| December 3, 1999 #126 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Drug Policy Information - There When You Need It | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The Internet has been a boon to drug policy reformers worldwide. It has
improved communication and information dissemination in ways that were
barely imaginable even a few years ago. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Drug policy information has become so prevalent on the web that it is
easy to take some of the phenomenal resources for granted or even
forget they exist when the time comes that we need information on a
particular drug policy topic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
This week we thought we would feature some of these information
resources in order to remind or enlighten our readers of just a few of
the many valuable drug policy information resources that are available
via the Internet whenever you may need them | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Looking for specific information on practically any drug related
subject? Check out http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Or for a more versatile search capability see http://www.mapinc.org/find/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
It is a searchable collection of thousands of news articles collected
over the last 3 years from media sources around the world by volunteers
of The Media Awareness Project (MAP) of the DrugSense organization. You
can search "recent news" (last 2 weeks) or other selections including
searching the entire archive. Search on 3 or 4 words like "marijuana
medical McCaffrey" (don't use quotes). You don't have to put "and"
between your search terms and don't use common words like "the" or
"for." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Click the Search button and a list of the headlines of all the news
articles that contain all the words you asked for will be presented to
you. Scan these and click on any that sound interesting. You will then
be presented with the entire news article and all the search terms you
asked for will be highlighted for easy scanning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Included is the publication's name, date of the article, the Email
address for writing letters to the editor (best for recent articles
only) the author of the article and more. You can have any or all of
the articles emailed to you with a couple of mouse clicks or you can
read them on-line. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
If you use this tool once you will bookmark it and use it often. It may
be one of the easiest to use and most complete information resources
available on a vast array of drug related subjects. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
DrugSense also provides a daily synopsis of all drug related news
called DrugNews-Digest (we find and archive about 300 articles every
week, usually within 24 hours of publication.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A weekly newsletter of the most important developments in the news on
drug policy is also available. It is E-mailed to you once a week. A
weekly Focus Alert that enables you to take action by writing letters
to the editor responding to important news issues, and an excellent
array of Drug War Facts complete with citations can also be viewed or
subscribed to. See http://www.drugsense.org/ and | ||||||||||||||||||||||
If you want to become a volunteer "NewsHawk" and help MAP by submitting articles you've spotted see http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
For a huge collection of drug and drug policy related groups and
information on specific areas of interest see | ||||||||||||||||||||||
For drug war Facts with citations see http://www.csdp.org/factbook/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
For a Clock that counts the costs of the drugwar (in dollars lives and suffering) as you watch see http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
For a comprehensive alternative to our failed drug policies see
http://www.csdp.org/edcs/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Two developments challenging the credibility of the drug war were
reported from the Mexican border: on Monday, Molly Moore's Washington
Post piece detailed a staggering increase in drugs smuggled into the
US despite all recent efforts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
On Tuesday the 30th, both the Post and the New York Times reported
that US and Mexican officials were exhuming between 100 and 300
corpses from two mass graves near Ciudad Juarez; its still to early to
gauge the impact of these revelations; they will at least spoil ONDCPs
Holiday season; perhaps even worse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Based on a prescient interview given just before these developments aired, recently ousted DEA Chief Constantine is sure to have a lot more to say- perhaps even an audience that will listen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(1) SHARP RISE IN BORDER DRUG SEIZURES WORRIES U.S. (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY - Cocaine and marijuana seizures inside the southwestern
U.S. border and along Mexico's Pacific coast have escalated dramatically
in the past two years, alarming U.S. law enforcement authorities who
say Mexican traffickers are sending greater quantities and larger loads
of drugs into the United States. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Seizures of marijuana by U.S. agencies along the southwestern U.S.
border, where 70 percent of all illicit drugs enter the country, are up
as much as 33 percent over last year, according to U.S. drug
interdiction agencies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(2) MASS GRAVES FOUND IN MEXICO (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
FBI Joins In Recovery Of Bodies Linked To Drug-Related Violence | ||||||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY, Nov. 29 - Mexican and U.S. authorities today discovered
decaying remains in mass graves believed to contain scores of victims
of drug-related violence near the border city of Ciudad Juarez,
according to officials in both countries. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(3) EX-DEA CHIEF - I WAS IGNORED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Economic Concerns Superseded Drug-Fighting, He Says | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ALBANY, N.Y. - During the five years that Thomas Constantine spent as
the United States' top drug-enforcement official, he never sat down
with President Clinton to discuss drug policy. He was never called to
brief the president on a major enforcement issue. The phone never rang
for a chat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
"The policy makers from the National Security Council and the State
Department started with the premise that they were going to certify
Mexico," Constantine said recently of what he described as the
administration's unspoken determination to put economic concerns ahead
of drug issues. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
"I watched that situation for 5 1/2 years, and every year it became
worse," he finally said of the drug trade in Mexico. "We were not
adequately protecting the citizens of the United States from these
organized-crime Figures." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (4) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Judge Judy's inhumane Australian recommendation for treatment of drug
injectors was finally aired by an American source- a formidable one at
that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
If Judy runs true to form, her response will be feisty. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(4) COLUMN: THE NEW CALLOUSNESS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Judge Judy, the doyenne of syndicated self-righteousness, solidified
that preeminence two weeks ago at a literary luncheon in Brisbane,
Australia. On tour to promote her new book, "Beauty Fades, Dumb Is
Forever," she suggested that instead of attempting to control AIDS and
hepatitis by providing clean needles to drug addicts we should "give
them all dirty needles and let them die." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Instead of resulting in universal derision (and, even more justly, a
lightning bolt from the sky) this stunning proposal evoked cheers from
her fans in the audience. But it got not a mention from the U.S. press
(indeed, if it weren't for the people at Fairness and Accuracy in
Reporting, I never would have heard about it). Granted, Judge Judy
isn't William Rehnquist, but the sharp-tongued, dull-witted jurist's
opinions - doled out on her top-rated TV show - are heard by millions
more people than the Chief Justice's. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (5-6) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A perceptive criticism of American intellectuals was voiced by a
professor from a small college writing in an Arkansas newspaper (of
all places). While he related it to personal drug use, it can be
equally applied to our learned professions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The other side of the coin- the public's ability to deal with policy
issues on an intellectual level- doesn't receive very high marks
either. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(5) HONESTY AND THE WAR ON DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of communism was the way it forced those who lived under it to lie about just about everything, from the trivial to the most important aspects of every-day life. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
This institutionalized form of lying, what the social scientists now
pretentiously call "preference falsification," was, of course,
ultimately dysfunctional for such societies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A culture is not healthy when it is built upon a foundation of lies and
when it then preserves itself by systematically punishing the
expression of truths that all can see but are afraid to acknowledge.
All of this comes to mind when considering the tortured manner in which
our own society attempts to deal with the question of drugs and past
drug usage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(6) EDITORIAL: A SHADOW OVER DEMOCRACY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
To the depressing list of things American students know too little
about, add democracy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Education have found that
only one in four high school seniors is well informed about
constitutional government, how the nation's laws work, and the ideals
and values of democracy. Fully 35% lacked even a basic understanding.
The poor results help explain the low rate of participation in public
affairs by younger Americans. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The strongest barrier to assaults on American rights and freedoms, the
surest means for detecting and resisting demagogy, is an informed
citizenry. When only 26% of a representative sampling of high school
seniors has more than a rudimentary understanding of the political
process, there's cause for serious national concern. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (7-8) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
California's powerful prison guards union launched a frankly political
attack on perceived political enemies; their legal defense fund became
much more critical after last year's allegations of widespread inmate
mistreatment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
In the case of the St Luis Obispo County jail (not run by CCO, but by deputies) it seems more simple callousness than systematic abuse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(7) PRISON GUARD UNION SNAPS AT TOP STATE DEMOCRATS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - California's prison guard union is blaming several high-ranking state Democrats for killing a plan to have the state foot the bill for a $2 million correctional officer legal defense fund. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The union recently mailed a brochure to its 28,000 members and labeled
those Democrats as "powerful enemies" who were a threat to the union's
salary gains. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The tersely worded mailer took to task California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Democratic Sens. John Vasconcellos of San Jose and Richard Polanco of Los Angeles, and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown for their comments on cutting prison spending and expanding inmate rights. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(8) WALKING FATAL FOR FREED JAIL INMATE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
SAN LUIS OBISPO (AP) - For freed County Jail inmates, the four-mile walk to town can be a deadly trek. Two were recently struck by cars on Highway 1 and one of them, a legally blind man, was killed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (9) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Add Ismael Mena to the growing list of names of innocent residents
executed in their own homes by police who are supposed to be
"protecting and serving" them- all because of a wrong address, a bum
steer from an informant- whatever. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
It doesn't seem to matter to anyone but the victim and his family.
Certainly not to the cops; they're too busy filling out the next
search warrant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(9) COPS' FATAL DRUG RAID MAY HAVE HIT WRONG HOUSE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Nov. 30 - Did Denver police target the wrong house in a "no-knock" drug
raid in which they shot a man to death? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
And if so, did they raid that house because of falsified information on
a police affidavit? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Those are among the questions being asked in the police and district
attorney's investigation into the Sept. 29 raid at 3738 High St. in
northeast Denver. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ismael Mena, 45, was shot eight times by police officers when he
reportedly refused to drop a pistol he was pointing at SWAT officers
who had just broken in the front door of his home. Mena died at the
scene. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis | ||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (10-11) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A report from Washington state: Medical users haven't had to repeat
the worst aspects of California's post-215 struggles, but things are
by no means smooth. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Part of the reason- continued DEA intransigence- was examined in a
perceptive op-ed in the Denver Post. Colorado will vote for keeps in
its next state election cycle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(10) JURY STILL OUT ON MARIJUANA LAW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Debate continues over the use of drug for medicinal purposes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ABERDEEN, Wash. -- "Jack," a 67-year-old former paratrooper, had never
smoked pot when voters in Washington approved a new medical marijuana
law a year ago this month. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Since then, he's been diagnosed with a tumor in his lower back that has
left him in agony, barely able to move. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
That Jack and a friend who delivers his marijuana asked that they not
be identified illustrates the status of Washington's year-old medical
marijuana law. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(11) OPED: FEDERAL DRUG AGENCY BATTLES LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The voters in California, Arizona, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Washington
and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of marijuana for
medical reasons. It hasn't made any difference to the Drug Enforcement
Administration. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
To the DEA, marijuana is a Schedule I drug, and, therefore, must be
strictly regulated by the federal government. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The medical marijuana prosecutions in California are a warning to the
tens of thousands of seriously ill citizens who use marijuana to ease
their pain and nausea. The case of author and publisher Peter
McWilliams of Los Angeles is illustrative of how federal drug agents
and federal prosecutors are targeting those who are ill and using state
authorized medical marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (12) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Far a man who supposedly took two years off to think about important
issues, Candidate Bradley had little to say when asked about medical
use of cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(12) BRADLEY QUIZZED ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
DERRY, N.H. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley said Monday he is currently opposed to legalizing marijuana for medical use, but he did not rule out the possibility after further study. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
In an evening town-hall-style forum on New Hampshire's WNDS-TV, an audience member named Dave beseechingly asked Bradley to tap his ``good will'' for the American people and support marijuana use by cancer patients who ``just want to get some sleep and keep a meal down.'' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradley, who has admitted to ``a few puffs'' of marijuana in the early
1970s, when he was playing professional basketball, replied: ``I don't
support medical marijuana now. I think it's something we have to study
more before we decide to do it.'' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (13-14) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Newsweek acknowledged Afghanistan's preeminence in heroin production,
and - by implication, a role for neighboring Pakistan in global heroin
trade. Remember: Pakistan has nuclear weapons and just underwent its
third military coup. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
In Australia, where record purity and availability have fueled heroin
sales; that increase is causing some to wonder if (successful) harm
reduction measures aren't somehow responsible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
It's amazing how prohibitionists are able to confuse cause and effect. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(13) AFGHANISTAN: THE HOLY MEN OF HEROIN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Afghanistan has been ruined by war. But it does one job better than
anyplace else in the world: produce opium. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to this year's bumper poppy crop, the country has become the
world's undisputed leader in the production of opium. The United
Nations estimates that Afghanistan accounted for an astonishing three
quarters of global output in 1999, eclipsing the Golden Triangle region
of Burma, Laos and Thailand. Afghan heroin is sold in neighboring
Pakistan, which has nearly 2 million addicts, and also in Iran, Central
Asia and Russia. As much as 90 percent of the heroin used in Europe
originates in Afghanistan. Although most of the heroin sold in the
United States comes from Colombia, American officials worry that
increased quantities of Afghan drugs will find their way here. This
presents policy makers in Washington and other capitals with a dilemma.
How do you combat drug production in a country that, even if you ignore
the heroin trade, already is treated like a pariah? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(14) AUSTRALIA: HEROIN, IT'S WHITE HOT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
It is shaping up to be a tragic, quintessentially Australian dilemma, a sad, perplexing trend that seems to negate one of the world's more successful public health strategies, as PAOLA TOTARO writes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to a pioneering commitment to harm minimization schemes like
needle exchange, we lead the world in stemming the burgeoning incidence
of blood-borne viruses like HIV and hepatitis C - yet Australia is
awash with heroin users. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
More and more people are using illicit drugs, first-time heroin users
are becoming younger, are using syringes far earlier and injecting much
more often. The price of heroin has continued to plummet in NSW and
Victoria, with the median price hitting a low of $240 a gram in Sydney
this year, nearly half the cost just two years ago. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Unlike the Netherlands, Switzerland and some cities in Germany, we
don't appear to be putting a dent in drug use. In Switzerland, overdose
deaths have been halved, from 419 in 1992 to 209 last year, while our
fatality rates continue to rise, from 347 in 1988 to more than 600 in
1997. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (15-16) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The spread of HIV by injection drug users is becoming more of a
problem in nations which are relative newcomers to the exploding world
heroin markets. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(15) INDONESIA: OPED: THE FUTURE OF AIDS TIED UP WITH DRUG USE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
JAKARTA (JP): I'm angry! For those who know me, that's not unusual, but
this time I'm really angry! Why? I've just come from sitting with four
young people who have recently found out that they are HIV positive.
That means that the virus which causes AIDS is now multiplying in their
blood stream, and some time in the future, maybe in ten years time,
they'll fall sick. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
You may say my four young friends are lucky. They'll probably get to
live for at least another 12 years -- if they stay clean. But every
day, one or two of their mates die in Jakarta of an overdose. Hospital
emergency rooms don't know how to treat overdoses; they don't have the
time or the medicines to save them. Many die at home, because no one
knows how to give first aid, and the ambulance service -- well let's
forget the ambulance service, you're better off waiting for a taxi in a
thunderstorm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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(16) RUSSIA: DRUG ABUSE BLAMED FOR HIV SURGE IN MOSCOW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
MOSCOW Needle-sharing among intravenous drug users has set off an
explosive increase in HIV infections, with the number of new cases
reported in Moscow so far this year more than four times greater than
in all of 1998, the World Health Organization said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The principal AIDS expert in Russia for the UN agency, Arkadiusz Majszyk, said the sharp increase was quite likely to continue for at least two or three more years, spreading to sexual partners before it levels off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Nobody knows the true number of drug users in Russia, a nation of 146
million people, but experts place the total at about 2.5 million, with
2 million of them needle users. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (17) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thailand has been fulsomely praised by McCzar for reducing their heroin production; however it seems there's a catch.... | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(17) THAILAND: RIVAL TO HEROIN IS THAILAND'S NEW NEMESIS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
MAE SAI, Thailand - Here in the Golden Triangle, amid jungles and the
legacies of heroin and death, Thailand has mobilized its army against
smugglers who are flooding this country with a devilish drug known as
yaba, or crazy medicine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Few countries have moved more aggressively or successfully against heroin than Thailand. Once a major producer, the country no longer grows enough opium to satisfy the demands of its own addicts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
But just as Thai officials were prepared to declare victory in the war against drugs, yaba surfaced as a new threat, addicting as many as 1 million Thais and wreaking social havoc throughout the country. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Yaba is the local name for a form of methamphetamine, similar to speed,
that is usually smoked but can be ingested or injected. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top)------- | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Arianna Huffington Web Page Discussion Re Judge Judy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Kendra Wright Informs Us: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I wrote a quick post on the Arianna On-line Forum to kick off
discussion about Judge Judy's comments and the Drug War. It is near the
very end of the "General Topics" list which I got to by clicking on
"columns" from her home page http://ariannaonline.com/ That takes you
to her most recent column (11/29) which leads off with the Judge Judy
story. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
My post is entitled, Drug users-Judge Judy says "let 'em die." Stop by
and provide your 2 cents on the issue. Let's make it clear that Judge
Judy's position is not a popular one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(You must register to post on the Arianna site but it is free and takes only a few seconds to set up-requires only a user name (whatever you like) and an email address-they'll email you a password.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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NORML Cannabis Legalization Survey On-line | ||||||||||||||||||||||
For those who may be interested and have not yet seen it, the NORML
website has a survey asking for ideas on the best way to legalize
cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to Steve Heath for the heads up | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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PBS NewsHour Web Discussion | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I just discovered that PBS has a website set up by The NewsHour with
Jim Lehrer allowing people to vote on the issues they believe are most
important. Also included is the space for comments. I'd like to urge
any and all subscribers to leave a comment on the website asking for a
discussion of drug policy reform, especially reform in the way the
various departments under the direction of the Executive Branch, such
as the DEA, conduct their drug raiding operations. Special attention
should be made to the gross injustices brought upon innocent people
accidentally implicated, and as we know, sometimes killed, in supposed
drug operations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
See: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/election2000/special_emphasis.html | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thanks to Dan Davidson | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH (Top)------ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Martha G. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
This month we recognize Martha G. (sometimes known as FoM). Martha has
been newshawking a very significant share of the news clippings we
provide each day. Additionally, Martha maintains a website,
http://www.cannabisnews.com/ where she also posts news items in a
format which allows readers to comment on the items. With all she does
Martha still finds time to join the discussions at the politics
message board at http://www.cannabis.com/boards/ and visit the
DrugSense chat room at http://www.DrugSense.org/chat/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
We asked Martha what motivated her to be so active, and she responded: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
In 1996 I lost my son to AIDS on Memorial Day. I had been so focused on
his illness over many years that when he passed away I didn't have any
direction. My husband got me my first computer and slowly I found my
way to drug policy reform issues. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I went to MSNBC News chat for a year and a half but realized we would
never talk about important issues -- so I finally started trying to
find ways to make a difference. After the novelty of the Internet has
worn off a little, if you care about the current drug laws, you will
start reading. In my reading. I started to see the big picture - but it
didn't come over night. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
We must make change for the future and for us. I don't want to see
children winding up in jail for being young and experimenting with a
substance. I care for the children enough so that I want sanity to
return to our country. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Compassion isn't a word to be shunned - it is one to be embraced. We
need a sensible drug policy! That is what inspires me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
My son was denied marijuana when he asked his hospice nurse one day a few weeks before he passed away. She said "No! It is illegal!" I knew that somehow I must change these terrible situations. It hurt him so much and it hurt me beyond belief. So passion is what drives me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The good people like all the people at Mapinc. are sustaining me - even
if they don't know it - they are. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
DS: Thank you, Martha, for all that you are doing! Martha's name will be added to the list of honored volunteers on the following web page within the next few days: http://www.drugsense.org/dswvol.htm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
"To accept drug use as an undeniable cultural reality, and not an
individual manifestation of criminality, is a step in a the right
direction." -- Britta Van Dun, Eymet, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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writing activists. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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