| Oct. 7 ,1998 #067 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A DrugSense publication | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Table of Contents
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing Around | ||||||||||||||||||
The September 6th New York Times Sunday Magazine carried an essay- "Winning the Drug War Isn't so Hard After All," written by Michael Massing, yet another authority on drug policy. Massing's main opus, "The Fix," (Simon & Schuster) is due this month; reading his Sept. 6th article in tandem with Kirkus Reviews (Sept.1) suggests that it's intended to promote the book's theme- if not overtly the book itself. | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing quickly segues from a topical subject- Mayor Giuliani's
anti-methadone campaign- to an exposition of what he believes America's
drug policy to be, where he thinks it goes wrong, and how it can be put
right. In any such undertaking, history is a logical starting point,
one which also signals the author's bias. Massing's history begins with
Nixon's war on drugs, omitting the critical five-and-one-half decades
between the Harrison Act of 1914 and the Controlled Substances Act of
1970. Beyond that, his account of the origins of methadone maintenance | ||||||||||||||||||
That such a piece should foreshadow a serious book and be published by
the New York Times is a measure of the poor intellectual quality of
mainstream discussions in this critical policy area. That the Times
book review section hasn't yet reviewed Mike Gray's "Drug Crazy" is an
equally disturbing reminder that opinions contrary to official doctrine
are rarely aired in mainstream media (it's a safe bet "The Fix" will be
promptly reviewed in the wake of this feature). | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing's core proposition is simple; "legalization" of drugs is
unthinkable because staggering numbers of addicts would result; he thus
justifies basing a punitive, costly policy entirely on an unfounded
fear. Until now, he agrees, our policy can't be claimed to be working
well; he obligingly recites a litany of drug war abominations: military
intrusion into Latin America, coca-eradication programs, the invasion
of Panama; domestic drug arrests which set new records each year and
create bulging prisons. Yet, he concedes, "this punitive approach has
failed. Cocaine is cheaper than ever, and heroin is selling at purity
levels three times greater than those of the mid-1980's. And drug abuse
remains rampant." | ||||||||||||||||||
Even so, Massing contends, our policy has really been registering
successes in the area of "treatment," therefore appropriate changes in
our bloated drug budget should increase those successes to a point
where drug prohibition might finally earn passing grades as responsible
policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
The intellectual dishonesty implicit in this claim is staggering; it
involves a seeming willingness to lie about every aspect of the
subject. Concern for addicts didn't give rise to methadone maintenance
in the first Nixon Administration; Dan Baum, ("Smoke and Mirrors,"
1996) was far more specific (and accurate) when he related how Nixon
declared the present drug war to punish political dissent. Baum also
gave a more credible account of how methadone maintenance was initiated
by Jerome Jaffe, Nixon's first "drug czar" and one of the few
physicians to hold that post. Jaffe was an essentially inadvertent
appointment Nixon later regretted. The implication that Jaffe's desire
to treat addicts humanely was ever shared by Nixon, John Mitchell or Ed
Meese is ludicrous. | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing's methadone history is correct on three points: methadone
maintenance proved immediately effective in treating heroin addiction;
it reduced crime; it has always been resented by doctrinaire
prohibitionists. Despite being chronically under funded and hobbled by
regulations, Methadone maintenance, remains the most successful federal
contribution to drug policy. That a punitive zealot like Giuliani would
single it out for elimination is predictable; he understands that
addiction maintenance is the same straw man federal narcs once attacked
to justify criminal prohibition. Giuliani's doctrine is purer than
Massing's because he understands the historic moralistic underpinnings
of current policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing's article isn't just about methadone however, it's a defense of current policy with more money for treatment and less for interdiction and enforcement. Although admitting law enforcement's failure to control the criminal market, he's unconcerned by the price of that failure; policy is seen as only concerned with reducing the numbers of drug users, therefore he's content to have criminal prohibition as the mechanism which coerces users ("addicts/criminals") into "treatment." | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing cautiously endorses some aspects of "harm reduction," but finds
any suggestion that drug use be condoned to be completely unacceptable:
"Harm reduction has serious limitations. For the most part, it does not
seek to get people off drugs but merely to help them use drugs more
safely. To express disapproval of addiction would, in the harm
reductionists' view, reinforce society's intolerance of drug addicts.
While promoting tolerance is admirable, the harm reductionists take it
too far: if you should not stigmatize addicts, neither should you
condone addiction." | ||||||||||||||||||
Massing thus reveals his complete agreement with Barry McCaffrey that the futility of American drug prohibition policy can be entirely justified by an irrational, and bogus fear of addiction. When they insist that policy is concerned only with addiction, they want us to close our eyes to the fact that most drug users aren't, and will never become addicts, that teens are daily being seduced into tragic experiments with the unsafe products of a criminal market, that hundreds of thousands of lives are destroyed each year by encounters with that market; one created solely to perpetuate a myth. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tom O'Connell, MD | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Although the gamut of drug -related news stories during the week
(Sept. 26-Oct4) had included several typically dumb and/or dishonest
policy stories, none seemed truly dominant. Then, on Sunday, there was
a rumor that Amnesty International was going to target abusive
American police practices. The rumor was borne out by a pre-release
story on Monday, suggesting that this may have become a major topic by
the time this newsletter is being read. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Drug War: Policy & Politics | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The next biggest policy item was the methadone spat between McCzar and
NYC Mayor Giuliani . Viewed from within its proper context, ONDCP's
sudden enthusiasm for methadone maintenance, a therapy of proven value
which was strongly endorsed at a 1997 NIH meeting, is actually a year
overdue and seriously under funded, especially if compared to an
expensive program of no proven value, like the recently announced $2
billion ad campaign. | ||||||||||||||||||
More confusion surfaced over border security against drug smuggling when Congressional bunker mentality ran up against reality in the form of the numbers of people who cross our borders daily. Congress opted to dither until Oct. 15; are they hoping the numbers will change? | ||||||||||||||||||
Speaking of borders, a revealing LAT op-ed pointed out that crime and corruption on our side of the border isn't covered in nearly the same detail as the Mexican side. Because the author is clearly not a reformer, and has himself been the target of an assassination attempt by American gangsters, this criticism is especially telling | ||||||||||||||||||
The implacable doctrinaire stance of New Jersey's Governor Whitman
against needle exchange was again evident when Chai outreach workers
were arrested for the second time- purely a local decision insisted
the DA. Sure; and no one consulted Whitman's office in an election
year- "just doin' our duty, ma'am." | ||||||||||||||||||
The good news from California was that the prison guards union isn't
backing smiling fascist, Dan Lungren; the bad news is that it's
backing tough-on crime, but wussy on civil liberties Gray Davis,
everybody's "lesser of two evils" candidate. | ||||||||||||||||||
AMNESTY FINDS 'WIDESPREAD PATTERN' OF US RIGHTS VIOLATIONS | ||||||||||||||||||
Amnesty International, in its first campaign directed at any Western nation, intends to publish a harsh report on the United States on Tuesday, saying U.S. police forces and criminal and legal systems have "a persistent and widespread pattern of human rights violations." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
EXPANDED METHADONE PROGRAM PLANNED TO COUNTER HEROIN | ||||||||||||||||||
NEW YORK - The White House plan to help heroin addicts sounds simple: Doctors would dispense methadone, a synthetic substance designed to lessen heroin cravings, in their offices for the first time. | ||||||||||||||||||
But for now, the new policy doesn't include any money - just a government endorsement for improving and expanding the use of methadone. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Methadone treatment is simply not available for Americans in all parts
of the country in a manner called for by rational drug policy. We've
got to do better," Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the national drug-policy
director, told a meeting of the American Methadone Treatment
Association in New York yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CONGRESS DELAYS BORDER LAW VOTE | ||||||||||||||||||
Lawmakers fear stricter checkpoints would lead to traffic gridlock | ||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress voted Thursday to delay a law that lawmakers
from states bordering Canada feared could create a traffic nightmare by
requiring new, stricter checks at border crossings. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"Nothing will change with our inspection process," said Elaine Komis, a
spokeswoman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. "We don't
even have the infrastructure to begin to do this." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
There are 250 entry points in the United States - either airports, sea
ports or land crossings, and hundreds of millions of people use them each
year. | ||||||||||||||||||
While Abraham, head of the Senate immigration subcommittee, pushed to get
the stopgap bill on the Senate floor, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, his
counterpart in the House, indicated he favored moving it quickly through
the House. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"With just a 30-second inspection required for every border-crosser,
backups at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit would immediately exceed 24
hours. That would be unbearable, and the border would be effectively
closed," Abraham said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
THE DRUG CRISIS ISN'T JUST IN MEXICO | ||||||||||||||||||
Baja's traffickers are well-known, but their peers in California are
invisible; why does the press ignore them? | ||||||||||||||||||
From Crescent City to San Ysidro, Californians have had preferential
seating to watch the murder and drug trafficking thrillers being played
out in Tijuana and Ensenada. But what the people from California don't
know, and maybe cannot even imagine, is that seated next to them may be
some of the criminals whose job it is to come down to Baja California
to execute people. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
GROUP STOPS NEEDLE EXCHANGE AFTER LEADER IS REARRESTED | ||||||||||||||||||
The only AIDS organization openly distributing clean needles to drug users in New Jersey has decided to stop the practice after its director, Diana McCague, was arrested Tuesday for the second time. | ||||||||||||||||||
McCague, who flouted New Jersey's drug paraphernalia laws, said her
organization will fight in the courts instead of continuing to hand out
syringes, a practice the organization believes will slow the spread of
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
PRISON GUARDS: THE UNION THROWS ITS WEIGHT TO THE DEMOCRAT, SENDING LUNGREN | ||||||||||||||||||
SACRAMENTO - For the first time in 16 years, the state's powerful
prison-guard union on Tuesday chose to support the Democrat in the race
for governor, prompting an immediate escalation in the battle between
Lt. Gov. Gray Davis and Atty. General Dan Lungren over who can claim
the mantle of crime-fighter. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
A Berkeley Conference on the impact prisons are having on education was followed by a Bay Area student protest which received state wide publicity, and helped dramatize their contention that California's prison expansion has occurred at the expense of public schools. | ||||||||||||||||||
More dreary evidence that America's ill-conceived orgy of
incarceration will have serious social consequences continued to
accumulate. | ||||||||||||||||||
BAY AREA STUDENTS CUT CLASS, PROTEST SPENDING ON PRISONS | ||||||||||||||||||
2,000 march, urge lawmakers to give priority to education | ||||||||||||||||||
SAN LEANDRO - About 2,000 students from throughout the Bay Area cut
classes to march and rally Thursday, protesting that the state spends
more to lock up young people than to educate them. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
PRISON GROWTH MAY DEPLETE SURPLUS | ||||||||||||||||||
If projections that the state's prison population will jump nearly 50%
in three years prove true, it could deplete much of the state's
expected budget surplus, a legislator said Sunday. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Department of Corrections last week proposed a two-year budget that
seeks an increase of $280.7 million. | ||||||||||||||||||
More money is needed because the number of adult inmates is expected to
leap by 8,000 to more than 25,000, according to estimates by
corrections officials. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
PRISON MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS ON ALERT AFTER THIRD INMATE HANGING IN A MONTH | ||||||||||||||||||
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Mental health workers are on alert after the body of
an inmate was found hanging from a bedsheet in a Pendleton prison cell
in the third apparent suicide the state prison system has seen in the
past month. | ||||||||||||||||||
Solomon Abernathy, 21, was found about 2:30 a.m. Monday in a disciplinary cell at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Medical Marijuana | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Shades of November, 1996! As election day approaches, we're again
reminded how important the medical use of cannabis is to the reform
movement. | ||||||||||||||||||
The more things change, the more that stay the same; two years ago,
following a McCzar opinion that marijuana couldn't possibly be
medicine, the San Francisco Chronicle chided him for "exceeding his
credentials." Last week, the Albany, Oregon Democrat-Herald offered
the same admonition to the Portland sheriff. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another intelligent editorial comment from Oregon pointed out the illogical nature of the "sheriff's fallacy" which claims that prescriptive use of a drug will increase its recreational use. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Oregonian's Phil O'Neill wrote a long, well-balanced article on
the evolution of Oregon's Initiative. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another long article describing the operation of the Oakland Cannabis
Buyers' Cooperative was especially important because it appeared in
the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Nevadans will also vote on a medical
marijuana initiative in November. | ||||||||||||||||||
Even as sheriffs and legislators were claiming that marijuana has no
valid therapeutic use, researchers at UCSF were reporting elegant
laboratory studies which demonstrate that cannabinoids possess unique
pain blocking properties. | ||||||||||||||||||
OPINION - MEDICAL EFFECTIVENESS OUTSIDE LAW'S PURVIEW | ||||||||||||||||||
If the sheriff of Multnomah County had a medical degree and had acquired experience treating patients as a doctor, what he says about the medical marijuana initiative would have some weight. | ||||||||||||||||||
Since he does not and has not, he has no standing to declare, as he did
last week before the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, that marijuana
would be "the least effective and most risky" medication to give to
someone. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
ALLOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA: MEASURE 67 WOULDN'T LEGALIZE DRUG | ||||||||||||||||||
Physicians who prescribe morphine to relieve intense pain are not seen
as promoting drug addiction, even though morphine is a terribly
addictive drug. Yet a proposal to allow doctors to prescribe marijuana
is criticized as promoting drug abuse, even though marijuana is far
more benign than many widely accepted prescription drugs. Oregonians
should understand that they can support humane medical practices
without undermining efforts to control dangerous drugs. They should
support Measure 67, the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
MARIJUANA VOTE BRINGS OUT BIG SOCIETAL ISSUES | ||||||||||||||||||
Oregonians will decide whether legalizing medical marijuana offers compassion to the sick and dying or an open door to widespread drug use | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Early statewide polling points to widespread support for legalizing
medical marijuana, with strong backing across age, income, political
and geographic lines. Ironically, Oregonians also will vote in November
on Ballot Measure 57, which would make possession of small amounts of
marijuana a criminal offense. Early polling shows more voters opposing
than supporting that measure. | ||||||||||||||||||
Rob Elkins, Molalla police chief and a director of Oregonians Against
Dangerous Drugs, views the medical marijuana measure as an open door
for all marijuana use. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
But Dr. Richard Bayer, a Portland internist and a chief petitioner for
the marijuana initiative, said the ultimate goal isn't legalization of
all drugs - just to make it possible for sick people to obtain
marijuana at a pharmacy, with a prescription. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE GIVES, SELLS MARIJUANA TO SUFFERING | ||||||||||||||||||
Nevada to vote on illegal drug for medical use | ||||||||||||||||||
OAKLAND, Calif. - Step up to the counter at the Oakland Cannabis
Buyers' Cooperative. Today you'll find baggies of Big Bud and Humboldt
Octane sell for $55 per one-eighth ounce. African Sativa fetches $50,
AA Sativa goes for $20 and RX Sativa, just $15. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative is the model of the marijuana
dispensing operations that opened in California after 56 percent of its
voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996. About 2,200 people, presumably
all with appropriate recommendations from doctors, acquire their
marijuana here. | ||||||||||||||||||
For users who cannot afford the specialty prices, the cooperative gives
them a "compassionate use" baggie with enough marijuana for about three
joints. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
SCIENCE NOTEBOOK | ||||||||||||||||||
Compiled from reports by Curt Suplee, John Schwartz and Rob Stein. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
In rats, a drug that mimics delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main
active ingredient in marijuana, deadens pain like morphine, researchers
at the University of California at San Francisco showed. The findings
indicate that marijuana-like drugs kill pain without producing the side
effects of morphine. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
International News | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
As we've noted recently, reefer madness is no longer a purely American
affliction, but has spread across the Atlantic; disturbing evidence of
this idea is found in the first three articles from the UK. It's quite
apparent that as press and public attitudes toward the drug war is
cool, politicians and enforcement agencies around the world push
feverishly for harsher, even more restrictive laws. | ||||||||||||||||||
Draconian as laws are becoming in English-speaking nations, they can't
hold a candle to the Moslem world (which nevertheless remains an
important source of opium products). | ||||||||||||||||||
Finally, no newsletter is complete without an article on Mexico. The futility which Bertram and Sharp detail in this well written piece could be applied, not only to Mexico, but to the entire drug war. | ||||||||||||||||||
ETON EXPELS BOY WHO TOOK CANNABIS | ||||||||||||||||||
A BOY at Eton, where Princes William, 16, and Harry, 14, are pupils, has
been expelled for smoking cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
A school spokesman said yesterday: "A boy was asked to leave the school
earlier this week in connection with a drugs incident. This is an internal
matter that has been dealt with by the headmaster, who will not comment on
disciplinary matters within the school." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
MORE FACE RANDOM DRUG TESTS AT WORK | ||||||||||||||||||
Nick Hopkins on how Prince Andrew may be one of many randomly checked, as industry tries to plug UKP3bn losses from drug-related illness | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Random tests could be coming to a workplace near you. Some companies, such
as London Transport and Railtrack, already have them for safety reasons.
And there are signs that corporate Britain is waking up to the advantages
too, as firms look for ways to cut the staggering UKP3 billion lost every
year to drink and drug related illness. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The Government will doubtless look to the United States for a lead, where
random screening is commonplace. Medscreen, which does drug testing for
companies all over Europe, already has 300 big clients in the UK, and says
the market is expanding rapidly. Medscreen mainly does pre-employment drug
screening, but recently has noticed a shift among companies towards random
tests. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
DRUGS LAWS TO COPY US AND IRELAND | ||||||||||||||||||
THE clampdown on criminals who live in luxury with no visible income is being adapted from American tactics used to break the power of the Mafia. | ||||||||||||||||||
It is an admission that previous efforts to seize criminals' assets have failed. Only UKP5m was seized under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act last year, but the drugs trade is estimated at UKP9.9 billion annually. Under existing law, assets can be seized only after a conviction, and many criminals transfer them to their families or associates. | ||||||||||||||||||
In the US the 1970 Racketeer and Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act has been credited with 23 Mafia convictions since 1981. It reversed the burden of proof, so that suspects had to account for their assets. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
IRAN SAYS DRUG TRAFFICKERS FACE DEATH SENTENCE | ||||||||||||||||||
TEHRAN, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Iran, faced with widespread smuggling and
abuse of drugs, reiterated on Wednesday it would execute traffickers
under tough new laws. | ||||||||||||||||||
Prosecutor General Ayatollah Morteza Moqtadaei said armed smugglers, as well as traffickers caught in possession of five kg (11 lb) of opium, would face the death penalty, Iranian television reported. | ||||||||||||||||||
Smugglers held with 30 grams (1.1 ounce) of heroin or morphine would
receive a death sentence on a second offence under the new laws which
took effect recently, Moqtadaei was quoted as saying. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO - THE DRUG WAR CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY | ||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON- "Progress" and "cooperation" are the official watchwords
Washington likes to use to describe the U.S.-backed drug war in Mexico.
The cheery rhetoric is essential to protecting relations with Mexico.
When reality intrudes and the official drug-war story threatens to
unravel, the story is revised. Just how deeply corrupting the drug war
is on Mexico's political institutions and, ultimately, on U.S.-Mexican
interests is glossed over, if mentioned at all. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Regrettably, stories to protect Mexico's image as a loyal drug-war ally will continue to be told and retold, and they will continue to be dashed by reality. But as debate focuses on how much progress we are making against the widening corruption in Mexico, we risk missing a deeper truth. Fighting drug abuse at home through a war on supply abroad is not good policy, and it will make us both bad neighbors. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MAP Published letters hit ONE MILLION DOLLAR milestone | ||||||||||||||||||
The Media Awareness Project of Drugsense archives and attempts to put a
value on the letters to the editor that get printed and discovered by
our NewsHawks. These are posted to the archive by the hard working
Ashley Clements. | ||||||||||||||||||
There are 1022 total published LTEs on-line to date (collected from 96-98)
with an estimated value of $1,020,978. | ||||||||||||||||||
To review this valuable searchable archive and to review our method of
placing a value on these published works please visit: | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1998 to date figures are 521 published LTEs with a value of $520,479.
Which indicates that we have already accomplished more in 1998 than in all
of 1996 and 1997 combined. | ||||||||||||||||||
The MAP letter writing effort may be one of the most successful and
sustained efforts in reform history. | ||||||||||||||||||
The above numbers do not take into account the hundreds of radio and television talk show that DrugSense has arranged on behalf of reform. | ||||||||||||||||||
Hearty congratulations to the dedicated, consistent, and effective
cadre of MAP letter writers, NewsHawks and editors. Keep it up. We ARE
making a difference! | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CCUA Site | ||||||||||||||||||
by Tod H. Mikuriya, M.D. | ||||||||||||||||||
Before, during, and after Proposition 215 passed Attorney General Dan
Lungren has done his best to suborn the California Compassionate Use
Act of 1996. He has managed to elude scrutiny of his use of his office
to defy rather than implement or comply with Health and Safety Code
section 11362.5. | ||||||||||||||||||
Please visit the CCUA (Prop 215) web site at: | ||||||||||||||||||
the Lungren 215 Updates reveals his strategy of enabling and
facilitating blocking access to medicinal cannabis and intimidation of
physicians. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Editors Note: DrugSense takes no stand on political races or candidates.
The above is provided as a courtesy to inform our readers of items of
possible interest. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
The Atlantic Monthly, which hosts very active on-line discussion groups,
recently did a survey of sorts. They offered 3 possible solutions to the
'drug problem,' | ||||||||||||||||||
a) Draconian enforcement, | ||||||||||||||||||
b) markedly increased funding for treatment, | ||||||||||||||||||
c) legalization. | ||||||||||||||||||
55% of their (very conservative) participants favored legalization and an
amazing 89% were in favor of reforming existing policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Check out: | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.theatlantic.com/trans.atl/politics/decision/drugs2.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
McCaffrey Ad | ||||||||||||||||||
In case you missed the outstanding ad in The New Republic (10/5
edition) "Is the Truth a Casualty of the Drug War" which depicts a
Pinoccio like caricature of Barry McCaffrey and cites a number of his
inaccuracies be sure to check out a reproduction. There is a link at
the top of http://www.drugsense.org/ | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
DRUGSENSE VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Frank S. World - NEWSHAWK OF THE MONTH | ||||||||||||||||||
This month DrugSense starts a new tradition, recognizing one of our superb NewsHawks, who make the Media Awareness Project possible. | ||||||||||||||||||
Frank S. World is recognized for his consistent high quality news hawking
for over a year. Frank roams the web to bring us items of importance, and
focuses on medicinal marijuana, the San Francisco area and Wisconsin
newspapers. Frank is not our NewsHawk's real name. He uses a pen name with
good reason. | ||||||||||||||||||
Frank has glaucoma, and has been successfully using medicinal marijuana for
over twenty-five years to preserve his remaining eyesight. While the U.S.
government recognizes that medicinal marijuana is of value in treating
glaucoma by issuing it to two citizens every month, thousands more, like
Frank, are not so fortunate. | ||||||||||||||||||
In order to do his NewsHawking, Frank must use a 21" monitor and be quite close to the screen. This added difficulty has in no way deterred Frank from making a highly valued contribution to our efforts. Frank also has a website at: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/7417/ | ||||||||||||||||||
On learning of his selection, Frank wrote: "Wow, I'm delighted to receive
this award! NewsHawking is a good way for me to help out, and it's been a
real learning experience too. I really enjoy finding articles that inspire
LTEs. I've seen a lot of great letters inspired by articles I've hawked and
that makes me feel good, knowing that I've made a positive contribution to
getting the truth out." | ||||||||||||||||||
"In my year or so of NewsHawking, I've seen a lot of positive developments,
and I can see what a great bunch of volunteers like the people of MAP can
do to help end this drug war madness." | ||||||||||||||||||
As a token of appreciation from all of us, Frank will be receiving a personally autographed copy of DRUG CRAZY from Mike Gray. | ||||||||||||||||||
Folks interested in helping Frank with the news hawking effort may find the basic instructions at: http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
`Laws should be like clothes. They should be made to fit the people they
are meant to serve' - Clarence Darrow - | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
DS Weekly is one of the many free educational services DrugSense offers
our members. Watch this feature to learn more about what DrugSense can
do for you. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
We wish to thank all our contributors and Newshawks. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving the included information for research and
educational purposes. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Please help us help reform. Send any news articles you find on any drug
related issue to | ||||||||||||||||||
PLEASE HELP: | ||||||||||||||||||
DrugSense provides this service at no charge BUT IT IS NOT FREE TO PRODUCE. | ||||||||||||||||||
We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you are able to help by contributing to the DrugSense effort please make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your tax deductible contribution to: | ||||||||||||||||||
The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||
|