Kelly: Marijuana 'not a factor' in drug war

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico


By KEVIN ROBILLARD 04/16/17 09:18 AM EDT

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Sunday that marijuana is "not a factor" in the war on drugs and that solving the nation's drug problem does not involve "arresting a lot of users."

Kelly, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," was discussing his work to stop the flow of drugs into the United States from Central America and Mexico when host Chuck Todd asked whether legalizing marijuana would help or hurt his work.

"Yeah, marijuana is not a factor in the drug war," Kelly responded, adding later:

"It's three things. Methamphetamine. Almost all produced in Mexico. Heroin. Virtually all produced in Mexico. And cocaine that comes up from further south." Kelly said that in 2015 those three drugs, plus opiates, were responsible for the deaths of 52,000 people in the United States and cost the country $250 billion. Kelly said the solution is to lower demand in the United States.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/kelly-marijuana-drug-war-237261

[KeepItReal]

1. Tell that to Jefferson Beauregard Sessions

Seriously. Tell him.

[Igel]

4. Different missions.

Each has a context, a job.

In the OP, it's the border. Pot's not a serious item that's smuggled in, it doesn't lead to massive cartels that cross the border. It's mostly homegrown, so, from his perspective, it's not part of his war.

[KeepItReal]

6. Sessions is against legalization and wants to increase imprisionment

He needs to be influenced by non-racist, realists in this cabinet.

[5X]

2. and the way to lower demand is to legalize pot. n/t

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Or not to worry about the demand for pot. It's not as big a problem as nicotine or alcohol.

Canada has the world's highest rate of consumption of cannabis and hasn't fallen off a cliff. It has presented legislation to legalize it (not just decriminalize) within 15 months.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. Isn't methamphine a homemade product? I mean, right here in the US of A? NT

Last edited Sun Apr 16, 2017, 04:20 PM - Edit history (1)

[Massacure]

9. It was a big issue at one point

I think meth production got a lot harder in the US after regulations were put in place on the sale of pseudoephedrine based cold medicine. Go to a pharmacy and ask for it, they will ask for a drivers license and only sell you 10 pills at a time.

[EarthFirst]

7. Easy there, John...

You still need a paycheck.

[beachbum bob]

8. the majority of arrest in the past 40 years has been for possession

and if it wasn't THE FACTOR , I don't know what is....it should be immediately declared legal at the federal level and full pardons issued to every person convicted on possession and prisoners immediately released....

[duhneece]

10. Tell that to the millions of Americans who have been jailed or imprisoned for marijuana alone

Tell that to the Probationers and Parolees who 'flunk' their Urine Analyses for smoking pot and are back in prison.
The War on Drugs contributes to the Cartels in Mexico (and elsewhere) just as Alcohol Prohibition contributed to Al Capone's gang, among many.
Damn, what uninformed, lying bullshit.
Marijuana acts as Harm Reduction for folks trying to come off Alcohol Abuse, Cocaine, Heroin, Meth and opiates...I've seen it.