DEA Celebrates Red Ribbon Week Before November 2nd Elections

Arizonans will vote next week on proposition 203, the ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana in the border state. It is a question of timing, but the DEA is hosting it’s “Red Ribbon Week” this week to spread their anti-drug message in schools across the state. DEA reps will be flooding Arizona schools throughout the week, in elementary, junior and local high schools. DEA special Agent-In-Charge, Elizabeth Kempshall has said that this time of year is especially important to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

More than 15,000 red ribbons are being distributed to Arizona public schools and a focus on drug prevention and drug education will be highlighted with rallies, speeches and passed out information materials. Kempshall tells Phoenix news stations, “Our Agents see the devastating effects of drug use every day and we as an Agency must do everything possible to protect this country’s most valuable asset: our children”.  Another agent, Ramona Sanches called this year’s Red Ribbon Week events, “critical”. She echoed her colleagues sentiments saying, “It’s all about drug prevention and drug education,”, then added that the DEA must protect the country’s most valuable assets…. the children”. Sanchez contends that the DEA does not spend any resources on the sick and vulnerable, but instead is targeting drug cartel leaders.

Red Ribbon Week has become a nationally-recognized event beginning 1985 after DEA Agent, Enrique Camarena was abducted and killed by drug traffickers in Mexico. In 1988, the US Congress proclaimed the last week in October as National Red Ribbon Week and the then President, Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy chaired the first Red Ribbon Week event at the White House. The DEA program to celebrate this week as a Drug Awareness week on campuses across the nation has about 80 million participants according to their web site. How to celebrate Red Ribbon Week?, according to the DEA website; “schools , businesses, the faith community, media, families, and community coalitions join together to celebrate Red Ribbon Week in many ways, such as: sponsoring essay and poster contests; organizing drug-free races; decorating buildings in red; handing out red ribbons to customers; holding parades or community events; and by publicizing the value of a drug-free, healthy lifestyle. The campaign is a unified way for communities to take a stand against drugs and show intolerance for illicit drug use and the consequences to all Americans” Surely they didn’t have the foresight back in 1988 to plan Red Ribbon Week the week before elections to influence the dozens of marijuana initiatives that will undoubtedly be a part of our election process for many years to come. Lucky break for the DEA.