Editing Drug Enforcement Administration (section)

=== Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program ===
The '''Domestic Cannabis Eradication'''/'''Suppression Program''' ('''DCE'''/'''SP''') began funding eradication programs in Hawaii and California in 1979. The program rapidly expanded to include programs in 25 states by 1982. By 1985, all 50 states were participating in the DCE/SP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dea.gov/ops/cannabis.shtml|title=DEA / Cannabis Eradication|publisher=www.dea.gov|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-07|archive-date=April 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405091725/https://www.dea.gov/ops/cannabis.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015, the DCE/SP was responsible for the eradication of 3,932,201 cultivated outdoor cannabis plants and 325,019 indoor plants for a total of 4,257,220 marijuana plants. In addition, the DCE/SP accounted for 6,278 arrests and the seizure in excess of $29.7 million of cultivator assets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dea.gov/ops/cannabis.shtml|title=DEA / Cannabis Eradication|publisher=www.dea.gov|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-08|archive-date=April 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405091725/https://www.dea.gov/ops/cannabis.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2014, the DEA spent $73,000 to eradicate marijuana plants in Utah, though they did not find a single marijuana plant.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/07/the-dea-spent-73000-to-eradicate-marijuana-plants-in-utah-it-didnt-find-any/|title=Analysis {{!}} The DEA spent $73,000 to eradicate marijuana plants in Utah. It didn't find any.|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-06-07|archive-date=June 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623095708/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/07/the-dea-spent-73000-to-eradicate-marijuana-plants-in-utah-it-didnt-find-any/|url-status=live}}</ref> Federal documents obtained by journalist Drew Atkins detail the DEA's continuing efforts to spend upwards of $14 million per year to completely eradicate marijuana within the United States despite the government funding allocation reports showing that the Marijuana Eradication Program often leads to the discovery of no marijuana plants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/jmd/pages/attachments/2015/02/01/25._drug_enforcement_administration_dea.pdf|title=U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration - FY 2016 Performance Budget Congressional Submission|website=www.justice.gov|access-date=June 7, 2017|archive-date=May 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506135216/https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/jmd/pages/attachments/2015/02/01/25._drug_enforcement_administration_dea.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> This prompted twelve members of Congress to push for the elimination of the program and use the money instead to fund domestic-violence prevention and deficit-reduction programs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congress-wants-dea-prove-marijuana-eradication-program-necessary|title=Congress Wants the DEA to Prove Marijuana Eradication Program Is Necessary|date=2016-10-28|work=Congressman Ted Lieu|access-date=2017-06-07|language=en|archive-date=August 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830055413/https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congress-wants-dea-prove-marijuana-eradication-program-necessary|url-status=live}}</ref>