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Salvia is Still Legal Because...a Speculation |
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Written by K. Edley
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Tuesday, 21 December 2004 |
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Page 2 of 3
Later, Joe Baca was heard defending his introduction of the bill when he said; "I was only trying to raise the awareness of Salvia divinorum." My question is this: Why would a politician defend his position on ANYHTING unless he felt pressure from somewhere? My theory is this: The DEA had no interest in making Salvia divinorum illegal, the FDA was upset that Joe Baca had introduced the bill, and now Joe Baca was under fire from his own government.
My evidence to support this theory lies in two key elements: Joe Baca didn't reintroduce HCA 2002 into the 109th Congress in 2003, even though he has introduced many other bills, and he is now co-sponsoring bill number "HC1053" which repeals the 1960's law that was re-signed by Bill Clinton in 1998, which prevented convicted felons of receiving financial aid.
How come a drug crusader has now turned drug reformist?
The Internet
So, all of that doesn't even take into consideration the fact that there is now the internet, which has raised the awareness even higher for all kinds of mind-altering substances that kids weren't even aware of ten years ago. The government, already completely swamped with their present "Drug War" has just had an entire new front opened to them that is far vaster than they had ever imagined, and they are only adding to it by churning out anti-drug after anti-drug site, while plastering slogans about how marijuana increases the chances of your daughter getting pregnant! they must think that Americans are that stupid.
Furthermore, in an unprecedented and desperate move, the DEA's newest tactic is only to "disrupt" the "organizations" that are furthering the "problems," without necessarily following though on prosecuting the indictments they hand out.
Recent examples include the Seizure of JLF Non-Consumables inventory and assets...there's still no trial, but the DEA successfully seized $2,000,000.00 in assets, virtually destroying his internet business.
Also, there's the case in New Mexico where 250 kilos of ayahuasca vine was seized, and though importation of this plant isn't expressly illegal, now the person is on trial for illegally importing DMT. As a result, most venders have stopped carrying the components could potentially be used to make the illegal Ayahuasca brew, which has historical roots into ancient times.
Third, there was a recent "bust" of glass pipe manufacturers in "Operation Pipe Dreams" in April of 2003…no one has been convicted, but try to find glass pipes on the internet and it has become much more difficult. Already I am certain that the DEA feels that this was a success for that reason alone. But they have to know that what they did will have absolutely no effect on the 20,000 pounds of marijuana being consumed by Americans…I mean, really, they must know. I can hear them now; "Forget the thousands of gun-slinging traffickers moving heroin and cocaine across the borders, let's hand down 57 indictments for those selling glass pipes on the web instead; it will make it seem like we're at least doing SOMETHING, and we don't risk getting shot!"
In a moment of sheer surreality: The FDA is now trying to make it illegal to say that any unapproved substance induces "euphoria." (A website just got a warning letter for stating that one of their products that included ephedrine induced euphoria.) Talk about blatant disregard for our First Amendment rights!
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