| November 18, 1998 #074 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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A DrugSense publication | ||||||||||||||||||||
SPECIAL EDITION - THE PENDULUM SWINGS TOWARDS REFORM | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Swiss to Vote on Complete Legalization of Drugs Later This Month
By D. Paul Stanford | ||||||||||||||||||||
On November 29th, the people of Switzerland will vote on "DroLeg," an
initiative that could end the prohibition of all currently illegal
drugs. The text of DroLeg begins, "The consumption, possession and
purchase of narcotics for personal use are exempt from punishment." If
DroLeg passes, the Swiss government will have to regulate the adult
market for all controlled substances. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The vote on DroLeg comes at a time of remarkable innovation by the
Swiss regarding their drug policy. The Swiss, in a variety of unique
programs, have been offering those addicted to heroin access to free
supplies of the drug, or drug maintenance, in several Swiss cantons
since 1994. The Swiss citizens' exceptionally broad personal
legislative powers and rights led the Swiss Supreme Court, in a
judicial decision earlier this year, to allow the large scale,
commercial cultivation of cannabis flowers (see photos links below.)
Over 200 "hanf" stores, which sell and, in some cases, even grow and
process cannabis in-house, have opened across Switzerland in the past
three years. Cannabis flavored drinks are advertised with cannabis leaf
logos in stores and train stations across the country, even in rural
areas. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Switzerland, which is the richest country in the world, with an average
annual income of over US$43,000, appears to be rejecting the rest of
the world's emphasis on punitive law enforcement as the primary
solution for substance abuse problems. Last year, in a different
national referendum that was brought by those seeking to increase the
severity of drug laws, the Swiss people voted against increasing
penalties by 71 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||
DroLeg was filed by the Swiss "Initiative for a Reasonable Drug Policy" in 1993 and began gathering signatures then. In November 1994, they turned in over 107,000 signatures and qualified DroLeg for the vote later this month. Under Swiss initiative rules, the government can review an initiative for up to 10 years before a vote takes place. | ||||||||||||||||||||
DroLeg organizer, Francois Reusser, a Zurich hanf store proprietor,
said that they do not expect to win this vote. Reusser said, "We will
consider anything above 35 percent a win. We have to get more than the
29 percent that voted for stricter laws last year, but we really don't
know how it will turn out. We may win." | ||||||||||||||||||||
In Bern, the Swiss national capitol, federal authorities said that
while they oppose DroLeg because they think that it "goes too far,"
they are preparing rules to regulate a legal market for cannabis drugs
in Switzerland. A federal report on their proposals for cannabis
regulation in Switzerland is due in May 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Swiss studies show that heroin maintenance, through medical prescriptions for those already addicted, are successful. The Swiss government says that this drug maintenance program will be expanded. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The November 29th vote on DroLeg will determine the extent to which
drug policy will be further liberalized in Switzerland. | ||||||||||||||||||||
DroLeg's English language web site: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Photos of a legal 8 hectare/20+ acre commercial Swiss cannabis farm:
http://www.crrh.org/cannabis/images/ch-hanf-1.jpg | ||||||||||||||||||||
Swiss road crew laying a new sewer as seen from a Swiss cannabis field:
http://www.crrh.org/cannabis/images/ch-hanf-4.jpg | ||||||||||||||||||||
Swiss greenhouse full of 100 meter long aisles of drying cannabis:
http://www.crrh.org/cannabis/images/ch-hanf-6.jpg | ||||||||||||||||||||
Swiss barn full of drying cannabis: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Huge Swiss greenhouse full of growing and drying cannabis:
http://www.crrh.org/cannabis/images/ch-hanf-9.jpg | ||||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Is it just me or does there seem to be a an almost worldwide penchant
leaning in favor of drug policy reform over the last few weeks and
months? | ||||||||||||||||||||
Practically everywhere one looks there are indications of a media and
public that has become much more open to innovative ideas in regards
to drug policy. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Some examples are included in the articles below. | ||||||||||||||||||||
These articles include international decisions on the horizon
including the DroLeg referendum in Switzerland, the recently announced
German decision to re-evaluate marijuana laws, Jesse "The Mind"
Ventura's pro reform stand on Meet the Press and the UK House of Lords
positive stand on medical marijuana. All seem to indicate an
international leaning towards rethinking drug policy on an
international scale. | ||||||||||||||||||||
When we factor in the incredible landslide votes in the recent elections on various ballot initiatives all over the U.S. it is heartening indeed for all in the reform movement to ponder. | ||||||||||||||||||||
This week's newsletter attempts to focus on these various subtle yet
important indicators of what is to come as the drug policy reform
movement continues to develop and gain momentum. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medical Marijuana- | ||||||||||||||||||||
GET YOUR HANDS OFF THOSE BALLOTS | ||||||||||||||||||||
Good morning, and welcome to Democracy Held Hostage, Day 9. | ||||||||||||||||||||
My fellow Americans, who'd have thunk that the results of a free and
fair vote held nine days ago right here in the United States of
America, the land of the free, would be unknown to this day -- would be
impounded, in fact -- because Congress canceled the ballot initiative
in question? Flat out told the national capital to kiss its sweet
electoral dreams goodbye? | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
US DC: WP: MMJ: Get Your Hands off Those Ballots
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A MAN CAUGHT IN A KAFKAESQUE TRAP | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Situation - Register senior columnist Bock is closely following the
trial of Marvin Chavez in connection with Proposition 215,the medical
marijuana law approved by California voters. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The main reason Marvin Chavez is standing trial before Judge Thomas
J.Borris in Orange County's West Court in Westminster this week is that
the government failed-in most cases quite stubbornly and in conscious
and purposeful defiance of the people's will-to do its job. If this
were a world imbued with some Platonic ideal of justice, Dan Lungren,
Brad Gates and others would be sitting at defense tables with their
lawyers desperately trying to explain how the actions they took,
presumably in good faith, did not constitute willful violations of the
law. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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MAINSTREAM VOTERS BUYING INTO MEDICAL MARIJUANA | ||||||||||||||||||||
But Opponents Still Believe It's A Smokescreen For Drug Legalization | ||||||||||||||||||||
(AP) -- After seeing Washington state voters shoot down a medical
marijuana measure in 1997, Rob Killian tried a new strategy this year:
no tie-dye. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Killian and other medical marijuana proponents realized it wasn't the
prospect of giving sick people the drug that bothered most voters. The
fear was that supporters of the measure secretly wanted to make all
drugs legally available, and not just for the ailing. | ||||||||||||||||||||
So they remade their image. Ties instead of tie-dyed T-shirts. Short
hair. Think suburban moms. | ||||||||||||||||||||
It worked. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
US WA: MMJ: Mainstream Voters Buying Into Medical Marijuana
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POT POLITICS | ||||||||||||||||||||
As More States Approve The Use Of Marijuana For Medical Purposes, The
White House Should Pay Heed. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(UK) LORDS BACK CANNABIS USE FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING PAIN | ||||||||||||||||||||
Doctors should be legally allowed to prescribe cannabis for multiple
sclerosis sufferers and other patients who find it helps relieve pain,
says a report from a scientific committee of the House of Lords,
published today. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The report was hailed as courageous by patients who buy the drug on the
streets and smoke it in fear of the law. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Drug Policy- | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
From a Nixon era retrospective, to the failure of mandatory minimum
sentencing and from the ongoing and critical reports on the murder of
Ezequiel Hernandez to the reform-minded views of Jesse "The Mind"
Ventura, there is a steady stream of OpEds and articles that seem to
be saying "We've had enough of this drug war lunacy. Let's examine
some sensible alternatives." | ||||||||||||||||||||
NIXON HAD IT RIGHT | ||||||||||||||||||||
A '70s Project Showed Drug Treatment Works | ||||||||||||||||||||
Few American cities have been more devastated by illegal drug use than
Washington. Abusers of heroin, crack and cocaine have fed robbery and
burglary rates, sent child welfare caseloads soaring and clogged courts
and jails. They also have overwhelmed the city's treatment centers; of
the District's estimated 65,000 substance abusers, barely 10 percent
can be accommodated by local treatment programs today. | ||||||||||||||||||||
It wasn't always like this. Hard as it may be to believe, a little more
than 25 years ago the District fought the drug war successfully--and a
crucial element of that success was a comprehensive drug treatment
system, one that was considered a model for the nation. The system's
brief but remarkable history provides compelling evidence of just how
effective treatment can be in reducing drug abuse and crime in the
nation's cities. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
US: OPED: Nixon Had It Right | ||||||||||||||||||||
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A BIG-TIME BUST | ||||||||||||||||||||
Finally, There Is Hard Evidence That Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Clogs
Prisons With First-Time Offenders | ||||||||||||||||||||
A prime weapon in the war on drugs since the mid-1980s has been
mandatory minimum sentences that give judges no leeway in determining
how many years an offender should spend behind bars. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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REPORT CRITICIZES PROBE OF TEXAS BORDER SHOOTING | ||||||||||||||||||||
A congressional report to be made public Thursday is critical of the Justice Department investigation into the shooting death of a Texas man by U.S. Marines on an anti-drug patrol. "They simply did not do their job,'' Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said Wednesday. "The next step is for the Department of Justice to take some additional actions.'' | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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JESSE "THE MIND" VENTURA | ||||||||||||||||||||
MEET THE PRESS | ||||||||||||||||||||
MR. RUSSERT: You've said a couple of controversial things during the
campaign, and I want to give you a chance to talk about them so we have
your full beliefs in context. The first involved drugs, and let me put
on the screen some comments and give you a chance to talk about them.
Hemp or marijuana is not addictive. Decriminalize it and get those drug
dealers to start paying taxes. And what you do in the privacy of your
own home is your own business. If someone takes LSD and locks
themselves up at home, why should I care? Anyway, I ve done way more
stupid things on alcohol than I ve ever done on pot. What is your sense
of drugs, Governor-Elect? | ||||||||||||||||||||
GOV.-ELECT VENTURA: Well, my sense is this, you know, I believe you ve
got to fight the war from the demand side, not the supply side. I mean,
for goodness sake, we have Stillwater State Penitentiary here and we
can't keep drugs out of there, and these people are locked up 24 hours
a day. If you re going to fight the war on drugs, you fight it on the
demand side. And I don't believe that government should be invading
the privacy of our own homes, and I also believe that you shouldn't be
legislating stupidity. If there are stupid people out there doing
stupid things, it's not the government's job to try to make them be
smarter. We live in a land of freedom. And again, if we can t keep
drugs out of the state penitentiary, how on earth do they propose we re
going to do it out on the street corner? You fight it on the demand
side. You get people to be smart and intelligent. It's like a business.
You don't create a product because of supply; you create it because
there s a demand for it. | ||||||||||||||||||||
MR. RUSSERT: Would you consider decriminalizing marijuana and other drugs? | ||||||||||||||||||||
GOV.-ELECT VENTURA: I said absolutely not at this time. I do believe in
industrial hemp. I think we re missing the boat on that. You can make
food out of or, I mean, clothing out of it. Excuse me, not food, but
you can make clothing out of it. You can make paper out of it. It s an
industry that will create jobs out there. Canada is using it. We're
not. And I also believe medicinal marijuana should be allowed. I mean,
my goodness, a doctor can give you a prescription for morphine and yet
they can't prescribe you marijuana? I think that should be left up to
the medical community for people that are that ill and in that much
pain. I don't believe the government should be telling them what they
can or cannot use. It should be in the medical community and up to the
doctors and physicians to do that. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Note: Only the part of the transcript that is on topic for this service is
provided. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
International news may even be more indicative of the International
tendency towards reform. Switzerland will soon vote on the Droleg
referendum, Germany seems to have suddenly come to life on a number of
reform fronts and the UK, Canada, and even Ireland are beginning to
embrace reform ideas. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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AND WHAT IF THE STATE SHOULD TAKE CHARGE | ||||||||||||||||||||
A half-century of drug prohibition has not impeded the exponential
growth of the black market and has enriched the increasingly-efficient
criminal elements who trade in drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
According to the promoters of the DROLEG initiative, to be voted on at
the end of the month, it is time to change course and initiate a
regulated market for the now-prohibited drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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GERMANY WEIGHING POT LEGALIZATION | ||||||||||||||||||||
BONN (November 8, 1998 08:56 a.m. EST) - | ||||||||||||||||||||
Germany's new government said it will study the case made for
legalizing possession of small quantities of soft drugs such as
cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"We're certainly going to look at it. There have been some interesting
essays on this and an EU report on it, too," Interior Minister Otto
Schily told Spiegel news magazine in an article made available on
Sunday. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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DRUGS TSAR TELLS CUSTOMS TO GO SOFT ON CANNABIS SMUGGLERS | ||||||||||||||||||||
THE government's drug tsar has ordered customs officers to take a
softer approach to cannabis smugglers. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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DRUG REFORM: US SAYS YES | ||||||||||||||||||||
FOR DECADES, conventional drug policy has been sustained by powerful
myths. One of the most potent of these myths was the widespread belief
that support for drug-policy reform inevitably meant political suicide
at the ballot box. Results in this week's United States mid-term
Congressional elections are further evidence that support for a rigid
"tough on drugs" approach may soon he a political liability. Perhaps
that day has already arrived. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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VETTER WANTS TO GIVE HEROIN TO SICK ADDICTS | ||||||||||||||||||||
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[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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HEROIN ON PRESCRIPTION AS ADDICTION SOLUTION URGED | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Government should consider new approaches to the drug problem,
including prescribing legal heroin, according to a member of the
National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Father Seen Cassin, former head of the Merchants Quay project, told a
Deil Committee yesterday that a Swiss project prescribing heroin to
addicts had claimed "significantly good" results. The NDST is the
statutory agency set up to co-ordinate the work of local drugs task
forces. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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WAR ON DRUGS HAS FAILED | ||||||||||||||||||||
The War On Drugs Has Failed, Mayors' Meeting Told | ||||||||||||||||||||
Seattle -- The war on drugs has been a dismal failure and new tactics
are needed, Canadian and U.S. civic officials agree. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"We can't afford the police, we can't afford the gaol time and we can't afford the costs," Seattle Mayor Paul Schell told a Cascadia Mayors' Council conference that included Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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DANGEROUS HABITS | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 years ago, a Lancet editorial began, "The smoking of cannabis, even
long term, is not harmful to health" (Nov 11, 1995); an assertion
criticized by many readers as encouraging an indulgence that is illegal
in many countries. Predictably, the legalise-cannabis lobby seized on
The Lancet's apparent endorsement of this substance's safety. This week
we publish a seminar on the adverse effects of cannabis (p 1611) .
Wayne Hall and Nadia Solowij conclude that the most likely adverse
effects of smoking cannabis are bronchial irritation, the risk of
accidents when intoxicated, dependence, and possible cognitive
impairment with heavy, long-term use. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The evidence summarized in this seminar was considered by a committee
of the UK House of Lords which reported on Nov 11 . The committee
recommended that clinical trials be done on the effects of cannabis in
multiple sclerosis and in chronic pain, and that the UK Government
should reclassify cannabis so that it can be prescribed by doctors
under certain circumstances. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
ONLINE VOTE RUNNING NOW! | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to John Chase for this heads up: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Marketplace, a radio feature on National Public Radio, | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results will be tallied for the end of the week so act now! | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Reviews WEBSITE OF THE WEEK | ||||||||||||||||||||
The UK Cannabis Internet Activists met on line back in 1995, taught
themselves HTML (the markup language used by all web browsers), and got
to work on building a site that is clearly organised and nice to look
at. A site edited by partisans must be interpreted with caution, but
the approach seems responsible and incorporates links or references to
information from many reputable sources. | ||||||||||||||||||||
These include the BMA, whose report recommending a change in the law to
allow research on the use of cannabinoids in chronic illness, published
almost a year ago to the day, has plainly been influential. This week
the House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee concurs (p 1337),
and there seems little doubt that change in the law will follow. Events
in the United States are moving in the same direction, following
pressure from groups such as the Campaign for the Restoration and
Regulation of Hemp ( http://www.crrh.org/ ). A total of seven states
covering a fifth of the nation's population have directly contradicted
federal drug laws in recent referendums. Far more sites argue for
reform than for the status quo: despite an assiduous morning's
browsing on a high speed network, anti-drug sites proved elusive. On
the internet at least, those fighting the war on the "war on drugs" are
definitely winning. | ||||||||||||||||||||
While advocacy abounds, hard scientific evidence about cannabis is hard
to find. There are, for example, no trials reported at: | ||||||||||||||||||||
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
`A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will
lose both, and deserve neither' - Thomas Jefferson' | ||||||||||||||||||||
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TIP OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
NORML Conference Now Viewable On-Line | ||||||||||||||||||||
If you missed the CSPAN coverage from Thursday, the first 78 minutes
are on line now, with more to follow (Rolf says he has two computers
crunching video as fast as they can). | ||||||||||||||||||||
So you can see the start of the NORML conference, and check back later to see more. Go to: http://www.legalize-usa.org/TOCs/video7.htm | ||||||||||||||||||||
Check out Rolf Ernst's excellent newly updated index here as well. A really outstanding video and audio drug policy archive | ||||||||||||||||||||
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FACT OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Letters to the Editor - The Second Most Read Feature | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Of possible interest to all, I just found out that the average daily
readership of the Chronicle is now over 500,000, and that the second
most widely read feature is the LTE column (called "Viewpoints" in the
Chronicle). So much for the story that someone was trying to float a
year or so ago that talk radio had made LTE's obsolete. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cheers / Al | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Alan Robison | ||||||||||||||||||||
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