Denver Marijuana Advocates Cheer Dea Agent's Exit From State

[Michael Komorn]

Denver Marijuana advocates cheer DEA agent's exit from state

By Felisa Cardona

The Denver Post

POSTED: 07/18/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT

 

 

DEA special agent in charge Jeffrey D. Sweetin, who became the face of some of Colorado's medical-marijuana fights, has been promoted to run the agency's training center in Virginia. ( Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post )

Marijuana-legalization advocates cheered the upcoming departure of federal agent Jeffrey D. Sweetin because, they said, they believe his views are not in line with the will of Colorado voters who legalized the drug for medicinal purposes.

 

The outspoken special agent in charge of Denver's Drug Enforcement Administration understands that he became the "face" of anti-legalization in Colorado, but says his exit doesn't mean the fight over marijuana is over.

 

"The person who takes my place is going to have the same mission I have," Sweetin said.

 

DEA agents are sworn to uphold the constitution, and marijuana remains illegal under federal law, he said.

 

A widely publicized clash

 

Sweetin was promoted to run the DEA training center in Quantico, Va., and will provide international support in places such as Afghanistan. The new assignment begins in September.

 

Sweetin was widely panned by medical-marijuana proponents during his eight-year tenure. The criticism heightened after Chris Bartkowicz, a Highlands Ranch resident who was growing medicinal-marijuana plants in his basement, was arrested after showing his operation in a television interview.

 

The DEA maintains that Bartkowicz was arrested because he was selling more plants than he had patients and his grow operation was within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.

 

Sweetin points out that the DEA is not raiding dispensaries that have boomed throughout the state. He believes marijuana proponents used the arrest as a way to build hysteria.

 

"It's a difficult societal issue that can't be broken down into soundbites," Sweetin said. "It's going to continue to be a challenge for Colorado."

 

Mason Tvert, campaign director of SAFER, a marijuana advocacy group, says he is glad Sweetin is leaving, but agrees that his moving on won't change the DEA's mission.

 

"One disingenuous anti-marijuana zealot is just the same as another, and I would expect that his replacement would be just as adamant about going after marijuana regardless if the substance is safer than alcohol," Tvert said.

 

As Sweetin became more outspoken about marijuana in Colorado, the personal attacks increased.

 

"Medical-marijuana proponents threatened my life and the lives of my family," he said. "We are not thin-skinned. It's OK to disagree with us, but I don't agree with personal attacks. That's cowardice. But people who legitimately stood up, I think that is fine."

 

Extraditions a high point

 

As he leaves Colorado — at least temporarily — Sweetin's sweetest memories are of the cases his agents broke while he was in charge, particularly the 2003 extradition of Mexican drug lords who were trafficking cocaine to a ranch in Peyton.

 

"The pundits said, 'You will never get your hands on these guys,' and we did," Sweetin said.

 

Last year's extradition of Miguel Angel Caro-Quintero from Mexico to Colorado was personal for the DEA, Sweetin said, because of the man's brother's involvement in the killing of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena in 1985.

 

"All the dopers in Mexico know they will be caught by DEA at some point," Sweetin said. "Our system of justice is daunting to them. We can't send a message to them that we are giving up."

 

Michael Komorn

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[solabeirtan]

Their '"System of Justice'" is just as daunting here in the US.

 

From the looks of things in Mexico it is widely acknowledged that the Presidency of Philip Calderone is a totally failed one. He is responsible for over 23,000 deaths in Mexico since 2006. He has lowered the quality of Life for the entire Country. Our current involvement their doesnt show much sympathy or compassion for the Lives of the Citizens in this Sovereign Nation. Especially when the source of the problem is in this country, the demand.

[Bisharoo]

Denver Marijuana advocates cheer DEA agent's exit from state

By Felisa Cardona

The Denver Post

POSTED: 07/18/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT

 

 

 

 

DEA agents are sworn to uphold the constitution, and marijuana remains illegal under federal law, he said.

 

That is a durn shame that they swear to uphold a document they must have never read, because they are destroying your individual human rights, which the document explicitly protects. I wish we had reporters who have the courage and knowledge to ask these rogue LEO's and judges and political leaders why they constantly break the constitution with their actions and that when they swear to protect your individual human rights they need to actually do that. It seems that many of these jack-booted thugs truly believe that you have no individual human rights unless they (the state)grant them to you. WRONG!!!

[+420Atheist]

The problem is now this a$$ is going to be in charge of training new DEA agents his brand of being above the state law will be passed on to the agents he teaches.

[______]

"Medical-marijuana proponents threatened my life and the lives of my family," he said. "We are not thin-skinned. It's OK to disagree with us, but I don't agree with personal attacks."

 

I wonder if he feels the same about the rather personal attack his agent took against legit patients and their families. The difference is that the threats against him and his family didn't involve armed thugs killing pets, scaring children and trashing homes. Can't say the same for his victims.