| March 15, 2002 #242 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Listen On-line at: http://www.drugsense.org/radio/ | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Table of Contents
| ||||||||||||||||||
THIS JUST IN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) US: UNLIMITED MILITARY AID SOUGHT FOR COLOMBIA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
March 14 - The Bush administration plans to ask Congress to lift restrictions on American military aid to Colombia in order to help the government in Bogota fight leftist rebels, officials said today. | ||||||||||||||||||
If approved by lawmakers, the change would open a new front in Colombia
for American military trainers and equipment by involving the United
States directly in the fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia, or FARC. | ||||||||||||||||||
Until now, Congress has restricted the use of American aid to Colombia
- which has totaled nearly $2 billion in recent years - to the struggle
against narcotics traffickers. It has capped the number of American
military personnel in the country to 400 and linked assistance to
progress by the Colombian government in curbing human rights abuses
within its armed forces. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(2) UK: EXPERTS CALL FOR EASING OF LAWS ON CANNABIS USE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
THE downgrading of cannabis to a Class C drug came a step closer yesterday with the publication of a report stating that high use was not linked to serious health problems for individuals or society. | ||||||||||||||||||
The change is likely to occur in the summer and will result in possession of cannabis no longer being an arrestable offence. | ||||||||||||||||||
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, is expected to announce
reclassification to the least serious category under the Misuse of
Drugs Act 1971. Cannabis is currently a Class B drug. | ||||||||||||||||||
This would be the biggest change in Britain's 30-year-old drug laws. Making cannabis a Class C drug would put it in the same category as tranquillisers such as Valium, antidepressants and steroids. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Mr Blunkett is thought likely to make the announcement after he has
received a report from the House of Commons Home Affairs Select
Committee. The committee is investigating drugs policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Support for the downgrading proposal came from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs which yesterday recommended reclassification. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(3) DUTCH BACK FREE HEROIN FOR ADDICTS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The Netherlands took a highly controversial step towards liberalising
already lax drug laws yesterday when the government came out in favour
of giving free heroin to addicts. | ||||||||||||||||||
Encouraged by five-year trials on addicts in six of the country's
largest cities, the government formally asked parliament to endorse
proposals to hand out heroin, in combination with methadone, to addicts
deemed "beyond help". | ||||||||||||||||||
The plans have caused disquiet among some sections of society, where sceptics feel that heroin addicts will receive better "treatment" than many people who suffer from problems that are not self-inflicted. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"We are talking about the really hopeless cases here," a spokeswoman from the health ministry said yesterday. "This is the last resort." | ||||||||||||||||||
If parliament approves the scheme, the Netherlands will once again
lead EU nations when it comes to liberal drugs laws. | ||||||||||||||||||
The move, which comes three years after Switzerland began handing out
heroin to addicts, could trigger a wave of similar initiatives in
Europe. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(4) COURT SAYS ITALY MUST PAY FOR POT-BASED MEDICINE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
FLORENCE, Italy - A judge has forced Italy's national health system to
allow a woman with terminal lung cancer to use marijuana-based drugs
for pain treatment. | ||||||||||||||||||
Venice's magistrate Barbara Bortot ruled Tuesday that the local medical
authorities of San Dona di Piave, near Venice, where the woman lives,
must obtain the drugs abroad and then provide them free of charge to
the patient. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Judge Bortot ruled that the right to health, decreed in article 32 of
the Constitution, allows the use of the drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
"When there is an insuppressible need for which the national
healthcare doesn't offer alternative remedies, the individual's right
to health imposes without limits or conditioning of any sort," wrote
the judge. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The ruling could pave the way for many other requests from patients
with illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, said the
Italian Association for Therapeutic Cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It is a ruling that gets Italy closer to the rest of Europe. We hope
this will become a precious precedent for all those who claim the
right of using cannabis as a therapeutic drug," the association said
in an official statement. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-9) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug czar John Walters said last week that the Bush administration
is reviewing mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. His mind
doesn't appear to be particularly open, as he suggested that most
drug convicts state prisons were violent. Walters did not mention
federal prisoners, which would have wrecked his argument. Strange,
one might assume federal prisons would be the main focus of a
federal drug czar. | ||||||||||||||||||
He's slippery, but Walters will still have to work to match the
double-speak abilities of his predecessor, Barry McCaffrey. The
former czar subtly acknowledged that democracy and basic civil
liberties are incompatible with his vision of drug control, as he
praised the drug war in Cuba. | ||||||||||||||||||
Police in Alabama are ready to seize an apartment building because
they investigated two drug incidents there. On the other hand, it
seems unlikely that a major European pharmaceutical firm will have
any of its assets seized, even as a massive scheme to bribe doctors
is uncovered. | ||||||||||||||||||
And there was a small bit of justice in Pennsylvania. An old law
which would have allowed a murder charge for delivering drugs that
lead to a death was ruled unconstitutional. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(5) NEW DRUG CZAR REVIEWING MINIMUM SENTENCES IDEA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON -- The nation's new drug czar yesterday said the Bush
administration is doing a thorough review of the concept of
mandatory minimum sentences for drug possession and drug use,
including crack cocaine and powder. | ||||||||||||||||||
John Walters said one motivation for the review is to try to find a
way to accelerate the process of sorting out violent offenders from
users or possessors of drugs who may be more deserving of treatment
than of a 10-year mandatory minimum jail term. | ||||||||||||||||||
Walters has been in office since December and was a former deputy to William Bennett, drug czar in the George H.W. Bush administration. | ||||||||||||||||||
Critics argue that laws that took away judges' leeway in sentencing
are filling the nation's jails with prisoners who often aren't a
threat to society, but who come out of prison as hardened criminals
or still addicted. Drug use is a major cause of recidivism, these
critics say. | ||||||||||||||||||
Walters said that while there are concerns about mandatory minimum sentences, "any serious look at the prison population shows that most [people] incarcerated in state prisons are violent." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(6) GEN. MCCAFFREY GOES TO CUBA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The Former Drug Czar And PR Hound Is Just Wild About What Castro Has
Done For The War On Drugs | ||||||||||||||||||
GENERAL Barry McCaffrey met Fidel Castro on Saturday night, Reuters
reports. It was love at first sight. | ||||||||||||||||||
In Havana on the Center for Defense Information's dime, the former
drug czar spent twelve hours in meetings with the Cuban | ||||||||||||||||||
And not just resistant, but safe: "I feel safer walking Cuban
streets than anywhere else in Latin America and the Caribbean,"
McCaffrey declared. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(7) POLICE COULD SEIZE APARTMENT COMPLEX (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
SHEFFIELD - Police are considering using a state law to seize a
small apartment complex where they have investigated two drug
complaints in the past two months. | ||||||||||||||||||
Serving a search warrant Thursday night, officers discovered about
one ounce of cocaine in one unit, said Sheffield Police detective
Sgt. Greg Ray. | ||||||||||||||||||
Both powder and the rock form of the drug, crack cocaine, were found
in one apartment in the 500 block of Ninth Street. | ||||||||||||||||||
"This is the second time in about two months we have served a
warrant at this apartment complex," Ray said. "It's continuing to be
a problem." | ||||||||||||||||||
The cases occurred in different apartments. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(8) DRUGS COMPANY SUSPECTED OF BRIBING DOCTORS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
German prosecutors said yesterday that they suspected the British drugs company GlaxoSmithKline of paying bribes and perks to about 4,000 doctors. Hospital doctors had been given cash sums ranging from (GM)50 to (GM)25,000 (UKP30 to UKP15,500) as well as Formula One and 1998 World Cup tickets in France, prosecutors said. | ||||||||||||||||||
Manfred Wick, Munich's chief prosecutor, said the payments made by
Glaxo, which has since merged with SmithKline Beecham, had led to
suspicions of bribery and tax evasion. | ||||||||||||||||||
Mr Wick said a majority of individual cases had been dropped because of the small sums involved. But 100 cases against German doctors and 380 involving SmithKline employees were still being pursued. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(9) MURDER CHARGE REJECTED; DRUG LAW RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Third-degree murder charges were dismissed yesterday against a Beaver County man who still faces trial on charges that he delivered the drug Ecstasy that led to the death last May of a Sewickley teen. | ||||||||||||||||||
In an opinion issued yesterday, Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A.
Manning ruled unconstitutional the state law that was used as the
basis for filing the charge against the defendant, Gregory D.
Ludwig, 20, of Rochester. | ||||||||||||||||||
Ludwig still is charged with possession, possession with intent to
deliver and delivery of the drug methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It
commonly is known as Ecstasy, a hallucinogen that caused 16-year-old
Brandy French to vomit, lapse into a coma and die. | ||||||||||||||||||
Manning's ruling called into question a 1972 statute passed by the Legislature that says that a person who delivers a drug that causes the death of the recipient is guilty of third-degree murder. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (11-14) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The irrational drive to punish drug convicts more severely than
violent criminals continues in California. The state department of
corrections wants to prohibit female drug prisoners from having any
physical contact with visitors. As an oped in the Los Angeles Times
noted, this would hurt not only the women, but their children as
well. The measure appears to be another effort to keep drugs out of
prisons, but a lengthy report from the magazine Insight suggests
that many prisons are awash in drugs, and that inmates are dying of
overdoses behind bars. | ||||||||||||||||||
The ACLU has accused Colorado police of keeping secret files on area activists, including activists who protested the botched drug raid that killed a man who didn't possess any drugs. In Texas, state narcotics task forces are receiving mixed messages. The governor attempted to put the task forces under tighter control last week, after years of questionable tactics and results. But only days later, the governor expressed great faith in anti-drug efforts, as millions of federal dollars rolled in to support the task forces. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(10) DON'T CUT OFF PRISONERS FROM THEIR FAMILIES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Three-year-old Michael regularly visits his mother in prison. He
plays with her on the floor, gets reassuring hugs while sitting on
her lap and kisses her goodbye when it's time to leave. But if the
California Department of Corrections gets its way, Michael will be
able to visit his mother only through a glass partition and talk to
her over a telephone--no touching, no kisses. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Corrections Department has scheduled public hearings in Sacramento about proposed changes to visiting regulations that would profoundly affect prisoners, their families and the communities to which most will someday return. These proposed "tough on criminals" regulations would cause tremendous hardship on thousands of children, family members and friends of people in prison. | ||||||||||||||||||
Under the new visiting rules, prisoners convicted of "possession for sale and/or manufacture" of drugs would be forbidden contact visits for the first year of their confinement. This would particularly affect California's women prisoners, 42% of whom serve time for drug-related crimes and at least 80% of whom are mothers. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(11) ON DOPE ROW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Despite the cages, bars, walls, razor wire, sophisticated electronic
and physical surveillance, armed guards and meticulous design of
modern penal institutions, this assuredly was not the first of the
estimated 1.1 million inmates serving time in U.S. state prisons to
have died from overdosing on illicit drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
In fact, a nine-month investigation by Insight has found that during
the last decade at least 188 men and women died of drug overdoses in
state prisons, 68 percent of these between 1996 and 2000. Moreover,
Insight has learned that many of these deaths, and widespread
trafficking in dope inside the prisons, could have been prevented if
state prisons had aggressive and competent drug-screening policies,
not to mention better access to treatment programs. Meanwhile, some
correctional officials do their best to cover up this growing
disaster, some going so far as to claim that urinalysis drug testing
that often fails to detect heroin use shows drug addiction in
prisons to be declining. | ||||||||||||||||||
But the stonewalling and concealment of fatal overdoses uncovered by
Insight, together with inmate and parolee confirmation of the
traffic, suggest that some state prisons have become | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(12) DENVER COPS KEEP 'SECRET FILES' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
ACLU Says Department Maintains Close Watch On Rights Groups | ||||||||||||||||||
DENVER - The American Civil Liberties Union on Monday accused the
Denver Police Department of maintaining "secret files" on several
metro-area peace and civil rights groups. | ||||||||||||||||||
Those allegedly targeted include the American Friends Service
Committee, a Quaker organization; the Chiapas Coalition, which
supports human rights in Mexico; and the Justice for Mena Committee,
a local group formed after Denver police killed a Mexican national
during a controversial "no-knock" raid in 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||
ACLU officials said police documents show authorities unfairly
labeled some of these groups as "criminal extremists." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(13) KEEPING ON TASK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Governor Rick Perry has ordered that the Department of Public Safety
begin monitoring the state's 49 narcotics task forces following
allegations that some of the drug teams were little more than
vigilantes run amok. "What the DPS involvement will do is make sure
all the bases have been touched," says Jay Kimbrough, executive
director of the governor's criminal justice division. | ||||||||||||||||||
Several task forces, especially those in rural areas, have been
accused of gross injustices, specifically the unit working in the
Panhandle. Almost two years ago, the national press grabbed on to
the story there about the tiny town of Tulia, where a task force
arrested more than 10 percent of the city's black population on drug
charges. The charges were based on the unsubstantiated claims of one
officer with a murky past. | ||||||||||||||||||
Authorities uncovered similar problems last year in Hearne, a town
about 120 miles northwest of Houston (see "Drug Money," by Tim
Carman and Steve McVicker, September 6, 2001). | ||||||||||||||||||
"Tulia was not an aberration," says Will Harrell, executive director of the Texas American Civil Liberties Union. "It's happened in every region of the state. We do think [the order] is finally a step in the right direction in addressing a problem that's existed for some time. But [its success] will depend on the actors in the system." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(14) TEXAS TO GET $30 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR DRUG CONTROL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Thirty million dollars in federal grants will be divided among Texas
cities and counties for regional drug-control efforts, the
governor's office announced Monday. | ||||||||||||||||||
The bulk of the money, $27.6 million, will support 45 narcotics task
forces covering 213 Texas counties. | ||||||||||||||||||
The money is made available through the Byrne Formula Grant Program,
which assists state agencies and local governments in carrying out
programs that offer a high probability of improving the criminal
justice system. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Texas is using money seized from drug dealers to increase our
investment in programs that help our children avoid the heartbreak
of illegal drugs and the devastation these criminals are dealing,"
Gov. Rick Perry said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (15-19) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Big news from the UK: Brits may soon be able to use cannabis without
fear of prosecution. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is
anticipated to recommend the downgrading of cannabis to a Class-C
drug, making its use a non-arrestable offense. In a separate move,
the Liberal Democratic Party, Britain's third largest, has become
the first political organization to officially recommend the
legalization of cannabis as party policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
In the U.S., however, the war rages on. A California Federal Appeals Court agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the DEA's hemp ban until challenges to the law can be heard. The law was set to go into effect on March 18th. Medical marijuana users and activists got a boost last week when a full-page ad appeared in the New York Times urging the Bush administration to reconsider its anti-medical marijuana stance. The ad, taken out by the Coalition for a Compassionate Access and paid for by the Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project, included the signatures of over 400 celebrities, doctors, and state and federal legislators and politicians. | ||||||||||||||||||
Activists continue to be persecuted on both sides of the US/Canada border. James Halloran and Ed Rosenthal both pled "not guilty" to various charges leveled against them by the DEA as a result of recent raids at San Francisco's Harm Reduction Center. Ken Hayes, also charged in connection with the raid, has apparently filed for asylum in Canada, where he currently resides with his family. Canada's "Prince of Pot", Marc Emery, had a rude awakening last week when eight Victoria police officers wielding a warrant to search his home called him at three in the morning and demanded that he vacate the premises so that they could look for a suspected grow-operation. However, the founder of the BC Marijuana Party, and owner of Cannabis Culture magazine, Pot-TV and Marc Emery Seeds, had nothing to hide; the police left the residence embarrassed and empty handed. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(15) CANNABIS IN ENGLAND IS NOW JUST A SIGNATURE AWAY FROM LEGITIMACY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(OVER TO YOU, MR BLUNKETT) | ||||||||||||||||||
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, will be told this week by his
official panel of drug advisers to downgrade cannabis from a Class B
to a Class C drug. The change, which would enable users to smoke a
joint in the street without fear of arrest, would be the first
relaxation of drug laws in Britain for 30 years. | ||||||||||||||||||
Yesterday, in a separate initiative, the Liberal Democrats became
the first major political party to vote for the full legalisation of
cannabis. They also voted for an end to prison sentences for those
caught in possession of other drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy and
heroin, and called for ecstasy to be downgraded from a Class A to a
Class B drug. | ||||||||||||||||||
The vote came as the Home Office considers recommendations from the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that cannabis should
be given the same status as prescription tranquillisers such as
valium, making its possession a non-arrestable offence. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(16) APPEALS COURT BLOCKS DEA HEMP LAW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a
Drug Enforcement Administration rule that bans food made with hemp,
a plant related to marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||
The agency declared in October that food products containing even
trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC - the psychoactive
chemical found in marijuana and sometimes in hemp - were banned
under the Controlled Substances Act. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said late Thursday the
government could not enforce the rule until the court decides on
challenges to it. The appeals court is set to hear arguments on the
case April 8. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(17) NEW YORK TIMES AD URGES BUSH: STOP THE WAR ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
In an unprecedented full-page ad in the March 6 New York Times, a national coalition of doctors, nurses, medical organizations, celebrities, and more than 300 state legislators asked President Bush to allow patients with serious illnesses to apply for government permission to use marijuana to relieve their symptoms. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The ad features an open letter to President Bush. "Countless
seriously ill people are already using marijuana because they and
their doctors believe that it is the best medicine for them," the
letter states. "These patients should not be treated like
criminals." Under current federal law, people who possess even small
amounts of marijuana can be sentenced to a year in federal prison,
with no exception for medical use. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(18) CALIFORNIA POT ACTIVISTS CLAIM INNOCENCE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Two Oakland medical marijuana activists claimed innocence to a
daunting series of charges leveled at them Monday in San Francisco
Federal Court. | ||||||||||||||||||
Edward Rosenthal, 57, and James Halloran, 61, were two of four
people caught in a marijuana sweep last month by the Drug
Enforcement Administration. | ||||||||||||||||||
DEA officials said more than 8,000 plants and smaller "clones" were
seized during the raid -- which coincided with a speech being given
that night by DEA Chief Asa Hutchinson. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(19) VICTORIA POLICE RAID MARC EMERY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
In the early hours of March 5, Victoria police quietly surrounded the home of famous Canadian marijuana activist Marc Emery and his partner Coral Clay, then rang his phone until he awoke to answer it. Emery looked at his clock as he lifted the receiver. 3:30 am. | ||||||||||||||||||
"This is the Victoria Police," said the cop. "We have your house
surrounded. We have a warrant to enter the premises. Please go out
your front door, do not go back into your house. Out onto the
sidewalk. Is there a child in the house?" | ||||||||||||||||||
There was a child in the house. Coral's son, Dylan. The tactics
employed by Victoria Police were intentionally intimidating, and the
presence of a child may have been the deciding factor in keeping
police from kicking in the door and firing tear gas grenades. Marc
stumbled out onto the sidewalk in the predawn light in his
underwear. Coral was still pulling on her shirt as she hurried out
with Dylan to stand beside him. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
International News | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (20-25) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The arrest last week in Mexico of alleged "drug lord" Benjamin Arellano Felix caused experts to speculate that rival drug gangs would intensify their fight for market share in bloody turf battles. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Traditional political parties" in Colombian congressional elections last week appeared to be the big losers, with strong support given to candidates favored by independent presidential office seeker Alvaro Uribe. A U.S. House resolution passed this month urged the White House to allow aid that was given to the Colombian government for fighting drugs, to be used also for "fighting rebels." | ||||||||||||||||||
In Vienna, government Minister Ernst Strasser announced that, in the
name of fighting "drugs", Austria will "help" Brazilian, Colombian
and Peruvian police to "strengthen their security systems." Strasser
arrived back in Austria after visiting several Latin American
nations. | ||||||||||||||||||
In the UK, parents of a teen who overdosed on heroin called upon
government to "legalize all drugs." Meanwhile, a report to be
presented to Home Secretary David Blunkett revealed that downgrading
cannabis to a less serious Class C drug would save police an
estimated 38 million pounds annually. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(20) TURF WARS LIKELY AFTER ARREST OF DRUG KINGPIN IN MEXICO (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY -- The weekend arrest of the most-wanted drug lord
in both Mexico and the United States is prompting fears of
bloody turf wars along the border as rivals try to muscle their
way into the multibillion-dollar business long controlled by the
Tijuana cartel. | ||||||||||||||||||
Heavily armed soldiers surprised Benjamin Arellano Felix on Saturday
night at a posh home in Puebla, taking the feared kingpin into
custody without firing a shot. | ||||||||||||||||||
His capture and the confirmed death of brother Ramon Arellano Felix,
the family's enforcer, are expected to cripple the cartel and spark
bloodshed among rivals at major border crossings such as Tijuana-San
Diego and Ciudad Juarez-El Paso. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Most analysts are worried there could be an increased level of
violence among the organizations that are trying to establish new
routes and new trafficking regions," said Ana Maria Salazar, a
professor at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico and a
former official in the Clinton White House. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(21) EXTREMIST PARTIES WIN BIG (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombia's two largest and most traditional
political parties were routed in congressional elections here
yesterday, with voters choosing in their stead a bevy of right-wing
and left-wing independents. | ||||||||||||||||||
Supporters of hard-line independent presidential candidate Alvaro
Uribe did best in largely peaceful nationwide voting yesterday,
followed, ironically, by supporters of Antonio Navarro Wolf, an ex-
guerrilla from the demobilized M-19 rebel group swept into the
Senate. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(22) COLOMBIA'S PROBLEM (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
At first ,the White House deflected any notion of expanding aid to
Colombia. President Bush said the administration would limit U.S.
aid to fighting the war on drugs rather than guerrillas. But that
resolve appears to be weakening, particularly since Colombian
President Andres Pastrana ended negotiations with rebels and
reclaimed land he had ceded to them. | ||||||||||||||||||
Pastrana's strategy has been perceived as an abject failure. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Colombia's congressional election Sunday demonstrated strong support
for candidates anointed by independent presidential aspirant Alvaro
Uribe. According to recent polls, Uribe has a big lead and likely
will win the presidency in May. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
A resolution passed by the House of Representatives this month urges
the White House to provide expanded aid to Colombia and permit those
resources to be used fighting rebels. The Colombian government is in
the process of spending $1.3 billion in U.S. aid to eradicate coca
farming. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(23) AUSTRIA TO AID LATIN AMERICAN DRUG POLICE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Vienna, Mar 11 ( EFE ).- Austria will increase cooperation with
several Latin American countries to fight drug-trafficking,
Government Minister Ernst Strasser said Monday upon winding up a
visit to Brazil, Colombia and Peru. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Alpine nation will help Brazilian, Colombian and Peruvian police
and anti-drug officials strengthen their security systems, given
that South American drug cartels have ties to European and African
crime organizations, he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
During the visit, Strasser signed an accord to strengthen relations with Peru and laid the groundwork for a similar accord with Brazil. | ||||||||||||||||||
A meeting between Strasser and Colombian Vice President Gustavo
Lemus to sign a memorandum is still pending. | ||||||||||||||||||
The accords call for cooperation among Austrian and Latin American
police regarding the smuggling of drugs and the chemicals used to
manufacture them. The pact also provides for enhanced joint efforts
against terrorism, money-laundering and arms-smuggling. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(24) VICTIMS' PARENTS CALL FOR ALL DRUGS TO BE LEGALISED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Parents whose children have suffered from heroin and other drug
abuse told MPs yesterday it was time to legalise all drugs. Fulton
Gillespie, whose son Scott died from a heroin overdose two years
ago, told the Commons home affairs select committee inquiry into the
drug laws that he believed "if you try to regulate supply there is
no point in leaving the power station in the hands of the
criminals". | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Mr Gillespie said: "There are very few things in life that
concentrate the mind more than losing a child. Until my son became
involved in drugs, I was one of those people who thought the answer
was just to build more prisons. | ||||||||||||||||||
"I have given this a lot of thought and come to the conclusion that the only way that would work would be to legalise all drugs." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(25) DRUG MOVE COULD SAVE POLICE MILLIONS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
DAVID BLUNKETT'S plan to downgrade cannabis to the same category
as tranquillisers such as valium could save police at least
UKP38 million a year, it was claimed today. | ||||||||||||||||||
The independent report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation also says
the move could also vastly improve police officers' relations with
the public. | ||||||||||||||||||
The study reveals huge variations across the country in the way
offenders are dealt with for possession of cannabis. Describing the
chaotic way police currently deal with the drug, the authors said
some officers "specialise" in arresting marijuana users, while
others have "effectively decriminalised cannabis in their everyday
working practices". | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Co-author Professor Mike Hough said the Lambeth experiment - in
which Metropolitan Police officers have dealt with cannabis users by
confiscating the drug and giving an informal warning - should be
extended across Britain. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It would make sense to reclassify cannabis to Class C," he said.
"There would be significant gains all round." | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Philippe Lucas Guest On Kubby Show | ||||||||||||||||||
Pot TV News with Steve and Michele Kubby recently featured Philippe
Lucas. Phil is the director of the Vancouver Island Compassion
Society http://www.thevics.com/ and he takes care of the
Cannabis/Hemp content selection and analysis of the DrugSense Weekly
and is actively involved in other DrugSense Projects | ||||||||||||||||||
See the show at: | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Former Attorney On Cannabis Odyssey | ||||||||||||||||||
Paul Peterson writes about how the Illinois legal system has denied
him work and medicine. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Deposition From Ecuadorian Crop Spraying Lawsuit | ||||||||||||||||||
Narco News (www.narconews.com) publishes the full text of the
February 27, 2002 deposition by Assistant Secretary of State for
International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs Rand Beers in the
federal lawsuit by Ecuador's Farmers vs. DynCorp regarding aerial
spraying of crops. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Annan Appoints Senior Italian Official To Head U.N. ODCCP | ||||||||||||||||||
The UN has a new drug czar, and the new leader of the Office of Drug
Control and Crime Prevention is not the one American drug warriors
wanted. | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/util/display_stories.asp?objid=24519 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Drugs and the Internet: An Overview of the Threat to America's Youth
/ DOJ, National Drug Intelligence Center | ||||||||||||||||||
"The NDIC said five types of people should be targeted, including
previous drug offenders, legalization advocates, anarchists and people
promoting "an expanded freedom of expression" that pushes the
boundaries of the First Amendment." | ||||||||||||||||||
The Wired News web article "DOJ's Dot-Narc Rave Strategy" is at | ||||||||||||||||||
Thus the DOJ is supporting efforts and laws to shut down this newsletter and websites which discuss subjects like these: | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.mapinc.org/raves.htm (Raves) | ||||||||||||||||||
The DOJ report, while indicating that some sites may be protected by the First Amendment, clearly paints all into the same picture, and goes on to indicate that we are all being monitored carefully, with further reports on our work on the 'net being developed! | ||||||||||||||||||
Read the actual report at http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs/682/index.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
Note that at http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs/682/nature.htm#Top the report
states "Drug-culture advocates... increase pressure on lawmakers to change
or abolish drug control laws." | ||||||||||||||||||
Proof that we are being watched is at Endnote 34 which provides this link:
www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1017/a02.html | ||||||||||||||||||
"Seven sites targeted young people implicitly or explicitly. In general, sites maintained by pro-drug legalization groups did not specifically target young people, but websites dedicated to the party or club scene did target youth. Additionally, 14 sites provided connections to chat rooms or other interactivity tools." | ||||||||||||||||||
The report doesn't tell us which "32 sites probably were associated with
drug legalization groups." | ||||||||||||||||||
Perhaps this is more 'guilt by link - or even link twice removed' like
when Barry McCaffrey told congress: | ||||||||||||||||||
"... the websites of both the Drug Policy Foundation, a self-proclaimed
drug policy reform group, and the Media Awareness Project, both provide
links to a site that gives instructions for how to manufacture the drug
"ecstasy."" | ||||||||||||||||||
Richard Lake, | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
I would contend it's worse. The NDIC report identifies simple harm reduction education efforts as part of the perceived 'threat,' defined as information facilitating use. According to the report: | ||||||||||||||||||
The threat perpetuated by these individuals and groups as it relates to
adolescents and young adults in the United States can be defined and
circumscribed by the following: The threat to adolescents and young
adults in the United States accessing the Internet consists of
information, disseminated by drug offenders or others, that is intended
to facilitate the production, use, or sale of federally scheduled,
nonprescription drugs. Information facilitating production includes
explanations of equipment or other resources needed or processes used.
Information facilitating use includes explanations of the nature,
effects, or administration methods of drugs. Information facilitating
sales includes explanations of how or where drugs may be obtained or
mechanisms allowing for online purchase of drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
The sorts of information regarding use to which objection is raised are
specifically defined as: | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
General information | ||||||||||||||||||
Information on use & co-use | ||||||||||||||||||
The following are three of the five sorts of information purveyors
which the NDIC report identifies (the other two include Drug Offenders
and and Other Lawbreakers): | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug-culture advocates are chiefly interested in expanding the size of
the community to both legitimize their activity and increase pressure
on lawmakers to change or abolish drug control laws. These individuals
and groups share information via the Internet to demonstrate the ease
with which drugs can be produced, trafficked, and obtained. They may or
may not be drug offenders themselves and may or may not induce others
to engage in harmful or illegal behavior, but they often glamorize drug
use and extol the virtues of illegal substance abuse. | ||||||||||||||||||
Advocates of an expanded freedom of expression are purveyors of information with yet another agenda. These individuals and groups publish information on the Internet to push the boundaries of self-expression and the First Amendment. The information they provide may induce minors and young adults to break drug laws or to become a danger to themselves or to others by abusing illegal drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Anarchist individuals and groups, who protest against or seek to
abolish current legal, social, or economic structures, disseminate drug
information on the Internet to advance their cause by promoting
countercultural behavior. They may induce others to disobey drug laws
as a part of their worldview, or drug abuse may be an implied
undercurrent of their lifestyle. The presence of these individuals and
groups on the Internet is a known fact. (p. 3) | ||||||||||||||||||
A sidenote, that some may find interesting and possibly useful: The
UK's Home Office has released a booklet called the 'Safer Clubbing'
guide, which gives club owners guidelines for reducing the risk of
harm to clubgoers from use of club drugs. According to The Times of
London on March 8, 2002, at: | ||||||||||||||||||
"Home Office Softens Line Against Dance Drugs," "In a new set of Home
Office guidelines the Government accepts that drug-taking is a part
of youth culture that cannot be eradicated. It wants the public to
recognise that drug misuse has to be fought on many fronts. The
guide underpins the Government's strategy of focusing on dealers and
the impact of hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine while developing
ways of minimising the harm caused by dance club drugs. It gives clubs
advice on how to prevent dealing and how to make the venues safer for
clubbers using drugs, including the provision of 'chill-out' rooms,
water and better ventilation." | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Doug McVay | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
See also: The Week Online with DRCNet, Issue #228, 3/15/02 | ||||||||||||||||||
DOJ Study Takes Ominous Look at Drug and Drug Policy Web Sites | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LETTER OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
WHAT CRIME? | ||||||||||||||||||
By Redford Givens | ||||||||||||||||||
THE DEA claims that its "job is to enforce the federal drug statutes
and we're committed to doing that." ("Pot activists claim
innocence," The Examiner, March 5) But what America's lunatic drug
crusaders never say is how utterly ridiculous the penalties for
"marijuana crimes" are. | ||||||||||||||||||
According to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 2000, the
average prison term served for violent offenses of all kinds is nine
years. The average forcible rape sentence is 10 years. Assault
averages six years and a burglar does about five years. | ||||||||||||||||||
Kenneth Hayes, Edward Rosenthal, Richard Watts and James Halloran face mandatory sentences of 10 years to life for growing a plant that eases the suffering of people with serious illnesses. | ||||||||||||||||||
Where's the moral justification for imprisoning a person when no
injury is done? Why should the pot laws be on the books to begin
with? | ||||||||||||||||||
Redford Givens, | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HONORABLE MENTIONS | ||||||||||||||||||
CHANGE DRUG POLICIES
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
MARIJUANA MYTHS
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
80 PERCENT OF WISCONSINITES FAVOR MARIJUANA TO TREAT SERIOUSLY ILL | ||||||||||||||||||
By "Is My Medicine Legal YET?" | ||||||||||||||||||
Madison - A statewide poll will be released today showing an
overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites, over 80%, support
legislation legalizing medical marijuana in the state. The polling
was done by Chamberlain Research Consultants as part of their
quarterly Wisconsin Trends survey, and commissioned by the group,
"Is My Medicine Legal YET?" ( IMMLY, www.immly.org ) and other
Wisconsin medical marijuana advocates. The poll found strong support
in all regions of the state for passage of a bill like the one now
before the legislature, AB 715, introduced in January and sponsored
by State Assembly Reps. Frank Boyle, Mark Pocan, Rick Skindrud and 7
others. | ||||||||||||||||||
The poll found that overall, 80.3 percent of Wisconsin residents
said they "support the Wisconsin State Legislature passing a law to
allow seriously ill or terminally ill patients to use marijuana for
medical purposes if supported by their physician," compared to only
16 percent opposing, and 3.7 percent choosing don't know/no opinion.
The poll's margin of error is +/-3.97%. | ||||||||||||||||||
IMMLY Founder Jacki Rickert, a longtime Wisconsin activist whose Mondovi home was raided and searched by police two years ago March 13-14, sees the results as a mandate to lawmakers to pass a medical marijuana bill, "The people have spoken. What can be more noble and humane than enforcing the will of the people? These numbers show voters understand there are real people with valid needs for Rx Cannabis and they expect legislators to help patients in need, rather than causing more pain and fear by continuing to do nothing". | ||||||||||||||||||
Gary Storck, IMMLY's director of communications said. "Across the
state, in every single region, people expressed very strong support.
These results say that giving patients legal access to medical
marijuana is an issue that is not liberal or conservative, Democrat
or Republican, or only popular in Madison, as some politicos have
suggested. They send a strong message that Wisconsinites see medical
marijuana as a matter of compassion and public health, not criminal
justice or partisan politics." | ||||||||||||||||||
Others agree, including the Wisconsin Nurses Association, which is
already on record as supporting patient access to medicinal
marijuana. WNA Executive Director Gina Dennik-Champion, RN states,
"WNA is hopeful that the results of this poll will spur legislators
to rethink their position on patient access to medical marijuana.
Given the statewide support for access to medical marijuana, there
is no reason why legislation should not be passed by the Wisconsin
Legislature quickly." | ||||||||||||||||||
Racine resident Don Lyons, who found marijuana helpful to treat a
painful and debilitating back problem, but was then fired after 24
years of exemplary employment for failing a drug test said, "These
results are awesome! I was thrilled. Maybe hard-working dedicated
individuals like myself won't lose their job for the use of medical
marijuana. It's a shame that those 80% of Wisconsinites weren't also
asked if hard working individuals like myself should lose their jobs
for using marijuana to relieve pain." | ||||||||||||||||||
More detailed information on the poll can be found at | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
"If you legalize marijuana, you will do away with the gateway. The
only gateway aspect of it is the guy that sells you marijuana who
sells you a bunch of other things as well." - New Mexico Governor
Gary Johnson, 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
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. | ||||||||||||||||||
TO SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: | ||||||||||||||||||
Please utilize the following URLs | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Policy and Law Enforcement/Prison content selection and analysis by Stephen Young (), Cannabis/Hemp content selection and analysis by Philippe Lucas (), International content selection and analysis by Doug Snead (), Layout by Matt Elrod () | ||||||||||||||||||
We wish to thank all our contributors, editors, NewsHawks and letter writing activists. Please help us help reform. Become a NewsHawk See http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm for info on contributing clippings. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
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. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO DRUGSENSE ON-LINE | ||||||||||||||||||
-OR- | ||||||||||||||||||
Mail in your contribution. Make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your
contribution to: | ||||||||||||||||||
The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. |
 | current issue | this issue |