Episode #148 High Truth on Drugs and Addiction with Dale Quigley and Ed Shemelya on the National Marijuana Initiative

The National Marijuana Initiative strives to dispel misconceptions about marijuana and raise awareness of issues surrounding the drug; so that citizens and policymakers can make well-informed choices regarding marijuana use and regulations.

Some of the services offered include:

• Educational presentations on marijuana and the effects of its legalization for law enforcement groups, public forums, community coalitions, and legislators
• The NMI Speakers Bureau, which consists of independent subject matter experts who conduct informational presentations about their respective fields
• A public resource for valid information and reliable data based upon current research into marijuana and its impacts

Dale Quigley is the Deputy Coordinator of the National Marijuana Initiative for the HIDTA program in the United States. He is responsible for providing information and education on issues surrounding marijuana. Prior to this role, he served at the Rocky Mountain HIDTA in Denver from 2011 – 2016 as the Manager of Intelligence and later oversaw their training program.

Deputy Quigley holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and has been a peace officer in Colorado since 1979. In January 2016, he retired as a Sergeant from the Aurora Police Department. In his experience, Deputy Quigley notes his most rewarding assignments have been related to drug enforcement. He has an extensive background in narcotics investigations and supervising drug units, which includes supervising a gang-oriented drug task force for the FBI.

Recognized as a subject matter expert in several aspects of drug enforcement, he regularly speaks at regional, national, and international drug conferences on the impacts of drug usage. Additionally, he has instructed drug law at the Community College of Aurora (Colorado) and a series of drug enforcement classes for the Rocky Mountain HIDTA program.

Ed Shemelya is the National Marijuana Initiative Coordinator for the HIDTA Program. He has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. He has been speaking on Legalization in America, Understanding Hemp and Marijuana, and Current Affairs in Marijuana since 2013.