Proposals in Colorado for legalizing marijuana causing organized crime? DEA says yes, with no facts to back it up 2008-04-16 19:06:00
Jeffrey Sweetin, a DEA special agent, claimed that
"a law to legalize small amounts of marijuana in Denver and a failed state ballot initiative to do the same thing as making Colorado a good market for drugs and organized crime."
When a spokesman for the DEA was asked about the lack of evidence for this claim he responded
"I don't think there's any numbers I can give," said DEA media representative Mike Turner about the crime connection to legalization efforts. "It's just that the ongoing cases we're seeing I think reflect the fact that that's what's going on."
So because they say there is organized crime because of legalization proposals, were all just suppose to believe it. No facts or information, just their word. And why would we question them, I know the DEA has always had my best interests at heart. This just seems like a scare tactic to try to convince Colorado residents that any new bills that would easy penalties of marijuana is going to lead to more crime and violence in your neighborhood! Scary!
The executive director of Safer Colorado, Mason Tvert, the foundation that was responsible getting an initiative on the ballot in Denver to legalize up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older, had a few thoughts on the DEA's baseless claims.
"If the DEA were a student submitting a report on organized crime in Colorado, they'd get a 'D,' assuming they spelled 'DEA' correctly. It is unacceptable for our federal law enforcement agencies to be making such broad and baseless claims without any evidence to support them."
I couldn't agree more. As I said before this is nothing more than scare tactics right before the election.
2008-06-21 13:16:00