| Jan. 23, 2004 #334 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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THIS JUST IN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) LITTLE HOPE FOR DECRIMINALISATION OF GANJA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
PARLIAMENTARIANS supporting the decriminalisation of ganja earned
little consolation from Solicitor General Michael Hylton's return
Wednesday to respond to specific questions triggered by his warning in
December against breaching international conventions. | ||||||||||||||||||
The solicitor general said that despite the fact that both ganja and
wine could be regarded as religious sacraments, they were not treated
equally under the law and, therefore, could not be equated in terms of
the argument for decriminalisation. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Even assuming that ganja plants could be described as growing wild,
and that Rastafarianism could be classified as a small, clearly
determined group, Jamaica could possibly have opted to make a
reservation concerning the use of ganja for religious purposes when the
country became a party to the Convention on Psychotropic Drugs. Jamaica
did not do so and, as a result, cannot now convincingly argue that the
use of ganja by Rastafarians for religious purposes is permitted under
that treaty," Hylton told a parliamentary committee. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(2) GOVERNMENT ADS AIM TO END CONFUSION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
One simple message: law is being relaxed but drug is still harmful and
remains illegal | ||||||||||||||||||
A big government advertising campaign to dispel the confusion surrounding the change in cannabis laws and targeted to reach more than 80% of Britain's teenagers was launched by the Home Office yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||
Radio advertisements will be carried on 48 national and regional
stations in England over the next week promoting the "one simple
message" that although the cannabis laws are being relaxed next week it
is still a harmful drug that remains illegal. | ||||||||||||||||||
Separate campaigns will run in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
* From next Thursday cannabis will be reclassified as a class C drug,
which covers the least harmful of the illegal drugs, including GHB,
anabolic steroids and tranquillisers such as Valium. | ||||||||||||||||||
* It will remain illegal to have, give away or deal in cannabis. Possession with intent to supply is also illegal, as is growing cannabis plants. Dealing and possessing with intent to supply will still carry a 14-year maximum sentence plus an unlimited fine. | ||||||||||||||||||
* The penalties for possession are changing. The maximum prison
sentence is being reduced from five years to two. New police guidelines
will mean that what happens to most of the 90,000 people a year who are
currently arrested for cannabis possession will change. | ||||||||||||||||||
* If you are over 18 and the police find you with cannabis it is likely
that it will be confiscated and you will be warned. But if you are
smoking a joint in a public place, or near where there are children,
such as a school, or where public order is at risk, you will be
arrested and possibly fined. Those repeatedly arrested for cannabis
offences will be prosecuted. | ||||||||||||||||||
* If you are under 18 and it is your first offence of cannabis possession you will normally be arrested, taken to a police station and given a warning or reprimand. But if you have been caught before, you will either be given a final warning or be charged. When you get a warning you are referred to the local youth offending team. | ||||||||||||||||||
* It remains illegal to pass drugs among friends or allow people to
smoke cannabis in your home; and if you are caught smoking cannabis in
a club the police will have the power to prosecute the landlord or the
club owner. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(3) DOCTOR FACES NEW PAINKILLER CHARGES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Physician Indicted Again Over Prescription Practices After A Mistrial
In The Fall | ||||||||||||||||||
ROANOKE - Federal prosecutors once again are going after a doctor they
accuse of contributing to several patients' deaths by illegally
dispensing potent painkillers, particularly OxyContin. | ||||||||||||||||||
At prosecutors' request, a federal jury in Charlottesville indicted Dr.
Cecil Knox yesterday on 95 counts, including 14 counts of illegally
dispensing medication that led to bodily harm or death and 64 counts of
prescribing medication for no legitimate purpose. | ||||||||||||||||||
The indictments come less than three months after a federal jury in Roanoke declined to convict Knox of any of 69 charges against him. Prosecutors had accused him of contributing to the death of seven patients by overprescribing painkillers. The jury exonerated Knox on more than 30 of the charges and deadlocked on the rest, prompting Chief U.S. District Judge Samuel Wilson to declare a mistrial. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wilson is still considering whether to dismiss the charges on which the
jury deadlocked. | ||||||||||||||||||
Yesterday, Knox attorney Tony Anderson reacted with astonishment to
news of the latest indictments. He said he is particularly surprised
that prosecutors would seek the indictments even though Wilson has not
yet ruled on whether to dismiss the previous charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
In Knox's fall trial, prosecutors accused him of running a "pill mill"
in which he handed out the powerful drugs to known addicts. One year,
Knox wrote prescriptions for $1.6 million worth of OxyContin, according
to testimony, becoming the 19th leading prescriber of the drug in the
nation. | ||||||||||||||||||
Anderson, though, told jurors that Knox prescribed so many drugs
because he was a compassionate doctor confronting patients in severe
pain who had nowhere else to turn. Knox testified that he never
prescribed more medication than he thought necessary. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(4) TOP U.S. DRUG AGENT TARGETS 'MICROCARTELS' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The New DEA Chief In Colombia Says He Aims To Break Up Small Cartels, Which Have Emerged After The Cali And Medellin Cartels Were Beheaded | ||||||||||||||||||
BOGOTA - Since Colombia's giant drug cartels were smashed with American
help, ''microcartels'' have emerged that smuggle cocaine and heroin to
the United States, according to the new top U.S. drug agent in
Colombia. | ||||||||||||||||||
''The head of the mother snake was chopped off . . . but now we have to
chase the baby poisonous snakes, which can be nevertheless just as
venomous,'' David Gaddis told The Associated Press in his first
interview since taking over the Drug Enforcement Administration's
operations in Colombia at the start of the year. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Earlier this month, Gaddis flew to the southwestern city of Cali to
monitor raids by Colombian authorities that captured eight suspected
drug traffickers wanted in the United States. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
An estimated 5.7 million cocaine users in the United States spent $35.3 billion on the drug in 2000, according to a report by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy released in November. | ||||||||||||||||||
In addition to cracking down on drug traffickers here, Gaddis also said
drug treatment and rehabilitation programs in the United States are
crucial to ending the drug problem. | ||||||||||||||||||
''The silver bullet would be a combination of several efforts,'' he
said. ``It's not going to be resolved today, tomorrow or even in the
next year. It's something that's going to take time.'' | ||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-8) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The language of the drug war portrays prohibition as a valiant effort to save young people; the actions of the drug war shows how young people are cynically targeted for persecution. Prohibitionists generally attempt to mask this logical disconnect, but sometimes the reality seeps through the rhetoric. It did this week as the U.S. ambassador to Canada continued to threaten and cajole the sovereign nation over possible cannabis reforms. Ambassador Paul Cellucci announced that young people from both countries would be under increased scrutiny as they tried to cross the U.S. border if Canada enacted cannabis laws that Cellucci deemed to be too light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another cynical use of young people took place in Humboldt County, Calif., where school officials are officially opposing a local medical marijuana ordinance because they suggest it will threaten anti-drug funds from the federal government. And the feds continued pushing toward its goal of invading the privacy of every child in the nation through school drug testing; fortunately some drug policy reform advocates are tying to give schools both sides of the story. | ||||||||||||||||||
And can a young person use illegal drugs, not face jail or rehab, and still go on to be a successful, arch-prohibitionist? It's been proved over and over again from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, but this week former NY Times columnist/editor A.M. Rosenthal jumped on the bandwagon, confessing youthful marijuana use, which he says made him vomit. Give it another chance, Abe. Sounds like you got conned with ditch weed, and you've been trying to con the rest of us ever since. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(5) U.S. ON ALERT FOR YOUNG POT USERS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
YOUNGER PEOPLE---Canadian or American -- trying to enter the U.S. will
become targets of increased surveillance unless Canada can dispel the
perception it is slackening penalties for pot use, U.S. Ambassador Paul
Cellucci said. That perception might be eradicated if Canada's pending
marijuana legislation were to include criminal penalties for more than
one conviction, for possession near schools or possession while
operating a vehicle, Cellucci said. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We understand that this is a public policy decision for Canada to make
just like (some U.S.) states have made," the ambassador told the
Canadian Press. "We're just saying that right now the perception is
that it's going to be a lot easier to get marijuana in Canada and
that's going to put pressure on the border." | ||||||||||||||||||
That strain won't slow border traffic and trade to a crawl, but it will have an impact on border crossings and on those crossing into the U.S. Younger people, "whether they're U.S. citizens or Canadian citizens," Cellucci said, will be prime targets of heightened surveillance. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Customs and Immigration officers at the border are law enforcement
officers. Their antenna will be up looking for those trying to bring
these drugs into the United States." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(6) SCHOOLS OPPOSE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLAN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A medical marijuana policy under consideration by the county has some
educators worried that they might be asked to violate their federal
"drug-free schools" mandate. | ||||||||||||||||||
Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposed
ordinance on Tuesday that would allow possession of 3 pounds of
marijuana, or 99 plants, without prosecution. A new law, SB 420,
allows local governments to establish their own limits. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Humboldt County Board of Education has voted to oppose the
proposed ordinance. The board is urging the Board of Supervisors to
keep to state standards, which allow medical marijuana patients or
their caregivers to possess eight ounces of processed marijuana and
six mature or 12 immature plants. | ||||||||||||||||||
Board President Mary Scott said the proposed ordinance could affect schools' federal funding. Schools are required to abide by the federal Safe and Drug Free Schools Act, which mandates strict policies regarding employee use and possession of drugs and requires that schools teach students that illegal drugs are wrong and harmful. | ||||||||||||||||||
Federal law does not recognize marijuana as legal in any
circumstances. Schools which violate the federal law could risk losing
federal funding, Scott said. | ||||||||||||||||||
School districts are also federally required to certify "drug-free
school zones," meaning that there are no illegal drugs within 1,000
feet of school sites. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(7) NATION'S SCHOOLS EYE WIDER DRUG-TESTING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
With strong encouragement from the nation's drug czar, public school
officials are taking a closer look at the merits of drug testing for
students in extracurricular activities. | ||||||||||||||||||
John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy, has touted student testing in recent speeches as a
"silver bullet" that can deter youths at risk for taking drugs as well
as bring about treatment for current drug users. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Two things make the time ripe for what I would call connecting the dots on this - the increasing knowledge and awareness that science tells us addiction is a disease, and that we also know we can treat people for it," Walters said in an interview. "Screening allows you to identify people who are suffering from this disease and get them help." | ||||||||||||||||||
The Bush administration has budgeted $8 million in the current fiscal year for school drug-testing programs. Walters also has told public school officials that they can use the Education Department's Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities grant program for testing. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Meanwhile, Walters' critics are mounting a campaign to counter his
efforts. The nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance plans to mail booklets
outlining its opposition to school board presidents around the country,
as well as to superintendents and principals in 17 states where testing
has been debated. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We've started getting calls from parents and teachers and coaches,"
said Judy Appel, the alliance's deputy director of legal affairs. "What
we've discovered is there's nothing to back up this idea that drug
testing discourages drug use among students. It runs the risk of
placing a wedge between students and their schools." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(8) COLUMN: I KICKED THE HABIT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
I was only a youngster at the time, but I still remember, to the
precise moment, the day many decades ago when some rich kids who lived
near a lush New York public garden offered some friends and me a
fistful of smokes. Their cigarettes turned out to be marijuana -
strong enough to twist a life. Or ruin it. | ||||||||||||||||||
Often the boys smoked enough to supply themselves with days and weeks of throwing up, but I can't remember seeing girls with a joint in their hands or lips. But then, that was a different time. | ||||||||||||||||||
I turned out to be a short-time pot addict. I cannot testify now how much I smoked or for how long or what those few days of smoking pot did to me. All I remember is that I smoked until I vomited. | ||||||||||||||||||
The others smoked as long as they could stand it - some a few days, some a month, some a lifetime. Most of them, like me, thought that they were bourgeois hotshots. But I believe that many eventually became ashamed about the smoking and the scrounging for marijuana money. I know that being a worker's child often made me crawl with inner embarrassment for wasting money. For at least part of the time, the pleasure of my swagger was consumed by the shame of my smoking. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (9-12) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug-related prison overcrowded isn't exactly news, but the question
left is whether any city or state in the U.S. will avoid this crisis.
Such dangerous overcrowding is now being reported at a women's prison
in Hawaii, as well as local jails in Montana. An interesting fact in
the Hawaii story: some female inmates are being shipped to Oklahoma,
which already has the highest rates of incarceration for women in the
nation. | ||||||||||||||||||
And will federal authorities and dollars reinvigorate local drug wars? Apparently not, despite a cooperative program that was announced with much fanfare just two years ago. The program is being dismantled in Alabama with no good results, just a lot of wasted money. The feds, however, continue to use all their resources and underhanded methods to attack medical marijuana despite state laws to the contrary. Last week in California, two local medical marijuana defendants were arrested by federal agents just as their local case was dismissed. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(9) DRUG ADDICTION KEEPS WOMEN'S PRISON FILLED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Hawai'i women are being locked up at a rate that's outpacing men, and
their charges stem mostly from drug problems. | ||||||||||||||||||
Some inmates take a bridge to freedom while others stumble back to
prison and Hawai'i searches for answers. | ||||||||||||||||||
Only a few women were incarcerated in Hawai'i 30 years ago. Now there
are roughly 600 in jail and prison, including more than 60 shipped to a
private facility in Oklahoma, and their numbers have increased at a
faster pace than male prisoners. | ||||||||||||||||||
Most of the women are locked up on drug charges or for crimes stemming from substance abuse, and crystal methamphetamine is the top drug of choice, according to inmates, counselors and prison officials. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(10) DIRTY, CROWDED CELLS BECOMING NORM AS METH EPIDEMIC SPREADS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
At the Glacier County Jail in Cut Bank last week, three female
prisoners spent the night in a cell so small they had to take turns
leaving their beds to stand. | ||||||||||||||||||
Upstairs, 14 male prisoners endured the sharp smell of human waste
while cramped in a filthy cell designed for eight. | ||||||||||||||||||
Routinely filled beyond capacity, the jail is impossible to keep clean. The 66-year-old building also poses grave safety risks for prisoners and detention officers and liability concerns for the county. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Nobody should be housed in this facility," said Sgt. Jeff Fauque of
the sheriff's office. | ||||||||||||||||||
While Glacier County's jail is among the state's worst, others face a similar crunch as the methamphetamine epidemic spreads, officials say. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(11) REQUIEM FOR IDEA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
An ambitious Drug Enforcement Administration program that authorities
hoped would transform some of Mobile and Prichard's worst neighborhoods
has essentially come and gone, lacking the staying power it was
supposed to have. | ||||||||||||||||||
With federal agents withdrawn as scheduled from the initiative --
dubbed Integrated Drug Enforcement Assistance, or IDEA -- local
officials have been left to thank them for their efforts and
contemplate why the plan didn't stick as solidly here as it has
elsewhere. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We didn't get the community involvement that we would like to have had," said Micah Miller, the DEA agent who administered the program locally. "But we did have involvement back when we were there and the door was open. Now, when we walked away, the door closed back up." | ||||||||||||||||||
Authorities credit IDEA with locking up some of the area's biggest drug
dealers and with establishing better interaction between police in the
two cities. But they also admit that poor communication and budget
constraints have hobbled the project, and that it could be years before
they pursue some of the strategies it generated. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(12) PAIR CRY FOUL OVER ARRESTS IN COURT ON U.S. POT CHARGES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The medical marijuana confrontation between California and the U.S. government took a dramatic turn this week when two people were arrested on federal charges as they sat in a Tehama County courtroom. David Dean Davidson and Cynthia Barcelo Blake were waiting for their attorneys to finish a meeting in the judge's chambers after Deputy District Attorney Lynn Strom had announced at the Tuesday hearing that she would seek a dismissal of charges against the pair for cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana. When the prosecutor, who requested the meeting in chambers, left the courtroom with the defense attorneys and the judge, sheriff's deputies ordered the defendants into the hall, handcuffed them and told them they were under federal arrest. | ||||||||||||||||||
At the same time, the county prosecutor informed the judge and defense
attorneys that the pair had been indicted five days earlier by a
federal grand jury in Sacramento. When the defense attorneys rushed
back to the Corning courtroom, their clients were gone and they were
informed by a deputy that the pair were on their way to jail in
Sacramento. Deputies had taken Davidson and Blake out the back door of
the courthouse and placed them in an unmarked car. | ||||||||||||||||||
As he was being handcuffed, Davidson said, he told a deputy he wanted
to see his lawyer. "He told me, 'You don't have a lawyer. Your case was
dismissed,' " Davidson said Friday at a news conference in front of the
U.S. courthouse in Sacramento shortly before he and Blake were
arraigned on the federal charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (13-17) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The Labour Party's plans to reclassify cannabis to make personal
possession a non-arrestable offense next week have run into a few
unexpected stumbling blocks. Our first story is a report of what is
claimed to be the first case of "death by cannabis" in the U.K.
Ignoring the clear and well-established fact that it is physically
impossible for humans to ingest enough cannabis to result in toxicity
and death, the Daily Telegraph ran the dubious account of a 36 year
old daily user who died suddenly of unknown causes, resulting in the
coroner attributing his death to cannabis O.D. Unfortunately this may
add to the last minute concerns expressed by the British Medical
Association over this reclassification, which is the focus of our
second story. | ||||||||||||||||||
Our third story takes us to California, where it has been reported
that the city of Oakland is considering shutting down or otherwise
limiting the number of compassion clubs that have recently populated
an area on the edge of the city's downtown core. In light of the
federal government's continued persecution of legitimate medicinal
cannabis users and distributors, local users and activists argue that
any such actions would put the effective distribution of medicinal
cannabis at serious risk. There was also some good news this week in
regards to the ongoing saga surrounding the fate of the Hayward
Hempery; a well-wisher has donated $11,000 to help the club pay its
back-rent and to stay in operation. | ||||||||||||||||||
And in our final story a NIDA report has shown that the ONDCP's controversial $150 million anti-drug use ad campaign, which has been focused on stemming teen cannabis usage rates, has been a failure. Evidence from the study has suggested that teens exposed to the campaign were not less likely to experiment with drug use. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(13) CANNABIS IS BLAMED AS CAUSE OF U.K. MAN'S DEATH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A man of 36 is believed to have become the first person in Britain to
die directly from cannabis poisoning. | ||||||||||||||||||
Lee Maisey smoked six cannabis cigarettes a day for 11 years, an
inquest heard. His death, which was registered as having been caused by
cannabis toxicity, led to new warnings about the drug, which is due to
be reclassified this month as a less dangerous one. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(14) U.K. DOCTORS' FEARS AT CANNABIS CHANGE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The British Medical Association has launched a last minute attack on the government's decision to downgrade the criminal status of cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
Cannabis is due to be reclassified from a class B to a class C drug
next week. | ||||||||||||||||||
Doctors' leaders said they were "extremely concerned" the move would mislead the public into thinking the drug was safe to use. | ||||||||||||||||||
In fact, it has been linked to greater risk of heart disease, lung
cancer, bronchitis and emphysema, they said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(15) OAKLAND PLANS TO SNUFF OUT SOME POT SHOPS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
When Stacie Traylor opened a medical marijuana dispensary in a vacant art-deco floral store four years ago, it stood among only a few. | ||||||||||||||||||
Now the gritty downtown quarter is a major hub, with as many as a dozen
pot clubs surrounding Telegraph Avenue, and Traylor is upset at the
notoriety that has come to the city's cannabis corner. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
This week, the city of Oakland may be ready to clamp down. A proposal
expected to go before the City Council on Tuesday would impose a cap on
the number of shops, forcing some to close. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(16) DONOR KEEPS MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ALIVE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A 30-year-old Hayward businessman spent $11,000 to keep Hayward Hempery
owner Cheryl Adams -- someone he had never met -- from being evicted
from her downtown shop. | ||||||||||||||||||
The man, a Tennyson High School graduate, said he had once visited The
Hempery and its medical marijuana dispensary. A medical marijuana
patient himself, he read with interest about her business' potential
demise in an ANG Newspapers' publication and decided to bail her out,
he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It's the oldest (dispensary) in town, and I thought it would be a shame
to let it go," he explained. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(17) STUDY FAULTS WHITE HOUSE ANTI-DRUG ADS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A study commissioned by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has concluded that the advertising program of the White House anti-drug office has had little impact on its primary target: America's teenagers. | ||||||||||||||||||
Conducted jointly by the Annenberg School of Communications at the
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Westat, a 30-year-old
research firm in Rockville, Md., the analysis concluded that "there is
little evidence of direct favorable [advertising] campaign effects on
youth." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The report said that investigators found that "youth who were more
exposed to [the anti-drug advertising campaign] messages are no more
likely to hold favorable beliefs or intentions about marijuana than are
youth less exposed to those messages." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (18-21) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
From China this week, another death sentence was handed down by a
"People's" court in Beijing. This latest death sentence was decreed on
a 31-year-old woman from Gansu province, following the largest heroin
seizure since communist China was founded in 1949. While
prohibitionists in western countries from Anslinger on down have
lusted after total government control (control like the communist
Chinese government has over its people), hard drug use is nonetheless
rife in China, and seems not curtailed even by the unlimited
totalitarian power western prohibitionists evidently seek also to
gain. | ||||||||||||||||||
From Afghanistan this week, Canadian forces are doing more than just
garrison duty for the Americans: they are working to make citizens of
Afghanistan drug-free. Dispatches from Kabul reveal a breathtaking
operation conducted by Canadians and Kabul city police, an assault
conducted on a particularly drug-infested Kabul neighborhood. Brave
Canadian commandos (along with Kabul police) stormed the Kabul
neighborhood using ladders, on a mission to find guns and drugs.
Sixteen men were reportedly taken in custody while an "unknown
quantity" of drugs was seized by authorities. | ||||||||||||||||||
Back home in Canada, Toronto police chief Julian Fantino isn't too
worked up about the results of a 30-month investigation over
corruption in Toronto's drug squad. While a police task force reported
"significant criminal behaviour on the part of 12 serving Toronto
Police Service officers," Chief Fantino put a positive spin on events,
insisting the "allegations" which "appeared in today's media" were
"not supported by evidence." Earlier this month, six of the veteran
Toronto drug squad officers were formally charged with over 20 counts
of theft, extortion, assault, and perjury. | ||||||||||||||||||
And from Morocco: cannabis production is soaring in this north African
nation, says a recent UN study. According to the report, some 134,000
hectares in six Moroccan provinces are now under cannabis cultivation,
up sharply from 20 years ago. While some users and tourists face
arrest for open cannabis use in larger cities and resort areas, police
and other government bribes are simply a cost of doing business, say
rural Moroccan cannabis farmers. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(18) DEATH SENTENCE IN HUGE HEROIN HAUL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A woman had been sentenced to death and her accomplice thrown in jail
for life after police made the single largest haul of heroin in Beijing
for more than 50 years, state media said. | ||||||||||||||||||
The ruling was handed down on Ma Xiuqin, a 31-year-old woman from
north-west Gansu province, and her accomplice Zhang Ganiang, 32, on
Sunday by the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court, the China Daily
reported. | ||||||||||||||||||
Their arrests came after police in Beijing received a tip-off last June from their Gansu colleagues about a drug ring operating between the two areas and subsequently arrested the women, seizing 13.2kg of heroin. | ||||||||||||||||||
State media said it was the largest amount taken in a single case in Beijing since the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Chinese law dictates that anyone producing or selling more than 50
grams of heroin may be sentenced to 15 years, life in prison or the
death penalty. | ||||||||||||||||||
In another case, police in south-western Chongqing municipality said
they had cracked a drug-trafficking channel bringing heroin into the
country from neighbouring Burma. | ||||||||||||||||||
Two people were arrested and 370 grams of the drug were confiscated. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
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(19) CANADIAN-LED RAID UNCOVERS 16 DRUG SUSPECTS IN KABUL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Camp Julien Soldiers Launch First Offensive Action Since Arriving In
Afghanistan Last August: Operation Tsunami | ||||||||||||||||||
CAMP JULIEN, Afghanistan - The raid dubbed Tsunami began before dawn
yesterday as light-armoured vehicles carrying Canadian soldiers and
Kabul city police roared out of the base toward a crumbling
neighbourhood believed to house drug traffickers with connections to a
terrorist group. | ||||||||||||||||||
By the time it was over, 16 men were in custody, a result of the first
offensive action by Canadian soldiers since they arrived in Kabul last
August. The raid was a significant departure for the Canadians, who
have thus far concentrated on forging contacts in the capital and the
countryside, training local police and hosting dinners for Afghan
National Army officials and tribal leaders. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
It ended yesterday morning as bags of money were removed from one of
the two residences on the compound, along with an unknown quantity of
drugs and two AK-47s. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The Canadians and Kabul city police used ladders to scale the three-metre-high mud-brick walls of the compound, located at the end of a hard dirt road in a neighbourhood of crumbling mud-brick houses. One soldier's ladder broke. He grabbed on to the railing of a balcony and pulled himself over, escaping injury. Another soldier was slightly injured when he fell into a sewage-filled hole in the street while walking to the compound in the pitch black night before dawn. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The raid was somewhat compromised when the soldiers came upon a pack of
dogs before they reached the site. The dogs started barking and
continued barking almost throughout the raid. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We still had an element of surprise. Not as much surprise as we would
have liked," said Major John Vass, the officer commanding the Parachute
Company. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(20) FANTINO DENIES FORCE RIFE WITH CORRUPTION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
30-Month Inquiry: Drug Squad Issues 'Being Dealt With' | ||||||||||||||||||
TORONTO - Toronto police chief Julian Fantino says a 30-month internal
investigation of a now disbanded drug squad did not uncover widespread
evidence of corruption. | ||||||||||||||||||
Chief Fantino confirmed yesterday that internal disciplinary
proceedings may be initiated against former drug squad officers who are
not facing criminal charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
However, he insisted the task force did not uncover systemic problems
in the former Central Field Command drug squad. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Over 2 1/2 years, as the investigation progressed, the allegations against the remaining officers that have appeared in today's media were fully investigated but not supported by evidence," said Chief Fantino. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Whatever issues fall out from this investigation, they either have
been dealt with or they are being dealt with," said the chief at a news
conference yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||
Six veteran officers were charged earlier this month with 22 counts of
perjury, theft, extortion and assault related charges. Four other
former drug-squad colleagues were named as unindicted co-conspirators,
which means their past conduct may be used in the prosecution of the
six charged officers. | ||||||||||||||||||
The corruption allegations have also resulted in the staying of charges in more than 200 drug prosecutions in Toronto, dating back to 1996. | ||||||||||||||||||
Affidavits made public this week by the Ontario Court of Appeal revealed the internal task force, led by RCMP Chief Supt. John Neily, found evidence of "criminal activity" by as many as 17 officers. | ||||||||||||||||||
The allegations included theft of money and drugs during raids,
trafficking, threats against witnesses and even the sale of weapons to
drug dealers. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(21) MOROCCO TARGETS CANNABIS BUT PRODUCTION SOARS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(Reuters) - The waiter spread the word quickly around the Cafe de la
| ||||||||||||||||||
As the manager switched off the reggae music, customers hurriedly threw cannabis and rolling paper onto the beach in front of the psychedelically painted haunt in the Moroccan capital Rabat. | ||||||||||||||||||
The plainclothes police who arrived took 30 people with them when they left. All are likely to be charged with possessing drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
A recent UN-sponsored report said cannabis cultivation in the Rif,
which dates back to the 15th century, has spread rapidly over the past
two decades from small patches in only two provinces to 134,000
hectares in six provinces. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"A hundred kilos yield 10,000-20,000 Moroccan dirhams while 100 kilos
of wheat will give you only 250 to 300 dirhams," said one farmer, who
asked to be identified only as Mustafa. These profit margins have made
the drug an attractive investment. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"From planting, irrigation, harvest to commercialisation, the farmer
pays money to buy their (authorities) silence, otherwise he faces the
law," said farmer Ahmed. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Authorities take more than half of the revenues," added Saadia, a
farmer in her early 70s. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
NEW JERSEY DRUG PROSECUTOR DEFENDS DRUG WAR | ||||||||||||||||||
A DrugSense Focus Alert. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LYNN HARICHY MEMORIAL PAGE | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
In Memory of Ron Crickenberger | ||||||||||||||||||
"Ron gave everything he had to the cause he believed in so
passionately, and he received something priceless in return - the love
and respect of everyone whose life he touched. His dream and his legacy
will continue to live on, wherever free men and women stand up and
fight for liberty." - Steve Dasbach | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
ELECTION 2004 ISSUE SURVEY - LET'S TALK ABOUT DRUGS | ||||||||||||||||||
The Associated Press Managing Editors Association, on behalf of
newsrooms around the country, invites you to help determine what issues
our newsrooms should address in our political coverage. We need to ask
you a few simple questions about which issues are most important to
you. | ||||||||||||||||||
As the campaign season progresses, and new issues arise both nationally
and locally, we'll be in touch with readers again to ask more specific
questions. This is part of APME's Credibility Roundtables Project,
which works to encourage communication and build trust between
journalists and the public. | ||||||||||||||||||
The survey, hosted by the Spokesman-Review, is an opportunity for you
to let these folks know what you think is important news. Please take
the survey at: | ||||||||||||||||||
For more about APME see http://www.apme.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||
Submitted by Kim Hanna | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
SAN MATEO PETITION | ||||||||||||||||||
I have just read and signed the petition: "San Mateo County Medical
Marijuana Recognition & Compassion Act" | ||||||||||||||||||
We are trying to reach 50000 signatures, and we need YOUR HELP! | ||||||||||||||||||
Please assist and support all citizens, patients & caregivers of San
Mateo County by signing this petition. It takes 30 seconds and will help
tremendously. Please follow this link: | ||||||||||||||||||
Once you have signed, help even more, by telling your friends and family
to sign as well! | ||||||||||||||||||
Thank you! | ||||||||||||||||||
Marnie Regen | ||||||||||||||||||
(patient and advocate, san jose) | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CULTURAL BAGGAGE, THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH ABOUT THE DRUG WAR | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Senior Servant and Founder, Metropolitan Interdenominational Church of Nashville, Tenn., which has outreach ministries in the areas of substance abuse, advocacy for children, sexual violence, and harm reduction. | ||||||||||||||||||
MP3: http://www.cultural-baggage.com/Audio/FDBCB_012004.mp3
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Chief Editor, High Times Magazine. | ||||||||||||||||||
7:30 EDT, 6:30 CDT and 4:30 PDT. Live, online at | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
ONDCP AD CAMPAIGN EVALUATION | ||||||||||||||||||
A new NIDA-funded evaluation of the ONDCP ad campaign has been
released. The report, by Westat and the Annenberg School, once again
found that the ad campaign is ineffective at best. | ||||||||||||||||||
The evaluation, in full and an executive summary, can be downloaded
from: | ||||||||||||||||||
An article in Advertising Age also talks about the evaluation. It's
available through the MAPINC archive at: | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.mapinc.org/newscsdp/v04/n124/a01.html | ||||||||||||||||||
Please also note, this study refutes recent assertions by Lloyd Johnston
of the Monitoring the Future project and John Walters of ONDCP that
these ads may have helped bring about a reported decrease in drug use
by some young people. | ||||||||||||||||||
Submitted by Doug McVay, http://www.csdp.org/ | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
BATTLE FOR CANADA #11 | ||||||||||||||||||
Phoney Decrim and Reefer Madness / Analysis by Richard Cowan | ||||||||||||||||||
UK Reefer Madness Spreads To Canada As Both Countries Move Toward Phoney Decrim Bills. One Cannabis User Dies of An Overdose, Another Commits Murder. Learning Lessons from "the old country." | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CANADIAN COMICS ON THE BARRIE BUD BUST | ||||||||||||||||||
The Royal Canadian Air Farce pokes some fun at thE recent Brewery
turned grow-op bust in Barrie Ontario, a subject also commented
on by Canadian funny man, Rick Mercer. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LETTER OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Marijuana Web Site Questioned | ||||||||||||||||||
By Stan White | ||||||||||||||||||
I recommend avoiding the Mfiles Web site, ("Tiger Tracks co-editor
recognized for drug abuse prevention piece," Jan. 15) where U.S. drug
czar John Walters makes the claim, "marijuana advocates (are) living in
a world of falsehoods." | ||||||||||||||||||
Historically, government subsidized cannabis prohibitionists as a whole
are misinformed, relying on what is false to perpetuate terrorizing
citizens for using a plant, which God gave and said was good on
literally the first page of the Bible. | ||||||||||||||||||
I question "the dangers of drug abuse" and "the harsh realities of substance abuse" in relation to cannabis (marijuana), since the greatest consistent danger from using cannabis is being put in a cage for using it, which is inflicted by that very government. | ||||||||||||||||||
If government wishes to reduce harms associated with responsible cannabis use, then stop caging users and the harm is almost zilch. | ||||||||||||||||||
Government, you are the harm. | ||||||||||||||||||
Oh, that's right, the federal government doesn't recognize that people
even use cannabis responsibly. | ||||||||||||||||||
To accept Walters' and Gov. Bill Owens' position is to accept that cannabis has no medical value, and Colorado citizens who legally use cannabis medically should still be considered criminals. | ||||||||||||||||||
And therein lies the root of the problem. | ||||||||||||||||||
Walters and Owens of the Reefer Madness set would prefer citizens cage
their family members for even using cannabis to ease cancer's
challenge. | ||||||||||||||||||
It is commendable to help youth resist drugs, alcohol, cannabis, coffee
and cigarettes until they are older and responsible for their choices,
but caging responsible adult cannabis users is not the correct way to
do it. | ||||||||||||||||||
Stan White, | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
STAR-LEDGER 2003 SILVER PEN AWARD (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Whenever any newspaper editor or reporter is feeling self-important and tempted to puff up like a toad (or a TV pundit), there is always that one thing to keep us honest and humble about what we do for a living. | ||||||||||||||||||
Every time a newspaper surveys it's readers to see what they do and do
not like, one feature invariably leads the pack of favorites. It is
the letters to the editor, the only part of the paper not written by
professionals | ||||||||||||||||||
The letters section is where average people get a chance to shoot off
their mouths right next to the columnists and editorial writers,
sometimes balancing the often more predictable thoughts of the presumed
experts. Their feelings reflect public opinion in a deeply textured
way that no poll could ever duplicate. | ||||||||||||||||||
So we decided to recognize our letter writers. There are prizes,
after all, for other contributions to the paper far less read than
the letters. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Note: The Star-Ledger is the 16th largest daily newspaper in the United States with a circulation of over 400,000 copies. It prints hundreds of letters each year. Thus the recognition of Jim Miller as one of the recipients of the newspaper's Silver Pen Award is a high honor. You may read all of Jim's published letters at http://www.mapinc.org/writers/Jim+Miller | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
SOTU on Drugs | ||||||||||||||||||
By Pete Guither | ||||||||||||||||||
For those didn't watch the State of the Union but wanted to know what
President George W. Bush said about drugs: | ||||||||||||||||||
One of the worst decisions our children can make is to gamble their lives
and futures on drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
True. And it's a decision on which government will have little impact. | ||||||||||||||||||
Our government is helping parents confront this problem, with aggressive
education, treatment, and law enforcement. | ||||||||||||||||||
Education programs like D.A.R.E. which don't work and others which
insult the intelligence of kids. Treatment slots wasted on
non-addicted marijuana users who are referred be schools and criminal
justice, while hard drug addicts are turned away. And law enforcement
that has demonstrated major corruption while leading us to being the
most incarcerated country on the planet. | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the past two
years. Four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs
than in the year 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sure, no problem, just pick your statistics. "Monitoring the Future"
shows drug use down in High Schools, "Pride Survey" shows drug use is
up. Oh, and by the way, the ads don't work ( see | ||||||||||||||||||
In my budget, I have proposed new funding to continue our aggressive, community-based strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Oh, sure. Let's spend even more on a failed war on drugs! We've got
lots of money! 30 years and billions and billions of dollars with
nothing to show for it? (I'm sorry, actually there's a lot to show for
it - increased crime, addiction, and drug abuse) Let's spend even
more! Yeah, let's get aggressive. Here's some folks that can attest to
the value of an aggressive drug war (or they could if they weren't
dead - see | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug testing in our schools has proven to be an effective part of this
effort. | ||||||||||||||||||
Not according to University of Michigan researchers who last year
looked at survey data from 1998 through 2001 drawn from 772 high
schools and middle schools. They found virtually identical rates of
usage in schools that test and schools that do not. | ||||||||||||||||||
So tonight I propose an additional 23 million dollars for schools that want to use drug testing as a tool to save children's lives. | ||||||||||||||||||
Ah, yes. More money for stuff that does nothing. Boy, money must just
grow on trees! | ||||||||||||||||||
The aim here is not to punish children, but to send them this message: We
love you, and we don't want to lose you. | ||||||||||||||||||
Yes, we love you so much that we'll point guns at you in school, send
dogs after you, take away all your rights, and get you so used to it,
that when we take away your medicine when you're old, you'll just roll
over and die like a good citizen. | ||||||||||||||||||
... And then he said some stuff about athletes needing to be role
models and they shouldn't use drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Note: quotes above are from the prepared speech. | ||||||||||||||||||
Pete Guither is the author of Drug WarRant - www.drugwarrant.com - a
weblog at the front lines of the drug war. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
"Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads. No
man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited
power." - Charles Caleb Colton | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
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. | ||||||||||||||||||
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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. | ||||||||||||||||||
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