Dwight Holton, Marijuana Foe or Activist for Big Pharma?

Don't U.S. attorneys have real things to do with their time? And where did Holton's orders to go after Oregon medical cannabis patients really evolve from?

U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton Photo: indiatimes.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - The top federal attorney in Oregon, Dwight Holton, has written an extensive article carried in the Oregonian complaining at length about Oregon's medical marijuana laws. It relates to the dispensary letter signed by all but one of Oregon's 36 district attorneys, that so many were talking about last week^[1].

Holton raises numerous questions about this program and if it weren't for people like him, teamed with the Portland media, the media tools, nobody would ever know there was a problem. The only 'problems' about medical marijuana stem from the idiocy of having any laws against natural healthcare remedies.

This man is a politician, but operating in this way tells me he is working for big pharma; not for the people of this nation and particularly not for Oregonians who have to tolerate his federal presence here. You can't attack pot without benefiting that morally void pill addiction industry that floods our television channels with embarrassing endless advertisements.

Whose Law is it?

What you have to consider is that the people of Oregon voted for medical marijuana; there is an obvious standing conflict between the state and existing federal law, so the Oregon DA's and attorney general could and should side with the people and put up every wall to keep the feds out of here. This should especially be the case, knowing the DEA's track record of ruthlessly attacking the California medical marijuana program's retailers and in that state the dispensaries are legal^[2].

Really makes one wonder where their allegiance is directed.

The bottom line is that the feds have no respect for Oregon state law, and neither do the Oregon district attorneys or the attorney general, except for Multnomah County, where the DA's signature is conspicuously missing. I applaud that man, he must care about more important things as a law enforcement official. The other 35, starting with Walt Beglau here in Marion County; are working for the feds on your Oregon tax dollar.

Think about it, whose side are they on?

I find it more than alarming, and I have to wonder if people are really considering how these guys are spending their tax dollars to grandstand against something the people of this state clearly, repeatedly voted for.

Pausing for the Bigger Picture

We live in a sick and broken world with a cartel war raging just below California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The U.S. has troops in the Middle east in two unjustified and unwinnable conflicts, and a U.S. attorney wants to demonize medical marijuana in Oregon?

It seems this top U.S. Attorney could care less over whether people are getting addicted to actual prescription drugs that turn them into workplace zombies, oh that is perfectly OK, but that natural plant marijuana...

Dwight's "Breathtaking Surge"; the term reminds me of the failed war in a place called Iraq.

Considering its vast uses and applications, marijuana is the smallest of society's problems; the plant stands to substantially boost state economy if and when the authorities allow that by pulling cannabis firmly out of the black market. The only thing this Holton and his robotic fleet of nodding sheep-like attorneys are endorsing is a project to undermine the will of Oregon voters.

The politicians are who got us into this mess; men just exactly like Dwight Holton.

Embodying the spirit of McCarthyism, they spent decades lying about what marijuana is, how it helps people, etc., and their predecessors bankrolled films like Reefer Madness, while swallowing up billions in our tax dollars locking Americans up for smoking a damned herb. It is a terrible joke and they just can't stop.

Outlawing natural cannabis in the first place created a need for more dirty belching factories that 'replace' natural products and landscapes. After all, the marijuana plant provides one of the strongest natural fibers known to man. This is why it has been illegal since 1937, not because it hurts people.

Prisons are overcrowded because non-violent marijuana users are locked up for years in this archaic, tragic state of affairs. There is no sense to it, and the 'rehab' programs pot smokers are forced into by courts are simply more ways for the government and its cronies to make more and more money and if people are actually addicted, how do endless fines get them back on track?

This country exports seven million dollars a day to fund Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, 'Uncle Sam' grinds civilian lives into the dirt in the Middle east himself, in places that never laid a hand on the United States of America.

Priorities: Persecute Pot but Ignore Murder?

This is what it all comes down to for me; we have written many stories about the legacy of an African-American prison guard in Oregon, William Coleman, who blew the whistle on racist activity and Murder and was severely retaliated against by state officials. Those who worked with the state against Coleman include a list that began with the state prison and ended with a newspaper reporter who refused to cover this story and apparently fully cooperated with the cops to keep it that way. You can Google it any way you like and find your way to our stories on this subject^[3].

We have written about it extensively, we have named names, listed dates, published corroborating evidence, and if these cops were legit at all they would be all over Oregon State Prison, but they aren't, because it is a f*cking game and this Holton is the grand poobah. Kroger isn't the top cop in Oregon, it is apparent that Holton is, and I hope he can redirect his attention to more important matters in the future and perhaps he can search his soul and see what his role in the world is and potentially could be.

But most like him don't care; they work for big pharma, directly or indirectly, benefiting the livelihood of those companies that clog your TV with ads that urge people to self-prescribe dangerous drugs that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approves with the drop of a hat, only to later issue statements about the serious dangers of the products they approved. That bugs the hell out of me, I don't know about you. However I do know that if you are dedicating your live toward saving society, it isn't happening by hassling the medical pot providers.

Everything is turned around; the people we entrust to take care of our needs are increasingly working overtime to maintain the criminality of the lifestyle of millions of people who would never hurt a fly. I can't convince myself that these figures of authority are working for the people, their efforts lead to prison and families separated; in May the 'Drug War' led to the police murder of a Marine father in Arizona and the cops are so crooked on that one that even the staunch police defenders are staying quiet.

Mick Jagger sang about it:

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint...

Yeah, Lucifer isn't who you think he is, just know that there is zero merit to their words about medical cannabis, it just poses a huge threat to big pharma and threatens their shareholder's profits and you know that they can't have that.

Pharma has to tap on the people who owe them favors, like U.S. attorneys, who do their bidding by intentionally choosing to spend their time and resources enforcing a particular law; they in turn rely on stigma and misinformation because the goals are the business, not the good of the people. Marijuana scares the crap out of many, yet it shouldn't. In every respect; industrial and medical and recreational markets, we need to move into a new age and the drive to incarcerate more people needs to be reversed.

Because of the failed U.S. drug war, people are dying in droves in Mexico, particularly in Ciudad Juarez as we report frequently, and Holton well knows that marijuana remains a strong aspect of the cross border drug trade. He knows that if these cannabis organizations in Oregon who accept donations to pay their light bills were legal (Many believe they are), that the Mexican cartels would lose a substantial amount of business.

If it happened in his world, federal law, they could probably turn the meth problem around. Instead Mexicans go on dying. They are often innocent people; sometimes they are immigrants from south of Mexico, and the cartels shoot and kill at will, sometimes murdering U.S. Border Patrol agents. While this takes place, we have legal medical marijuana in well more than a dozen U.S. states, and the madness continues.

Dwight Holton has plenty of stern words about cannabis, however we haven't heard from his agency or any other about an unresolved Murder at the Oregon State Penitentiary that we have written about in great detail; or the fact that a web of conspirators, prison staff, police in Oregon and other officials, tried (in vain) to hang the particular still unresolved death on an innocent man.

And every time I write about this, thousands more follow the links and come into the fold and sooner or later the feds will be here to clean this state government of its very serious levels of corruption that represent a criminal pattern pre-dating the tragic Murder of Oregon Corrections Chief Michael Francke in 1989.

I hate the way the ambitions of law enforcement fail to address the real needs of Americans and Oregonians. I don't think it is right or fair to arrest people over a plant; any plant.

I'll never forget a drunk that once tried to pick a fight at a party when I was a young Marine. He was asking for it; even technically deserved it, but in the end I refused to deck the guy because he was so pathetically intoxicated. He had no idea what was really going on. This is the scenario I see this argument in; authorities try hard to sound logical, but their arguments fail to pass the 'so what?' test. There is no question about who is blowing more smoke in this argument.

There never was a valid argument against marijuana. God gave it to us; it is our right to have it or anything else that was provided on this earth by HIM. However, I'm not sure about the standard American products; insurance, guns, nuclear power, oil, etc. I have a feeling God doesn't favor Americans when he looks at the world, what is left of it. American ideals bring extinction and disaster, cannabis helps people in infinite ways and possibly one of the least discussed, but most important, is the fact that marijuana lowers blood pressure and makes people live far longer. My blood pressure is raging...

^[1] Jun-06-2011: Oregon Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Receive 'Guidance' Letter from the FedsBonnie King Salem-News.com

^[2] Mar-26-2009: Vigilante DEA Thwarts Obama & Holder: Have They Really Become a Rogue Agency? - Tim King Salem-News.com

^[3] May-31-2011 Snitch Sheets, Unresolved Murder and Severe Tobacco Crimes - Tim King Salem-News.com

_________________________________________________________

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Break down the walls of oppression and while you do it, 'stay human'.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 87 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

Americans for a Stronger Israel

---

Oregon | Marijuana | Medical marijuana | Health | Politics | Most Commented on

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

Audit the Audit

Welcome Home, Tom

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

Name:

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

---

Brian K. Grimmer June 13, 2011 7:20 pm (Pacific time)

I dedicate the following song to the DEA, Holder and the US Federal government and their interference with the will of the people and medical cannabis in Washington and Oregon... "Don't come around here" - Tom Petty

---

Anonymous001 June 13, 2011 6:49 pm (Pacific time)

"The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. Fifty years after the initiation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (See http://www.incb.org/incb/convention_1961.html), and 40 years after President Nixon launched the US government’s war on drugs (See REPORT OF THE GLOBAL COMMISSION ON DRUG POLICY (June 2011) ( http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/GlobalCommissionReport0601.pdf)

---

Anonymous001 June 13, 2011 6:46 pm (Pacific time)

Here is a direct link:

REPORT OF THE GLOBAL COMMISSION ON DRUG POLICY (June 2011)

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/GlobalCommissionReport0601.pdf

Editor: Thanks!

---

Larry Cablemenski June 13, 2011 6:28 pm (Pacific time)

I believe if they make the criminal conviction to be something similar to a Measure 11 crime with a very long minimum incarceration it will allow these addicts to dry out and go back to be law abiding citizens. Since they are passing laws about smoking tobacco so harsh, let's have all smoking become criminal. Say a minimum 5 year sentence the first time, then double the sentence for each additional conviction will sure go a long ways keeping these criminals from driving on our highways and munching snacks all the time, and gaining unsightly weight. I'm getting real tired about all that munchin' going on. So let's gitter done.

Editor: Whoa....  NPR

---

Anonymous001 June 13, 2011 1:01 pm (Pacific time)

The problem is that, even if marijuana users are using it for recreation, the attempt to regulate drugs has been an abject failure. So whether one uses MJ for its medical benefits or not, we cannot continue to incarcerate people at a rate of nearly 40 percent for drug. It is only keeping the prison-profiteers in business and giving the po-pos something to do rather than combat violent crimes and thievery.

Search for the following report on the issue that was just released: REPORT OF THE GLOBAL COMMISSION ON DRUG POLICY (June 2011).

It starts out:

The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. Fifty years after the initiation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and 40 years after President Nixon launched the US government’s war on drugs, fundamental reforms in national and global drug control policies are urgently needed.

---

SmileatFear June 13, 2011 11:48 am (Pacific time)

Another dupe for big pharma. Keep people addicted to destructive prescription drugs because that's where the money and political power is. The sick and disabled don't have the money for big pharma products must not be allowed to use something that doesn't bring $$$ to our powerful corporate masters. We must have no empathy in our laws!!!

---

James D. Stacy June 13, 2011 11:38 am (Pacific time)

I was the excutive director of a medical marijuana collective in San Diego, When the local DA turned over the case to the Feds. I fought for a year and a half but had to take a plea in the end.

---

Tom Sands June 13, 2011 9:39 am (Pacific time)

I feel your pain. I work at a dispensary in Montana. At the end of this month, due to actions of our legislation, I will be out of a job. They say to many kids have cards(there are 51 card holders under 18). They say "we" didn't vote for this, "we" voted for sick, crippled, dying people to use it. So they decided to make it so all those sick,crippled, and dying people now how to grow there own, or find someone to grow for absolutely free. Also the "provider"(grower) would have to pay $500 to register his finger prints with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, because marijuana is totally fine on a federal level and it wouldn't be self incrimination at all.

---

TYC June 13, 2011 9:31 am (Pacific time)

You nailed it!!! Thanks!

---

Monterey Bud - June 13, 2011 8:13 am (Pacific time)

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this." - Albert Einstein quote on Hemp http://bit.ly/jW6x4z

---

malcolmkyle June 13, 2011 5:50 am (Pacific time)

Some simple facts:

* A rather large majority of people will always feel the need to use drugs, such as heroin, opium, nicotine, amphetamines, alcohol, sugar, or caffeine.

* Due to Prohibition, the availability of mind-altering drugs has become so universal and unfettered, that in any city of the civilized world, any one of us would be able to procure practically any drug we wish within an hour.

* The massive majority of people who use drugs do so recreationally - getting high at the weekend then up for work on a Monday morning.

* A small minority of people will always experience drug use as problematic.

* Throughout history, the prohibition of any mind-altering substance has always exploded usage rates, overcrowded jails, fueled organized crime, created rampant corruption of law-enforcement, even whole governments, and induced an incalculable amount of suffering and death.

* It's not even possible to keep drugs out of prisons, but prohibitionists wish to waste hundreds of billions of our money in an utterly futile attempt to keep them off our streets.

* Prohibition kills more people and ruins more lives than the prohibited drugs have ever done.

* The United States jails a larger percentage of it's own citizens than any other country in the world, including those run by the worst totalitarian regimes.

* In 'the land formally known as free', all citizens have been stripped of their 4th amendment rights and are now totally subordinate to a corporatized, despotic government with a heavily armed and corrupt, militarized police force whose often deadly intrusions into their homes and lives are condoned by an equally corrupt and spineless judiciary.

* As with torture, prohibition is a grievous crime against humanity. If you support it, or even simply tolerate it by looking the other way while others commit it, you are an accessory to a very serious moral transgression against humanity.

* America re-legalized certain drug use in 1933. The drug was alcohol, and the 21st amendment re-legalized its production, distribution and sale. Both alcohol consumption and violent crime dropped immediately as a result, and, very soon after, the American economy climbed out of that same prohibition engendered abyss into which it had previously been pushed.

[Return to Top]

---

©2025 Salem-News.com. All opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Salem-News.com.

Articles for June 11, 2011 | Articles for June 12, 2011 | Articles for June 13, 2011