US Drug Czar Mis-Used Marijuana Statistics as Scare Tactics While Arrests Soar, Reports Reveal

The US House of Representatives celebrates the end of alcohol prohibition, while marijuana users are still considered criminals.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The major U.S. government study of drug use shows that the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has badly failed to meet its own goals for reducing use of marijuana and other illegal drugs, according to a pair of new reports by George Mason University senior fellow Jon Gettman, Ph.D.

In addition, ONDCP and its chief, "Drug Czar" John Walters, have misused treatment statistics to suggest that marijuana is dangerously addictive when the government's own data suggest that arrest-driven treatment admissions have wasted tax dollars by treating thousands who were not truly drug-dependent.

All while the FBI's new tally is the highest marijuana arrest total ever-reported in law enforcement history.

"The government's own statistics demolish the White House drug czar's claims of success in his obsessive war on marijuana," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. Kampia noted that during Walters' tenure, ONDCP has released at least 127 separate anti-marijuana TV, radio and print ads and 34 press releases focused mainly on marijuana, in addition to 50 reports from ONDCP and other federal agencies on marijuana or anti-marijuana campaigns.

"The most intense war on marijuana since 'Reefer Madness,' including record numbers of arrests every year since 2003, has wasted billions of dollars and produced nothing except pain and ruined lives."

Gettman, who made international headlines in December 2006 with an analysis showing that marijuana is the top cash crop in the United States, noted the following in his new report:

According to data just released in the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report, police in 2007 arrested over 872,000 US citizens - that's nearly one out of every two Americans busted for illicit drugs -- for weed. That is more than three times the number of citizens charged with pot violations sixteen years ago.

Of those arrested in 2007, 89 percent, that's 775,000 Americans, were charged with simple pot possession. Not trafficking, not cultivation, not selling.

Ironically, on September 17th, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution “commemorating” the repeal of the failed “Great Experiment,” commonly known as Prohibition. In the afternoon, before what turned out to be a very short debate on the House floor, Rep. Coble posted a note on a blog which said, “In 1919, following the passage of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited 'the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors,' the United States experienced a dramatic increase in illegal activity including unsafe black market alcohol production, a growth in organized crime, and increasing noncompliance with alcohol laws.”

Cannabis and drug legalization advocates couldn't help but notice the correlation to marijuana prohibition and the millions of lives that have been lost or ruined by today's laws.

The hypocrisy and contradiction of passing this resolution while ignoring the current crime, violence, death and disease associated with today’s “War on Drugs” is not lost on any person paying attention.

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)and groups such as the OCTA (Oregon Cannabis Tax Act) supporters believe that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, therefore ending another "Great Prohibition" for the American people.

Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt denounced Prohibition as "a damnable affliction," and declared, "We have…reached the point as a Nation where we must take action to save the Constitution from the Court" of "Nine Old Men." Roosevelt, America's most-loved president, said: "Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts.... Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.... Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men.... They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish."

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from muncie April 1, 2009 1:49 am (Pacific time)

weed was first banned in utah over "racism" for normons going to mexico and coming back smoking in 1910 it got the bad name then.14.6 million amricans currently use marijana. over 872,000 people were arrested in 2007 for weed related chages 89% of them were just using. with the demand for weed that high our economy could use the boost the taxs made just from people being able the smoke weed we could try to get our selfs out of debt were in. instead of letting pot deals make money and not be taxed. wasting billions on people in jail of weed, anti-marijana ads, and law enforment make money for our countrys schools roads and health care

weed=♥ February 18, 2009 7:17 am (Pacific time)

you guys really just need to legalize weed beacause there are more positive effects than negative and the negative ones wouldnt be in effect if the the drug werent illegal.if its able to be prescribed by a doctor then it cant be as bad as yall say it is.COME ON!!GET A CLUE!!WEED=♥!!

Matt January 8, 2009 11:52 am (Pacific time)

CRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA USE BREAKS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS!

Spencer J. Barclay November 18, 2008 4:36 pm (Pacific time)

We smokers need to wage our war of peace in the direction of those around us. We know that they love us, that's why they try so hard to "help" us, but with the Internet at hand it takes all of 30 min. to get that uncle sam not only lied to them, but lied about us making families disown their children, and children have great animocity to the family that wouldn't believe the truth. Convince your Mom, Sister, Dad and so on, to investigate the matter themselves, eventually lies will be uncovered, truths will be told and change will come about.

anonymous October 29, 2008 8:29 am (Pacific time)

weed has many more positive effects than negative ones and the negative effects are caused by the laws against the drug and I beleive prohobition is not only ineffective but harmful

Herbalicious October 26, 2008 8:04 am (Pacific time)

The White House's Office for Nationa Drug Control Policy has the Congressional authority to OPPOSE legalization efforts of any schedule 1 drug (including cannabis) for any reason (including medical). Which means if they can justify their LIES as opposing legalization, they can lie. http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2007/10/09/theDrugCzarIsRequiredByLaw.html Don't believe that? Check out the official government website: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/about/98reauthorization.html [search for "(12)" and it will bring you to the exact text]

Fed Up! October 12, 2008 12:20 pm (Pacific time)

Prison labor may be a subject, but it sure isn't the one this story is about. HELLO!!! Do you get how many people are in prison and who that affects? We've become a society of prison families. Shutting people away is NOT the answer. It's like we're working with a bunch of uneducated lawmakers. They know this doesn't work, and they could care less. All they want is to be reelected, regardless of the poor job they do for all of us. THIS is not what our "founders" had in mind...the land of the free, HA!

Anonymous October 11, 2008 12:39 pm (Pacific time)

PRISON LABOR? So how does the cost benefit breakdown? FYI South Africa's violent crime rate dwarfs ours, but they simply cut down on prosecutions. People in prison for non-violent crimes is too bad considering our limited resources allocated for criminal justice, but there was a time just the threat of sanctions kept many people in line. Tough love does not work for some, but the bottom line: protect the public.

Phil E. Drifter October 10, 2008 10:59 pm (Pacific time)

It's not a war on (some) drugs, it's a war on minorities, to recover the slave labor lost when the north won the civil war in 1865 and outlawed slavery, so they replaced it with prison labor, which is why we have more prisoners per capita than any other nation in the world.

John G. Chase October 10, 2008 2:39 pm (Pacific time)

The fundamental flaw of the drug war is prosecuting ALL use rather than problem use. We do a much better job with alcohol and tobacco, and use those methods against other drugs, as well.

warrenismad October 10, 2008 7:46 am (Pacific time)

And Cindy McCain want's your kid to die at the hands of drunk driver at 4 in the morning....Cindy McCain should be in jail.

Red Green October 10, 2008 6:58 am (Pacific time)

John Walters should be tried for "drug war" crimes. But he'll probably go on to a cushy job in the urinalysis industry.

GreenFloyd October 9, 2008 9:40 pm (Pacific time)

Keeping in mind an injustice to one is an injustice to all... let's keep things in perspective and help today's prohibitionists see the folly of their way. Even using the conservative 14.5 million total users number, enforcement efforts have less than a 1 to 15 (offenses to arrest) ratio. For every pot smoker caught, 14 are puffing away without a care. All of this is making law makers and enforcers look very lame indeed. And they wonder why we are losing confidence and respect for the rule of law...

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US Drug Czar Mis-Used Marijuana Statistics as Scare Tactics While Arrests Soar, Reports Reveal

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