one thinks Im one of those people who blame the media for everything our kids do wrong, because Im not about to go on a rant about Marylin Manson making you pull off a school shooting or Zeppelin backmasking messages, I promise! Just saying I think its a factor.
It does work! It employs millions: soldiers, agents, police, prison guards, judges, security guards, border agents, lawyers, paralegals, doctors, nurses, morticians, embalmers, grave diggers, grave stone carvers, counselors, pilots, truck drivers, builders, architects, CAD drafters, radio operators, cartographers, clerks, secretaries, janitors, cooks, dish washers, tech support, programmers, DBAs, network techs, mechanics, mafia boses, hit-men, dealers, prostitutes, thieves, a host of manufacturers, etc.
It takes an large army to supress the liberty and freedom of 330,000,000 people, and suppressing a nation’s liberty inspires an army of criminal activity.
Whether the drug war is working don’t mean nuthin. It functions to marginalize racial and social minorities, criminalizes those without pull, and those who benefit off its injustices continue to reap the benefits of its injustices.
Keep running the economy on the brink of recession with shareholder captialism over Arbeitspolik until cannabis is legalized. Keep local and state governments in need of the money, the grassroots economy in need of the cannabis jobs until cannabis is legalized.
What’s that old queen Graham got to say about it? Hopefully, he’s for it.
Are anti-cannabis politicians running out of excuses and support on keeping cannabis illegal?
They act as if the cost is still no problem because it isn’t their money.
am surprised the GOP or Obama haven’t labeled cannabis a WMD yet….
I just found this amazingly cogent and persuasive WSJ article that was written by a consortium of South American countries in early 2009. Imagine where we would be now of Obama hadn’t turned out to be the Prohibitionist’s wet dream.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123535114271444981.html
I just found this response to the South American report:
“The office of White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske said the report was misguided.”
“Drug addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated. Making drugs more available — as this report suggests — will make it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe,” Office of National Drug Control Policy spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said.”
http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/2/report-drug-war-a-failure/#ixzz2RnML18WO
It’s “misguided” to fight disease with medical treatment and councelors? We must use police in helicopter gunships?
If only we fought Cancer with police, then maybe my Mom would still be alive today. When she got Cancer, the police could have saved her by imprisoning or shooting her, and…no…wait…
Huh!?? You mean the drug war isn’t working!
Who knew?
Does the GAO have any influence in deciding on sequestration cuts? If they do, the sooner they can cut the funding to the DEA, IRS and other federal agencies by the amount they are spending to enforce cannabis prohibition the better.
Wait, a government entity that is not efficient? Did I read that correct. We better throw more money at it, that’ll fix it.
I imagine a political cartoon of a group of politicians, law enforcement, and pharma, drug testing, tobacco and alcohol execs dumping a big bag of money into a toilet labeled “War On Drugs”. Then the output of the toilet is piped back into the above group’s pockets.
The report shouldn’t just target the Obama Administration. It should be retroactive all the way back to FDR and Anslinger.
Wasn’t anything learned from alcohol prohibition?
iowabaldguy, what you just highlighted is how these crooks are “washing” “their” money. They launder all our stolen taxes in their toilet bowl we paid for. Reminds of a song from Pro-Pain, “New Reality”.
“Deploy all troops and tankers
sent by the international bankers
We can all use a lesson in history
to dispell shock, awe, and the mystery
It’s the fall of the middle class
Thoroughly fucked up and torn a new ass
by the fed and blind legislation
drawn up by the mob that ransacked this nation
It stinks to high holy heaven
from the news at 6 to more lies at 11
You better think hard while you tuck the kids in
Tell em you love em’ and that life’s worth living
Yeah… it’s time to wake the fuck up!”
Is America finally waking up? I hope so.
http://Www.wh.gov/tdk1
Here is a shorter link to my white house petition to amend the Controlled Substance Act to prevent the DEA from legislating marijuana.
Today the President is visiting our biggest trading partner, Mexico. While both Presidents Nieto and Obama would rather be talking about growing our economies, the elephant in the room has outgrown the Mexican governement. Mexico has canceled many of the DEA’s former priveledges to operate in Mexico. The Mexican Senate says the “Drug. War is a failure,” but no one wants to admit it was MADE TO FAIL.
How does it feel to be Michelle Leohart, director of the DEA? She testifies before Congress that marijuana is not medicine just as the research to prove otherwise abounds. Then the DEA gets kicked out of Mexico. What next? Reform the Controlled Substance Act to stop the DEA’s unconstitutional legislative authority over marijuana?
Legalize it federally, stop wasting my tax dollars trying to stop something that will not be stopped. We should all be able to smoke weed comfortably like people smoke cigarettes and drink beer!
http://Www.wh.gov/tdk1
Here is a shorter link to my white house petition.
Today the President is visiting our biggest trading partner, Mexico. While both Presidents Nieto and Obama would rather be talking about growing our economies, the elephant in the room has outgrown the Mexican governement. Mexico has canceled many of the DEA’s former priveledges to operate in Mexico. The Mexican Senate says the “Drug. War is a failure,” but no one wants to admit it was MADE TO FAIL.
How does it feel to be Michelle Leohart, director of the DEA? She testifies before Congress that marijuana is not medicine just as the research to prove otherwise abounds. Then the DEA gets kicked out of Mexico. What next? Reform the Controlled Substance Act to stop the DEA’s unconstitutional legislative authority over marijuana?
Does any of it matter any more?
The 2 states who stood up to the federal government are being made to walk a constant changing line…..why is it that we are moving forward on the issue of legal cannabis with such caution such as ,,,,,,”when it becomes legal more problems will surface….like peole will be driving stoned……or more crime will happen….or what about the kids?”…..is society really that lost to believe that?
legal or illegal people will use cannabis until there is no cannabis left on earth…..good luck doing this.
I wish i could see the angle that the anti- cannabis movement groups were looking from. I mean other than the full circle of the typical answers of ” It’s just illegal, or it harmfull to your health, or again what about the kids….”
This attitude should be applied to all things such as cigarettes and alcohol and even fastfood consumption…..however it isnt and Im not sure why that is and cant find a direction to find any info on it.
Ive always said ” if i could find concrete info on cannabis being of no medical value as to how harmfull the consumption is then i would join the group………but it only shows others beliefs with only minor truths( such as smoking is bad for you no matter what it is), but not enough proof fo me to say im down with the anti cannabis groups….
I believe we are only here at most for 50 years of being in the society spot light (from 18 years old on, because after the 50 years is up your preaty well left in your family’s care not society) and if the good people are not out causing problems, while consuming cannabis, for there fellow mankind, then why should we all go to work and donate monies to the tax man to tell us that we are wrong and should go to prison for our trials at life when the only trouble being caused is the government saying “no”
I do believe the war on drugs should be in place but keeping cannabis on the csa is the one thing our government knows needs to change. If they allow other harmful things to be sold for consumtion then lets…
S…..State
T…..Tax
O…..on
P…..Pot
either way , the world will keep spinning and the laws will either make life easier or harder but the real life of it all is you cant take away reality….
enjoy to all….
as always
thanks for reading
chris
Old ways die hard. Unless you were born before 1937, it’s been ILLEGAL all your life. We should look up this book called dumb laws. It used to be illegal to take a bath after 12 or some shit. Look at the laws in olden days. You weren’t allowed to do anything on a Sunday. Modern times: Marijuana is illegal why? We’re not asking for Crystal Meth legalization. We’re talking pot. God invented it. WTF? Marijuana being illegal is starting to piss me off… I need to blow off some steam, … or smoke…
Drugs are: Liquor, marijuana, Cocaine, man made drug Meth, Heroin. I hate drugs they are ruining my kids lives. I struggle everyday to see drug abuse,nothing gets done, just nasty behaviors, and marijuana users live like pigs, don’t shower, clean, poor hygiene, that’s from smoking it all day long.
Dear Elizabeth, you mention your kids are doing alcohol, heroin and meth; drugs that do make some people go crazy, but you focus on the smelly herb that is helping them keep it together, as little as they do.
It is just marijuana, it isn’t going erase the damages from the coke and other shit; it just helps with the stress. Your kids are mentally ill but instead of addressing it, you blame marijuana. Denial doesn’t work.