| August 4, 2000 #160 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DrugSense/MAP Replies to ONDCP Accusations / By Mark Greer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n462/a11.html in a reply from ONDCP to Salon.com, and again in the excerpted Action Alert from Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) below, the ONDCP director Barry McCaffrey and ONDCP assistant director for strategic planning Robert Housman have accused the Media Awareness Project (MAP) of collusion with "biased" journalists. Our reply below clearly demonstrates the intentional fabrications put forth by the ONDCP and their disingenuous smear tactics directed toward MAP and any journalist with the temerity to question ONDCP methods or objectives. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dear Fairness and Accuracy in reporting (FAIR): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
One of our members forwarded the Action Alert below to me. I am the
Executive Director of the Media Awareness Project (MAP) d/b/a DrugSense
which Barry McCaffrey director of the ONDCP, alludes to below. We are a
nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to disseminating honest
accurate and scientifically valid information on drug policy related
matters. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I wish to make you aware that McCaffrey and the ONDCP is being
deliberately disingenuous in its defensive attack on Daniel Forbes and
Salon.com and in its attempt to misrepresent MAP. McCaffrey claims that
his "proof" that Forbes is "biased" in his coverage is that his
articles are reproduced in the MAP news archive. While MAP does indeed
encourage sensible alternatives to our failed drug war, our news
archive is an unbiased collection of all news articles on drug policy
issues from all sources we can find regardless of ideology. We have
been archiving these articles since 1997. All are fully searchable on
any drug policy related subject and the archive has become the most
popular and informative web site on drug policy on either side of the
issue. The archive is receiving nearly 3 millions hits per month (far
more than any ONDCP web site.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To further demonstrate that McCaffrey and the ONDCP is being
intentionally misleading I researched our entire archive of more than
41,000 news articles. I found more than 2,000 which mention Barry
McCaffrey and 38 that were actually written by him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By contrast Daniel Forbes is mentioned in only 24 articles and is the
author of just 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I have also received personal email from the ONDCP staff thanking me and
MAP for the work it is doing and informing me that General McCaffrey
uses our archive daily and would be unable to obtain such concise and
timely drug policy news via any other means. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Based on the misleading and inaccurate conclusions drawn by McCaffrey
in the Action Alert below and the statistics above it must be assumed
that it is, in fact, Barry McCaffrey who is biased. Using his dubious
rationale it must also be assumed that he is very strongly in favor of
drug policy alternatives. Since he has 3 times more articles in our
archive he must be 3 times more in favor of drug policy reform than
Daniel Forbes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The data can all be verified by searching our archive at: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
These facts should clearly point out McCaffrey's lack of logic,
honesty, and reason. A search of our archives will demonstrate an
impressive history of additional factual inaccuracies, inconsistent
claims, and misleading "facts" disseminated by the ONDCP and General
McCaffrey in particular. This fact is further augmented by web sites
portraying a series of ads documenting his tendency to play fast and
loose with facts. See | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.csdp.org/ads/pinocchio.htm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I respectfully submit that it is not Daniel Forbes or any other
investigative reporter who should be accused of bias but the ONDCP and
McCaffrey whose intentions, honesty, and reasoning should be called
into question. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
We have nothing against McCaffrey personally but we, like you, are
dedicated to fairness and accuracy and the good general has
demonstrated no such dedication in fact he consistently seems to
demonstrate a complete disregard for fairness, accuracy, truth, science
or reason. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sincerely | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mark Greer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FAIR-L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ACTION ALERT: Drug Czar Continues Assault on First Amendment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July 31, 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Once again, White House Drug Czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey is using federal
funding to bribe corporations to surreptitiously insert | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salon.com (1/13/00) first broke the story that McCaffrey was giving TV networks a financial incentive to put messages about drugs into entertainment programming. Congress authorized McCaffrey's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to place millions of dollars' worth of anti-drug commercials, but with the condition that the TV industry donate time for similar public service announcements. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
McCaffrey's office responded to the Salon articles by accusing reporter
Daniel Forbes of not being a "disinterested reporter" and asking Salon
to disclose Forbes' "bias." The evidence: Forbes has written articles
that have been reposted on the website of the Media Awareness Project,
which promotes drug policy alternatives. ONDCP denies it is trying to
discredit Forbes, just trying to get Salon to practice "honest
journalism"; "I think the reader should know," McCaffrey aide Robert
Housman told the Boston Globe (4/10/00). This sudden fondness for full
disclosure seems strange, given that ONDCP has been very quiet about
its role in the anti-drug propaganda it encourages. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For more background information, see: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FAIR
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (1-2) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following two columns suggest that hostility to our drug policy is
being far more outspokenly expressed by that important corps of elite
pundits who write regularly in influential dailies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1) BREAKING THE SILENCE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Imagine a country, a democracy, with a domestic program that is
increasingly costly and socially disruptive. The problem it is supposed
to solve has actually grown worse over the years -- but neither major
political party will talk about changing the policy. That is a picture
of the United States and its drug policy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By any rational test the war on drugs, with its use of the criminal law and harsh sentences to solve the problem, is a costly failure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the face of this political and social disaster the Republican and
Democratic parties offer: silence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Their leaders are evidently afraid that even discussing different
approaches might get them labeled as soft on drugs. But the silence is
about to be broken. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In tandem with the Republican National Convention starting Monday in
Philadelphia, and later with the Democrats, there will be shadow
conventions that discuss the failed war on drugs and two other issues
that the major parties have not solved: campaign finance and the gap
between rich and poor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(2) MAKE WAR ON THE WAR ON DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Justice Department has just issued another indicator of the damage
being done by the war on drugs: An all-time high of 6.3 million people
were under correctional supervision in 1999--1.86 million men and women
behind bars and 4.5 million on parole or probation, 24 percent of them
for drug offenses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The criminal justice system reached 1 percent of the adult population in 1980. Its reach now exceeds 3 percent--about one of every 32 people. Our $40 billion-a-year war on drugs has created more prisons, more criminals, more drug abuse and more disease. An estimated 60 percent of AIDS cases in women are attributed to dirty needles and syringes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (3-4) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Additional, and more direct protest against the drug war was aired in
Philadelphia at the first of two shadow conventions. As the first
article suggests, the goal is to steal media coverage for key issues
the major parties won't discuss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
At this juncture, there's no clear indicator of the impact in
Philadelphia, but all seem to agree that LA- ten days hence- will be a
lot bigger and generate correspondingly more interest. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(3) SHADOW CONVENTIONS MAY SHIFT KLIEG-LIGHTS FROM GOP (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Protest events are intended to highlight issues parties fail to
address, such as global trade and campaign finance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But for all the organizers' earnest efforts to jump-start the nation's
political debate, they're still dependent on the news media to make
their point. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And so far, they haven't gotten a lot of ink. In part, this is because
the media spotlight is still shining brightly on the two parties' pre
convention maneuvering, like Governor Bush's recent choice of former
Defense Secretary Dick Cheney as his running mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(4) IN THE 'SHADOW', NOTHING LURKS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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PHILADELPHIA--An alternative convention that promises to be anything but conventional got off to a raucous start Sunday when Sen. John McCain was interrupted by boos and hisses for departing from talk of campaign finance reform to underline his endorsement of George W. Bush. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Huffington made it clear that lively exchanges are completely in keeping with the irreverent spirit of the shadow convention, a political hybrid that promises to use everything from speeches to stand-up satire to showcase campaign finance reform, the racial inequities of the drug war and the gap between rich and poor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"This is a convention that is designed to promote debate, not stifle
it," Huffington told the packed forum. "Those who want to hear people
preach to the choir should go somewhere else." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Among those not preaching to the choir Sunday was Rep. Tom Campbell
(R-San Jose), who attacked the Clinton administration's $1.3-billion
aid package for the drug war in Colombia, saying it would be better
spent on U.S. drug rehabilitation programs. He excoriated the racial
gap in drug convictions, which jail more black Americans than white
Americans. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"The drug war has failed," Campbell said. "I cannot remain silent." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (5-7) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In other drug policy news, a record ecstasy seizure in LA confirmed
that the latest 'drug menace' is well underway. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The predictable legislative response was a move to increase penalties for trafficking in the drug; in addition, Congressional bills attacking ecstasy became the latest Trojan Horse for censorship provisions like those just cropped from the anti-meth bill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(5) RECORD AMOUNT OF 'ECSTASY' SEIZED FROM PLANE IN L.A. (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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LOS ANGELES -- Federal agents in Los Angeles announced Wednesday that they have seized $40 million worth of the hallucinogenic party drug "ecstasy," the largest such capture in U.S. history and a sign of the increasing popularity and profitability of the so-called club drug. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
At a news conference held in his downtown offices, U.S. Attorney
Alejandro N. Mayorkas said the Ibrahim ring had "tentacles that reached
throughout the world." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He painted Saturday's seizure as evidence of a vast upswing in production of ecstasy, one that threatens to cause serious physical and emotional damage across the country. U.S. Customs officials said the agency has seized nearly 8 million doses of the drug in the past 10 months, more than twice the 3.5 million tablets seized during 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Demand for the drug has surged in the United States and it is
especially sought after by teenagers and young adults who go to
nightclubs and "raves," all-night dance parties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conscious of the potential to make tens of millions of dollars from the
illicit drug, ecstasy traffickers are coalescing into professional
cartels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(6) CRACKING DOWN ON CLUB DRUG DEALERS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There has been an alarming growth in the popularity of a dangerous club drug known as ecstasy. The Drug Enforcement Administration reports that abuse of ecstasy has increased 500 percent over five years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In response to these alarming developments, legislators are pushing new
measures to try to get ecstasy off the streets. U.S. Rep. Judy
Biggert's bill to provide tougher punishment of club drug dealers
likely will be approved by the House this fall. It would greatly
increase the maximum sentence for trafficking ecstasy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois House Republican Leader Lee Daniels also has introduced a bill
that would stiffen state penalties for dealing club drugs. We support
these measures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(7) BUZZ KILL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club-Drug Publishers Could Face Prison Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When Congress tries to burn the Bill of Rights, its motto is "If at first you don't succeed, strike another match." With the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999 bogged down in the House Judiciary Committee, lawmakers have introduced a similar new bill in both houses. The Ecstasy Anti-Proliferation Act takes aim at other drugs but keeps its predecessor's free-speech-destroying measures. Several senators from each party, led by Democrat Bob Graham of Florida, apparently had their aides do a find-and-replace on the Meth Act, changing each occurrence of methamphetamine to Ecstasy or GHB. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT (8): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This Harvard undergraduate journal shamelessly lifted Dan Baum's title
for their series of essays on the drug war. The good news is that they
are interested in the issue; the bad news: although sharply critical
of its failures, they never even question the validity of a
prohibition-based policy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(8) SMOKE AND MIRRORS - AMERICA'S DRUG WAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Looking Back On Three Decades Of American Drug Policy, Are We Winning
The War On Drugs? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WHO'S WINNING THE WAR ON DRUGS? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It doesn't look good for the federal government. Despite record drug
seizures, arrests, and incarceration of drug users, most illegal
substances are still inexpensive and easy to obtain. Today, with nearly
two million citizens behind bars, the United States is competing with
Russia for the dubious distinction of being the nation with the highest
incarceration rate in the world. Last September, the Coalition for
Effective Drug Policy, a consortium of nearly 150 public-health and
public-interest organizations, took out a full-page ad in major
newspapers and magazines proclaiming "It is time to admit the War on
Drugs has failed." Whether or not the War on Drugs has failed, such an
open and bold accusation underscores the growing sense that the
government's current strategy is not working. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons --------- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (9-12) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Another report from the Justice Policy Foundation generated several
ripples; predictably, one was support for CA's Prop 36. Another- and
far less predictable- Bob Weiner's shameless attempt to add an ONDCP
spin. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A reporter for the Detroit Free Press used the report as a starting
point to examine what had happened in Michigan, while an in-depth look
at relevant national politics in Salon highlighted some contradictions
shaping up around the issue. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finally, a NYT report: profiling, a major factor enabling such
disparate treatment of blacks was well understood by Jersey officials
long before the first charges were leveled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(9) DRUG CASES ARE SWELLING STATE PRISONS, STUDY SHOWS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SAN FRANCISCO - The number of drug offenders in many state prisons
tripled from 1986 to 1996, even when adjusting for population growth,
according to a report issued yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The study by the liberal think tank Justice Policy Institute also said the number of blacks jailed on drug charges quintupled during the 10-year period. The study relied on statistics from the Justice Department, Census Bureau and the National Corrections Reporting Program. It looked at 37 states from 1986 to 1996, which the report called "the most punishing decade in our nation's history." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
While the study appeared critical of America's drug policy, the White
House Office of Drug Control Policy said its points were in line with
drug czar Barry McCaffrey's goals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"The institute may be talking in terms of imprisonment, but over the
same period of time, drug use has gone down and crime is at an all-time
low," McCaffrey spokesman Bob Weiner said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(10) REPORT FINDS RACE DISPARITY IN DRUG INCARCERATION RATE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 14 years of the war on drugs, Michigan and several other states have
imprisoned more nonviolent, young, black drug offenders than rapists
and murderers, according to a study released Thursday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A yearlong Justice Policy Institute study of prison data supplied by 37 states shows that all put black drug offenders in prison at greater rates than whites, especially those ages 15-29. The institute is a research and public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(11) HARD TIME FOR SOFT CRIMES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In Philadelphia in 1790, not too far from the site of next week's Republican National Convention, the state of Pennsylvania inaugurated an American experiment: the Walnut Street Penitentiary. It was the first modern prison, and it replaced the stocks, the gallows and beatings with solitary confinement and enforced silence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I doubt any convention speakers will invoke the Walnut Street
Penitentiary from the convention platform. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearing on the eve of the Republican convention, the Justice Policy
Institute's study also underscores a historic irony: In many cases it
is Republicans, not Democrats, who are beginning to ask the hard
questions about the drug war -- including some prominent Republican
officials who will be descending on Philadelphia. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
One of them is California Rep. Tom Campbell of Silicon Valley, who took part in the Justice Policy Institute's press conference on the study. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(12) OLD POLICE MEMO DETAILS RACIAL PROFILING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TRENTON, July 25 -- A memo written three years ago to a former New
Jersey State Police superintendent appears to back claims that he and
other state officials, including the attorney general, were aware of
racial profiling long before publicly acknowledging the practice. The
memo, contained in court papers and first reported today by The
Star-Ledger of Newark, claims that troopers were searching minority
drivers much more than white drivers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (13-14) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canada's supreme Court suddenly put marijuana prohibition on life
support with a decision that confirmed McCzar's worst fears about the
medical use issue- although hardly in the way he (or any of us) might
have expected. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Until the Canadian court decision was announced on Tuesday, the week's biggest cannabis news had been Dan Forbes' Salon expose of just how far McCaffrey at al had been driven by the passage of Prop 215. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(13) LAW AGAINST MARIJUANA STRUCK DOWN IN ONTARIO (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amend statute or face legalization, Ottawa told With reports from Rod
Mickleburgh in Vancouver; and Mark MacKinnon in Ottawa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toronto -- Ontario's highest court has declared the law prohibiting the
possession of marijuana unconstitutional, and has given Ottawa a year
to amend it or lose it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Ontario Court of Appeal said the year is to give Parliament a
chance to fill the void. Meanwhile, marijuana possession is still
illegal. The court ruled yesterday that the law fails to recognize
that marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes by the chronically
ill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Upholding a lower-court decision in the case of Terrance Parker, a
44-year-old epileptic who won a 23-year court battle for the right to
smoke the drug to control his seizures, the appeal court declared the
marijuana possession section of Canada's Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act invalid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(14) FIGHTING 'CHEECH & CHONG' MEDICINE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did The White House Drug Office Go Too Far In Trying To Stop The Spread
Of Medical Marijuana Initiatives? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July 27, 2000 - NEW YORK -- When voters in California and Arizona
passed ballot measures legalizing medicinal marijuana in November 1996,
White House drug czar Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey mobilized his troops to
combat the spread of what he had previously called "Cheech & Chong"
medicine. McCaffrey quickly proposed that doctors who "recommend or
prescribe" marijuana be stripped of their DEA registration -- that is,
their ability to write prescriptions for controlled substances -- and
be excluded from treating Medicare and Medicaid patients. But a group
of California doctors and patient advocacy groups sued to enjoin those
restrictions, and a federal judge agreed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Now that same lawsuit provides evidence of a more ambitious, but less well-known, effort by McCaffrey's Office of National Drug Control Policy to stop the spread of state initiatives legalizing medical marijuana -- an effort that, among other achievements, helped inspire the ONDCP's controversial taxpayer-funded, anti-drug media crusade. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (15-16) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
An item for the "seeing is believing" file is this one about the
Taliban ordering cessation in opium production; especially in view of
a report from a neighboring country. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(15) POPPY GROWING BANNED BY AFGHANISTAN RULERS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taliban rulers in Afghanistan on Friday ordered a complete ban on
growing poppy, the plant from which heroin is made and a major crop in
the Central Asian nation. It was not clear what prompted the order from
the Taliban's Supreme Leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, which was reported
on Taliban-run Radio Shariat. The order comes just two months before
planting season for poppy growers in several provinces of Afghanistan,
the largest opium-producing nation in the world. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(16) TAJIKISTAN POWERLESS TO CONTROL HEROIN TRAFFIC (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NEAR PIANDZH, Afghan-Tajik border, July 26 (AFP) - Tajikistan
authorities are fighting a losing battle to stamp out the growing trade
in Afghan heroin which is financing the arms purchases of the Taliban
rulers in Kabul. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Drug seizures by Tajik authorities have doubled this year, but they
represent only five percent of illegal drug shipments passing through
the former Soviet central Asian republic, according to official
figures. Seizures of Afghan heroin increased tenfold in 1999 in
Tajikistan from 71 to 700 kilograms, but this year have already
attained 700 kilos (1,550 pounds). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (17-19) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Back in the English speaking world, there was intelligent commentary
on drug policy from both Australian and Canadian newspapers; "Least
Bad" is an apt concept- if not a felicitous phrase- and the author
defines it very well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In Toronto, the mayor is being made to look foolish for his on-again,
off-again policy on raves; not every raver is on ecstasy, and there
are thousands of ravers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finally, a Canadian Op-Ed was a prescient anticipation of the Supreme
Court decision. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(17) AUSTRALIA: OPED: LEAST-BAD DRUGS POLICY IS NEEDED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Anglican Primate's proposal goes only so far; a better solution
would be to decriminalise heroin and other so-far illegal drugs, writes
STEPHEN DAWSON. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IN ONE respect Dr Peter Carnley, the Primate of the Anglican Church in
Australia, has come three-quarters of the way towards the least-bad
drugs policy. But three-quarters is likely to cause yet more harm,
while failing to provide much good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dr Carnley, shocked at the 42 heroin overdose deaths in Western
Australia this year, proposes the establishment of not only safe
injecting rooms, but the supply of relatively safe heroin. In this he
implicitly recognises one of the biggest problems that faces Australia
due to drugs, or more pertinently, due to our governments responses to
drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dr Carnley's suggestion goes part of the way. But it is not the
answer. Half-hearted decriminalisation, leaving the quality problem
untouched, is not the answer either. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The least-bad solution is to legalise the possession, use, supply,
importing and manufacturing of currently illegal drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(18) CANADA: A DANCE LESSON FOR MEL LASTMAN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rave Fans To Lobby City Hall To Reinstate Safe Venue Protocol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toronto ravers may not be the reincarnation of that Sixties
counterculture known as the Woodstock Nation. But, like the rock 'n'
roll-influenced activists of another generation, fans of rap, hip
hop and other forms of electronic music seem more than ready to flex
some muscle in order to change the world they live in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(19) CANADA: COLUMN: COURTING MARY JANE IS NO CRIME (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The "war on drugs" reminds me of the Vietnam War. In both wars, all you
read in the newspapers was about the latest victory. During the Vietnam
War, it was the daily body count. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the war on drugs, you read recurrently about police raids, drugs
seized, people charged, convicted, sentenced, imprisoned. Each story
presents a victory over an underground army of criminals, enemies of
the people, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The real war on drugs, if you look at the statistics, is a war against marijuana, a substance less harmful than tobacco or alcohol. And all that costly panoply is as futile as declaring war on coffee. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (20-21) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
We end up, as usual, South of the border; first in Mexico, where the
newly elected president announced plans to take the army out of the
drug policing business. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Another long look at Colombian complexities provides valuable
background- and as yet another look at why our policy there is so
unrealistic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(20) MEXICO: FOX WANTS ARMY DRUG ROLE ENDED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Law enforcement corruption targeted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY - Six years ago, a military force more than 20,000-strong
fanned out across Mexico to fight thugs and wipe out sprawling fields
of marijuana and poppy plants. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Now Vicente Fox, winner of Mexico's July 2 presidential election, wants to send these fatigues-clad soldiers back to their barracks. His anti-crime plan, unveiled Monday, calls for "demilitarizing" law enforcement in Mexico. The plan would also attack corruption by restructuring the country's law enforcement institutions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(21) THE COLOMBIA QUAGMIRE; THE DRUG WAR GOES SOUTH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Realizing that darkness was quickly approaching, the naval sergeant
frantically pulled out his yellow lighter and tried to get a flame
going. But it did not light, so he turned to his fellow soldier for
help. "Do you have any matches?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tres Esquinas is also the headquarters of the government's Joint
Southern Task Force. The antinarcotics battalion is the latest addition
to the team. The battalion's principal function is to give support to
the police so they can decommission the drug-processing laboratories
hidden in the dense jungle. .. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But the FARC's dominance in the area is palpable, and its ability to surprise the army well-documented. The guerrillas have devastated the military on several occasions in recent years in the region, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shadow Convention Excerpts Viewable On-line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For those who missed the opening of the Shadow Convention, the
video is available at: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://video.c-span.org:8080/ramgen/kdrive/c2k073000_shadow2.rm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ethan N. & Tom Campbell (R-CA) were exceptional. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Submitted by Mike Plylar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ground Breaking Canadian Terry Parker Ruling On-line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Ontario Court of Appeal has just issued its decision in the R. V.
Terrance Parker case about the constitutionality of Marijuana
prohibition. The decision can be found at: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.ontariocourts.on.ca/decisions/2000/july/parker.htm . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For background on these ongoing legal battles, see also | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Submitted by Paul Wolf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Common Sense Ads On-line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A new ad from Common Sense for Drug Policy (CSDP) concerning Ecstasy (MDMA) urges us to deal with legal and illegal drugs knowledgeably, understand their relative dangers, act prudently and avoid hysteria. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A second ad quoted insightful remarks made on June 21, 2000, by Hon.
Slade Gorton, R-WA concerning U.S. military intervention in Colombia.
"Mr. President, the capacity of this body for self-delusion seems to
this Senator to be unlimited ..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"We cannot, by total reliance on law, escape the duty to judge right and wrong......There are good laws and there are occasionally bad laws, and it conforms to the highest traditions of a free society to offer resistance to bad laws, and to disobey them." -- Alexander Bickel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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