THE WHITE HOUSE OF COURSE HAS NAMED
ITS NEW DRUGS CZAR.
THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN A HARDLINER
WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAR ON DRUGS AND CRIMINALIZING
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ADDICTED.
IT IS REPRESENTATIVE TOM MARINO AND
HE HAS A QUESTIONABLE VOTING RECORD IN CONGRESS PERTAINING TO
THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DRUGS
LIKE MARIJUANA.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT JEFF SESSIONS IS VERY
MUCH AGAINST TREATING DRUG
ADDICTS AS PEOPLE WHO NEED REHAB AS OPPOSED TO CRIMINALIZATION.
YOU COUPLE THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND WE MIGHT BE IN A WORLD OF
TROUBLE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HEROIN EPIDEMIC IN THE COUNTRY.
>> WHY WOULD WE PUT A DRUG USER AND A HOSPITAL?
>> THE IDEA OF BEING THAT WE ARE TRYING NOT TO CRIMINALIZE IT AS
MUCH BECAUSE IT IS MORE BENEFICIAL TO TREAT DRUG
ADDICTION AND ABUSE ñ
>> SO THIS IS A MASSIVE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY AND MEDICAL
EXPERTISE.
>>GOOD POINT.
>> YES.
>>YOU MADE SUCH A GOOD POINT BECAUSE I THINK EVEN LIBERALS
WOULD HEAR YOUR QUESTION AND IT WOULD RAISE RED FLAGS.
THOSE WHO
ARE ADDICTED AND ABUSE THE DRUGS DO NEED REHAB, BUT THERE ARE
SOME WHO MIGHT CASUALLY OR RECREATIONALLY USE DRUGS.
I KNOW
SOMEONE THAT I HAVE STUDIED VERY EXTENSIVELY ON THIS ISSUE.
SHE
LIKES TO PARTAKE IN THE
OCCASIONAL DUTY AFTER WORK.
AND SHE IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMEONE
WHO NEEDS TO BE IN A HOSPITAL FOR REHAB BECAUSE SHE SMOKES
MARIJUANA OR CONSUMES MARIJUANA
OR ENJOYS IT.
I LIKE THAT YOU MADE THAT CLARIFICATION.
I'M
GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT MR.
MARINO.
SO WHY ñ ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
CONSIDER THE FACT THAT EVEN CONSERVATIVES, REPUBLICANS ARE
NOW OPENING THEIR MINDS UP TO
THE MOTION OF MAYBE MARIJUANA HAS MEDICINAL POTENTIAL.
WHY IS
HE SO IN FAVOR OF CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE OR DOING AWAY WITH POLICY
THAT WOULD LEGALIZE IT?
IF YOU LOOK AT HIS DONORS, THERE ARE
PHARMACEUTICALS EVERYWHERE.
LET'S LOOK AT NATIONAL COMMUNITY
PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION.
THEY HAVE GIVEN HIS CAMPAIGN
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
HIS TOP DONORS ARE PHARMACEUTICALS.
>>HE IS ON THE RECORD OF SAYING THE ONLY WAY I WOULD LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA IS IF WE HAD A REALLY IN-DEPTH MEDICAL SCIENTIFIC
STUDY, WHICH DOES EXIST, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS ANNOYING ñ
IF IT DOES HELP PEOPLE, THEN PRODUCE IT IN PILL FORM.
I THINK
THAT IS A STATE RIGHTS ISSUE.
THAT
IS WHAT IS SO FRUSTRATING
TO PEOPLE.
THIS IS PROOF HE IS TRYING TO
FUNNEL IT TOWARD THE
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES.
>> AND WE KNOW HE GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO A SYNTHETIC FORM OF
MARIJUANA.
THEY GAVE THAT THE GREEN LIGHT BECAUSE IT IS
PRODUCED BY A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY AND YOU CAN'T GROW IT IN
YOUR BACKYARD.
>>AND WHAT THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THERE IS SO MUCH
DRUG ABUSE AROUND DRUGS THAT COME IN PILL FORM.
HE HAS THESE
ARCHAIC UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT
IS RIGHT AND WRONG.
HIS COMPANY'S PROFIT WHEN FOLKS
CREATE A ROCKET OUT OF
PHARMACEUTICALS.
>> WHEN I SAID FDA ñ DEA IS NOT IN CHARGE OF POLICY.
>>IT IS JUST SUCH A STRANGE THING TO COME UP WITH AND IT
MAKES NO SENSE WHY YOU WOULD
STICK A HOSPITAL IN THEIR.
>> THAT IS IT, LET ME COMBINE THE TWO INDUSTRIES THAT MAKE SO
MUCH MONEY IF YOU PRIVATIZE THEM.
THE HOSPITAL INDUSTRY, THE
MEDICAL, THE HEALTHCARE, AND THE PRISON INDUSTRY.
AND NO ONE
WANTS TO GO TO A
HOSPITAL/PRISON.
IT'S LIKE DO YOU WANT TO CHECK INTO A HOTEL/DUNGEON.
>> IT IS CRAZY.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT PERFECT
WHEN IT CAME TO DRUG POLICY BUT THEY AT LEAST MOVED THE COUNTRY
TOWARD DECRIMINALIZING PEOPLE
WHO USE DRUGS AND THEY STOPPED USING THE PHRASE WAR ON DRUGS.
I
FEEL LIKE THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO
ROLLBACK ANY PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE.
IT IS SCARY, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COULD STAND TO
BENEFIT FROM THE MEDICINAL
POTENTIAL OF MARIJUANA.
AND ALSO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THEIR LIVES
DESTROYED OVER THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DRUGS LIKE
MARIJUANA.
>> IF YOU GET INTO THE SYSTEM AT AN EARLY AGE, AND FREQUENTLY IT
IS FOR SOMETHING LIKE
POSSESSION.
LET ME TAKE THESE KIDS WHO ARE ON THIS CORNER AND
PUT THEM INTO THE SYSTEM.
THE RECIDIVISM RATE IS INSANE.
FOR
THOSE KIDS TO BE IN THEIR EARLY,
WHY WOULD WE CHANGE THE LAW?
MAYBE THEY STAND A CHANCE.