Understanding Law Enforcement Response Teams in Cannabis Regulation
For readers of Info Hemp, cannabis laws and regulations are a topic of great importance, as are hemp cultivation techniques. Behind the scenes of this substantial segment of the industrial and commercial agricultural economy are highly specialized law enforcement agencies at every level that are tasked with safeguarding the nation against illicit cannabis production and transport. These agencies are organized into what is referred to as the comprehensive law enforcement response teams. From federal law enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to county sheriffs departments and city police teams, all are in need of trained and informed individuals who can understand highly sophisticated issues.
There are many law enforcement response team jobs. State, county, and city law enforcement agencies require highly skilled and trained individuals to perform their critical missions. To carry out those missions, law enforcement response teams require officers who are informed on the complexities of cannabis legislation at both the federal and state levels.
At the federal level, legislation concerning cannabis is managed by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ’s authority over the implementation of cannabis legislation is vested in the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), which regularly enacts policies that affect all law enforcement response team jobs in the country. These policies include Memorandums, Grant Programs, International Agreements, and the National Drug Control Strategy.
At the state level, laws concerning the legalization of cannabis for specific uses are also being implemented by various state departments of Justice or department of Public Safety. At the state level, it is common for the state department of government that oversees criminal matters such as a department of public safety to have jurisdiction over the implementation of cannabis legislation. Other states grant specific enforcement jurisdiction to agencies such as the State Highway Patrol.
Any law enforcement response team is only as good as its officers; continue reading to learn how understanding the numerous laws that govern hemp cultivation for industrial purposes (often referred to as “industrial hemp”) can lead to success in this cutting-edge and rewarding career.
Cannabis is a genus of plant that is known for its numerous subspecies. Within this genus, there exists a taxonomical family that encompasses both cannabis and the cannabis like plant known as the hemp plant. Unlike cannabis sativa, or marijuana, cannabis indica does not possess psychoactive properties, and both plants grow to maturity within a one-year time frame. (Almost double that of an oak tree.) Both plants also require very similar soil conditions and climates for growth, although the indica has a narrower tolerance of conditions. Both cannabis and industrial hemp have been the subject of extensive study for decades. More recently, the production of industrial hemp is only permitted through licenses obtained from departments of justice or departments of public safety in those states that permit cultivation of the plant. The production of both cannabis and hemp for consumer use is illegal under federal law.