Washington´s double failure – Failure of Department of Justice to enforce federal law, failure of Senate Judiciary Committee to hold DOJ accountable

In a new Joint Commentary, IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. is joined in authorship by John J. Coleman, Ph.D., former DEA Assistant Administrator for Operations, and Peter B. Bensinger, former DEA Administrator. State-based marijuana legalization in Washington and Colorado are in direct conflict with long-established federal laws and specific U.S. international treaty obligations. A recent Department of Justice oversight hearing provided a unique opportunity for the Senate Judiciary Committee to address the serious constitutional issue of marijuana legalization and insist that Attorney General Eric Holder uphold federal law. Instead of seizing that opportunity the subject was brushed aside by the Committee Chairman and ignored by other Committee members. Leadership is needed to ensure that federal laws are upheld and international treaty obligations met.

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