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Drug Enforcement Administration

Drug Enforcement AdministrationWhat is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)?

The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. The Drug Enforcement Administration, better known as the DEA, is tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the borders of the United States of America. Not only is the Drug Enforcement Administration regarded as the leading agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act, but it also maintains the sole responsibility for coordinating and subsequently pursuing U.S. investigations overseas.

The Drug Enforcement Administration was officially formed on July 1 of 1973. The administration was established by the passing of the Reorganization Plan; a full-fledged effort to organize the federal agencies responsible for diminishing the adverse effects of drugs on American Society. The legislation, which ultimately created the Drug Enforcement Administration, was signed by President Richard Nixon and proposed the creation of a single federal agency to enforce the federal drug laws and consolidate, as well as coordinate, the government’s expansive drug control policies.

The preceding agencies of the DEA were the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, to mitigate the dangers associated with drug use and to lessen the supply of deadly drugs in the United States, employees nearly 11,000 agents and operates with an annual budget of approximately $2.5 billion.

In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration was successful in seizing over $1.4 billion in drug trade related assets and over $475 million worth of drugs. That being said, according to the White House’s Office of Drug Control Policy, the total value of all drugs sold in the United States is thought to exceed $65 billion per year—making the DEA’s efforts to intercept and thwart the flow of drugs into the country less than 1% effective.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal agency under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice responsible for the bulk of criminal investigations, analysis, and collection of information concerning drug-related criminal activity; working closely with related branches of the Department of Justice, the DEA both furnishes and receives vital intelligence from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with regard to both individuals charged with committing drug-related offenses, as well as the investigation of individuals alleged to be participatory in those crimes.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is responsible the regulation and handling of a variety of matters concerning drug-crimes, as well as the vast array of illegal drug use existing on both national and international levels:



How is the Drug Enforcement Administration Organized?
The Drug Enforcement Administration is headed by an Administrator who is formally appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The administrator is required to report to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General. The individual is assisted by a Deputy Administrator, as well as the Chief of Operations, the Chief Inspector and three Assistant Administrators.

The headquarters of the Drug Enforcement administration are located in Arlington, Virginia, directly across from the Pentagon. The administration maintains its own training academy located on the United States Marine Corps base at Quantico, Virginia. In total, the Drug Enforcement Administration maintains 21 domestic field divisions with 227 field offices as well as 86 international offices located in 62 countries.
Drugs and Controlled Substances
On one hand, the DEA is responsible for the criminal investigation and prevention of crimes involving both the usage and sales of illegal narcotics – on the other hand, the DEA undertakes regulatory and preventative measures to deride the misuse of controlled substances – controlled substances are classified as drugs whose legality is contingent on both authorized prescription and lawful usage.
Within the States where Medical Marijuana is legalized, an individual patient prescribed Medical Marijuana is permitted to undertake its usage in the event that the DEA has approved of the prescription and need; however, an individual using Marijuana recreationally – absent of a prescription – will be in violation of applicable legislature 


Drug Enforcement Administration Quick Facts
The following details outline the administration of the Drug Enforcement Administration:
The Drug Enforcement Administration was founded on July 1st, 1973
The headquarters of the Drug Enforcement Administration are located in Virginia
The agency executive of the Drug Enforcement Administration is Michelle Leonhart

Agencies Associated with the Drug Enforcement Administration
Government agencies are defined as organizations, councils, and offices operating under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government of the United States of America; each federal agency retains specific administrative jurisdiction over specific facets latent within the operations of the United States Government:

The USDOJ and the Drug Enforcement Administration
The Department of Justice is a federal agency within the Executive Branch of the government responsible for the supervision of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is considered to be a sub division within the USDDOJ; the Department of Justice undertakes all manners of criminal activity existing on a national level, which includes drug-crimes occurring on both foreign and national levels.

The Diversion Control Program and the DEA
The Diversion Control Program is a branch of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) responsible for the assurance that controlled substances undergo legal verification, validation, and substantiation of the prescription of drugs and pharmaceuticals classified as controlled substances.

Drug Enforcement Administration Legality
Administrative Law is the legal field associated with events and circumstances in which the Federal Government of the United States engages its citizens, including the administration of government programs, the administration and operation of government agencies.

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