| March 17, 2006 #441 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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THIS JUST IN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
(1) HOUSE OKS MILLIONS FOR COLOMBIA'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The House yesterday approved an amendment calling for $99.4 million in
emergency anti-drug funds to assist in Colombia's war against narco-
terrorists by replacing 23 aircraft that have been shot down or crashed
since 2000 and buying three new ones for the Colombian National Police
and the country's navy. The money was included as an add-on to a
pending $72.4 billion appropriations bill for the war on terrorism and
passed 250-172 amid a flurry of votes on several spending projects. It
faces formal approval in the House and then will be sent to Senate for
a vote. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana Republican and chairman of the House
International Relations subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, said
the money would be used in interdiction efforts in the Caribbean and
Pacific Ocean, from where tons of cocaine and heroin are moved each
year to the United States, and the efforts would "bolster
counternarcotic assistance to Colombia." | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(2) DEA SAYS POT CANDY IS NOT DANDY -- 12 ARRESTED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Group accused of making drug-laced treats, beverages | ||||||||||||||||||||
Federal drug agents raided warehouses in Oakland and Emeryville and
arrested a Lafayette man and 11 other people Thursday on charges that
they made candy and soft drinks resembling popular goodies but laced
with marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Authorities say Kenneth Affolter, 39, of Lafayette is the leader of the
outfit, which called itself Beyond Bomb and allegedly manufactured a
range of pot-laced treats with names Buddahfingers, Munchy Way, Rasta
Reece's and Puff-a-Mint Pattie. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"This is the biggest candy marijuana factory that we have seen on the
West Coast," said Javier Pena, special agent in charge of the federal
Drug Enforcement Administration in San Francisco. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"There was a great deal of sophistication that involved different
labels, pretty much knockoffs of the real thing. This is potentially
dangerous for kids and people who don't know what they're eating and
what they're drinking." | ||||||||||||||||||||
The defendants are to appear today in U.S. District Court in San
Francisco on charges of distribution of marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(3) KIDS GONE WILD - OR HAVE THEY? DRUG CZAR GOOFS ON WARNING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The White House drug czar yesterday sounded the alarm on high school
kids drinking and drugging during spring break but backed away from
assertions that 1 in 7 high schoolers under age 18 are partying
unsupervised in hotspots like Cancun and Miami Beach. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"It was in fact a very real human error," Rosanna Maietta, spokeswoman
for the Bush administration's Office of National Drug Control Policy,
said of the agency's faulty math, which suggested that 15 percent of
all high schoolers under age 18 were unleashed to go wild during the
annual vacation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"But the fact is there are more and more people going on these trips," she said, and parents need to pay attention to that trend. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Locally, travel agents, high school students and school officials said they have noted very few instances in which students under age 17 have been off partying like college kids during the spring hiatus. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Late yesterday, after several inquiries from the Herald, the Drug
Control Office, through it's public relation arm, Fleishman-Hillard,
admitted it lacked the statistics to back up its claim. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"We are putting out a correction," said Maietta. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The same office became the subject of criticism in 2002 when it
launched its "drug money funds terrorism" ad campaign. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Some of the ads featured clean-cut teenagers staring into the camera as they soberly recited the words, "I helped blow up a building." | ||||||||||||||||||||
Critics called the campaign an attempt to exploit the tragedy of
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to bolster the war on drugs. The Drug
Policy Alliance, which backs the decriminalization of pot and opposes
the war on drugs, said federal authorities had yet to produce
conclusive proof of a single case in which U.S. drug proceeds went
to Middle Eastern terrorists. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(4) POPPY CROP COULD HAVE POSITIVE USE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Think-Tank Opposes Eradication Policy -- Plants Can Be Used For Other Painkillers -- Bid To Kill Opium Trade Is Futile, Think-Tank Argues | ||||||||||||||||||||
Let Afghans Help Ease Shortage Of Painkilling Drugs | ||||||||||||||||||||
The attempt to eradicate Afghanistan's opium poppy crop is ineffective
and destructive, and should be abandoned, says an international
security and development policy think-tank. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Afghan farmers should be encouraged to grow the plants for production of morphine, codeine and other opium-derived painkillers in critically short supply around the world, the Paris-based Senlis Council says. | ||||||||||||||||||||
While Afghan police, guarded by coalition troops, plow illicit poppies
into the ground, millions of people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and surgical
or accident wounds endure excruciating pain with no access to drugs
that offer relief, the council says. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Meanwhile, powerful drug lords -- who convert the crop into the world's
main source of heroin -- are squeezing impoverished Afghan farmers and
undermining the country's fragile economy and political system, says
the council's director general, Emmanuel Reinert. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Instead of believing in the crazy idea of us being able to eradicate
it, why not use the resource for legitimate and worthwhile purposes,"
says University of Toronto's Benedikt Fischer, who did research for
Senlis. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-8) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The drug warriors aren't just peeking into the finances of
legitimate businesses - now they're going to mine data relating to
the actual products those businesses buy and sell. It's being
promoted as an anti-terrorism measure, but, like so many
anti-terrorism measures, it also applies to the illegal drug trade.
Indeed, yet another expert, this time a Coast Guard veteran, reminds
us that port safety has long been compromised by the war on drugs,
even as rhetoric about the need for more anti-terror measures grows.
Also last week, President Bush signed the new PATRIOT Act, with a
domestic attack on meth that doesn't seem to have anything to do
with combating terrorism. The result of that domestic attack:
foreign "super meth labs" are supposedly picking up the slack,
leading some officials to call for an even more intense war on
foreign meth. If none of that makes sense to you, don't worry,
that's just the way the drug war works. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(5) POLICING TRADE TO NAB TERRORISTS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
New Effort Spots Illegal Exports Masking Money Laundering | ||||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government has quietly launched a program to
crack down on the use of trade by drug lords, gangsters and
terrorist financiers to mask money laundering. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Law-enforcement agencies traditionally have focused on | ||||||||||||||||||||
It works like this: If an imported product is overvalued, the
exporter receives an inflated price for the product, and wealth is
shifted from the importer to the foreign exporter. Normally, this
wouldn't be a profitable deal for the importer, but if the parties
are in cahoots they can share the proceeds. Likewise, when a money
launderer converts illicit cash into goods and then sends them
abroad at below market prices, the importer can resell them at real
market prices and thus transfer value out of a country under the
noses of authorities. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In the first formal effort to combat these techniques, the U.S. in
January teamed up with the governments of Argentina, Brazil and
Paraguay to create "Trade Transparency Units" that allow the
countries to share detailed information about each others' import
and export transactions. Armed with a U.S.-designed data-mining
computer program, investigators sift through the information looking
for anomalies in commerce that could indicate terrorist financing or
other criminal activity. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(6) DRUG WAR TRUMPS PORT SAFETY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The top objective of the U.S. Coast Guard's anti-terrorism strategy
is to protect what's called the "U.S. Maritime Domain," including
American ports. | ||||||||||||||||||||
But it is hard to take seriously the idea that ports are being
effectively protected when the Coast Guard spent more tax dollars
last year fighting the war on drugs than has been spent in total on
port security since Sept. 11, 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Since becoming part of the Department of Homeland Security in early
2003, the Coast Guard reports interdicting at sea some 340 tons of
cocaine bound for the United States. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(7) PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS 'COMBAT METH ACT' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
On Thursday, President Bush signed the "Combat Meth Act," a
nationwide law requiring that all medications containing
pseudoephedrine, a substance used in the production of | ||||||||||||||||||||
"This is a major victory for people in neighborhoods across Missouri and the country who are threatened by meth," Sen. Jim Talent said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri passed a similar law last year. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"This will create thousands fewer labs and addicts and fewer
children will be contaminated," Talent said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Under the bill, consumers would be limited to 3.6 grams, or about 120 cold pills, per day, and 9 grams, or about 300 pills, per month. Buyers would need to show photo identification and sign a logbook. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(8) CHANOS CALLS FOR TOUGH ACTION ON METHAMPHETAMINE 'SUPER LABS' (Top)COMING OUT OF MEXICO | ||||||||||||||||||||
Attorney General George Chanos on Tuesday called for the Bush administration to toughen its response to methamphetamine imports from Mexico, including possible action against firms overseas that supply Mexican "superlabs" with ingredients for the drug. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mexico imports more than 250 metric tons of ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine annually, while the country's legitimate uses for
the chemicals in legal medications are limited to only 50 metric
tons, Chanos said, citing figures given to state officials by the
White House this week. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Clearly the balance, I believe, may be being used by Mexican
superlabs," Chanos said. Drug lords utilize the precursor chemicals
in manufacture of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant
being used with alarming health and crime effects in a number of
states. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Chanos, attending the annual conference of the National Association of Attorneys General, asked about meth and Mexico when the state officials met Monday with White House drug czar John Walters. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (9-12) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The drug war is supposed to save kids from drugs, right? But, as
always more kids are getting recruited, and the efforts seem
intentional and sophisticated. According to the Detroit Free Press,
teens from Detroit are being sent to Pennsylvania towns to sell
drugs for a couple weeks before being replaced with more kids from
Detroit, allegedly to confuse law enforcement. Also in Pennsylvania,
another story about another first grader bringing crack to school.
Also this week the usual corruption, and $2.3 million worth of
reasons for police to love the drug war anyway. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(9) PA. COCAINE BUST SHOWS DETROIT KIDS AS SELLERS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Three years ago, drug dealers migrated from Detroit to New Castle,
Pa., with bags of powder cocaine in hand. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The goal? To take over the crack cocaine market. And they succeeded,
law enforcement officials say -- in part because they used Detroit
youths to sell the drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The dealers, who went by street names such as Moses and Tone,
employed as many as 20 workers from Detroit -- some as young as 14 -
-- to peddle. | ||||||||||||||||||||
After a few weeks, the dealers sent the teenagers back to Detroit
and brought in a new crop in an effort to throw off police in the
western Pennsylvania town. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"We would see new faces," New Castle Police Chief Thomas Sansone
said after an investigation resulted in drug charges against 18
Detroiters, including one juvenile, last month. "They'd all give us
fake names." | ||||||||||||||||||||
Using juveniles to sell drugs is nothing new, authorities acknowledge. In Detroit, Young Boys Incorporated, or YBI, used school-age children to sell drugs in the 1970s and '80s. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"But the specific use of juveniles rotating from Detroit to New
Castle was something much more organized than we've seen with
others," said Nils Frederiksen, spokesman for the Pennsylvania
Attorney General's Office. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(10) CRACK AGAIN? COPS QUESTION 1ST-GRADER | ||||||||||||||||||||
Police yesterday questioned a first-grader and an eighth-grader to
determine how 24 bags of suspected crack cocaine wound up inside
their North Philadelphia elementary school. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The drugs were found in a hallway at the Hartranft School, 8th and Cumberland streets, about 11:30 a.m., marking the third incident this year of young children bringing suspected drugs to class. | ||||||||||||||||||||
According to school district spokesman Vincent Thompson, each of the
students questioned said a plastic bag containing baggies of the
drug belonged to the other. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(11) COP TO STAND TRIAL FOR ALLEGED TIP-OFF (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A former New Britain police officer will stand trial for allegedly tipping off a drug dealer to an undercover investigation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Jonathan Knight, 35, of Warminster, waived a preliminary hearing
Wednesday before Judge Kenneth Biehn in Bucks County court in
Doylestown. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Biehn was assigned the case after District Judge Ruth C. Dietrich
dismissed charges against the former officer following a hearing in
December. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Knight's attorney, Louis Busico, was vague about why Knight waived
the hearing. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(12) POLICE GET TO KEEP $2.3 MILLION IN SEIZED CASH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The police department in Pontoon Beach will take in $2.3 million as
part of the largest cash forfeiture ever in Southern Illinois,
authorities said Wednesday. | ||||||||||||||||||||
It's a windfall for the department, which runs on an annual budget
of $1 million. Police Chief Charles Luehmann says he plans to use
the extra money to pay for technology upgrades and new police cars,
among other things. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The story began on March 11, 2005, when Officer John Simmons went to
the Flying J truck stop after a clerk reported that a | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (13-17) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
This week's hemp/cannabis section begins with three bits of bad news
from the U.S. The first comes from Cincinnati, Ohio, where the city
council has just passed an ordinance that would increase the penalty
for the personal possession of cannabis from a written citation and
$100 fine to arrest and a possible 30 days in jail. The ordinance
has a one-year sunset clause, and will be reviewed after the 6 and
12 months of implementation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The second comes from California, where Steve Kubby has just been sentenced to another 60 days in Placer County jail after being found guilty of violating his probation when he fled to Canada in 2001. Kubby, who suffers from a rare form of adrenal cancer, hopes to be out in 20 days due to over-crowding, but fears that further imprisonment may lead to a deterioration of his health. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The third is also from California, where police are refusing to
return cannabis seized from Gendora resident Antonio Perry during a
grow-op raid, despite having the case dismissed once Perry he
proved that his use was medical and therefore legal. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Our fourth story comes to us from New Zealand, where an experimental
hemp crop that is being used to remove phosphorous and nitrogen from
sewage is showing good results. The crop was planted in Fielding
last November, and is sub-irrigated with tertiary treated waste; it
now stands over 2.5 meters (8 feet) high. And lastly this week, an
incredible editorial by Canada's National Post urging the new
Conservative government to live up to its small "c" conservative
credentials by shifting away from its prohibitionist stance and
legalizing and regulating cannabis use and distribution. And around
and around we go. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(13) CINCINNATI POISED TO TOUGHEN POT LAW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Starting today, getting caught with a little pot could mean a little
jail time - for at least the next year. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cincinnati City Council's Law and Public Safety Committee adopted a
tougher marijuana ordinance Tuesday - over the objections of a dozen
citizens who testified at the hearing. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The full council will consider the ordinance today - but a majority,
five members, has already voted in support of it. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The ordinance would increase the penalty for possessing less than 100 grams of marijuana - even a single joint - from a written citation and a $100 fine to arrest and a possible 30 days in jail. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(14) MARIJUANA ACTIVIST BEING SENT BACK TO JAIL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Recently released from the Placer County jail because of
overcrowding, medical marijuana advocate Steven Wynn Kubby is being
sent back. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kubby was sentenced Tuesday to a 60-day term by a judge who determined that the 59-year-old activist had violated his probation in 2001 by moving to Canada rather than serve a 120-day stretch for a drug conviction. He will report to the jail Wednesday. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kubby said he again hopes for an early release because of good
behavior and possible jail overcrowding. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Hopefully, I can serve just 20 days of it, but I've been given no
guarantees," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kubby left the United States five years ago, contending he would die
in the Placer jail if not allowed to use cannabis to treat his
medical condition, which Kubby has described as a rare form of
adrenal cancer. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(15) POLICE HOLD MAN'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A man whose marijuana-cultivation charge was dismissed because he
was using it for medical purposes is having a hard time getting his
plants and seeds back from police. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The case against Antonio Perry, 33, was thrown out in January at
Pomona Superior Court when he produced a doctor's note stating his
marijuana was for medical use. And now the Glendora police have no
reason or right to keep his marijuana, Perry said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"I spent years trying to cultivate those breeds," he said. "The
seeds are irreplaceable." | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(16) HEMP HARVESTED TO CHECK POLLUTION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A crop of hemp is being harvested in Feilding to check the
absorption rates of known river pollutants - phosphorus and
nitrogen. | ||||||||||||||||||||
There are three plots of hemp near Feilding's sewage treatment plant, which treats waste before it reaches the Oroua River. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The crop is looking promising, and one plot, planted in November,
has reached 2.5m in height. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(17) FREEDOM AND POT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
As Don Martin noted in this newspaper yesterday, 600,000 Canadians
are currently saddled with criminal convictions for their use of a
relatively harmless substance -- a serious matter for anyone
attempting to travel outside the country. But even decriminalizing
marijuana does not go far enough. Under the Liberals' plan, trading
in it would have remained illegal, and even those caught in
possession of small amounts would have been subject to fines. In
other words, users of a substance less harmful than alcohol and
tobacco would still have been targeted by police. And to make
matters worse, enforcement tends to be unevenly applied -- the vast
majority of marijuana use overlooked while a select few face
consequences. | ||||||||||||||||||||
If the widespread use and increasing social acceptance of marijuana
are not enough to convince the Tories of the merits of legalization,
the dent that it would put in crime should do so. For a government
committed to a law-and-order agenda, the opportunity to end a black
market should be enticing. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The best reason to change our drug laws, however, remains the
principled one. As the Tories have recognized on other issues,
Canadians are capable of making their own decisions without
government holding their hands. Do they really need state protection
from pot? | ||||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (18-22) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
If Manitoba Canada's Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh gets his
way, government will need only to accuse someone to punish
them: no conviction required. Mackintosh has put forward a new
law that allows government to evict renters and homeowners
alike, if someone has accused them of making meth. The law
"leaves pretty well everyone eligible for eviction," note
observers. | ||||||||||||||||||||
When prohibitionists in Washington D.C. crack the whip, leaders of third-world nations better jump. That's the message Washington sent to Bolivia, Philippines and Canada last week after U.S. State Department's annual drug report browbeat those nations for not being sufficiently subservient to D.C. drug war fantasies. Washington has put the pressure on Bolivia's President Evo Morales, apparently convincing him to go back on campaign promises to boot U.S.-led coca-eradication out of the landlocked Andean nation. U.S. envoy Condoleezza also this week paid Bolivian President Morales an ostensibly friendly visit, which ended on a humorous note when Morales presented Rice with a coca-leaf guitar which Rice strummed. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In the Philippines, President Gloria Arroyo snapped to attention in
the wake of the same U.S. State Department report which condemned
the archipelago nation of the Philippines as a "drug smuggler's
haven." After all, it has many little islands, right? "You'll see
more of that fight against drugs, fight against corruption, fight
against smuggling," President Arroyo obediently replied to
Washington. The situation was the same in Canada last week, where
concerns over the U.S. report caused nervous conservative government
officials to obey Washington's dictates without delay. D.C.
prohibitionists predictably targeted the Canadian people's
acceptance of marijuana use, as well as Canadian supervised
injection center initiatives. As usual, the U.S. government demanded
Canada punish Canadian citizens who are involved with marijuana ever
more harshly. "The U.S. may get its wish soon, as Justice Minister
Vic Toews has suggested mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug
crimes are on the way." | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(18) CUTTING EDGE INJUSTICE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
JUSTICE Minister Gord Mackintosh thinks that it is a good idea to
punish people for crimes that they have not yet committed but which
they someday, perhaps and possibly, might commit. | ||||||||||||||||||||
That is an idea that should scare the socks off every Manitoban,
law-abiding or otherwise. | ||||||||||||||||||||
He proposes to give himself the authority to evict homeowners or renters who have in their possession the ingredients and the equipment to make crystal meth. Crystal meth is notoriously easy to make. You can buy the ingredients at your friendly neighbourhood pharmacy, the equipment you need at any family hardware store. | ||||||||||||||||||||
That leaves pretty well everyone eligible for eviction. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
No conviction of any crime is required for this -- simply Mr.
Mackintosh's suspicion that the commission of a crime is possible
will be enough. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mr. Mackintosh appears to regard the law as a weapon, a kind of bludgeon to be used against things he does not like. Manitoba, however, needs a justice minister who understands the law as a defence not only against crime and criminals but more importantly against government and authority, a defence of individual rights. | ||||||||||||||||||||
This province does not have such a justice minister in Gord
Mackintosh. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(19) NO.1 CASH CROP PUTS PRESIDENT ON HOT SEAT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bolivian President Evo Morales Faces a Difficult Balancing Act As He
Tries to Satisfy the Demands of Coca Growers and U.S.-Led Countries
That Want to Reduce Production | ||||||||||||||||||||
CHIPIRIRI, Bolivia - Desiderio Merida stopped drying a pile of green
coca leaves as he expressed concern about Bolivia's new President
Evo Morales. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"I can't explain why Evo has asked them to remain," said Merida,
referring to the recent decisions by Morales, a former coca growers'
leader, to reject calls for the expulsion of U.S. antidrug agents
from this region and to oppose a change that would increase legal
production of the leaf. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The answer, experts say, is that Morales, inaugurated as president
only six weeks ago, is trying to pursue a delicate balancing act
when it comes to coca farming in Bolivia, the world's third-biggest
producer of cocaine after Colombia and Peru. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Morales is calling on growers to voluntarily limit their plantings
and to agree to begin eradicating coca fields in the Chapare
national parks while he is promising to step up policing of cocaine
traffickers. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
In the meantime, Morales has begun a campaign to lift a 1961 U.N. ban on the export of coca leaves in what analysts see as an effort to create new legal markets for coca and provide additional income to its farmers, most of them poor indigenous families. [snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
International observers doubt that coca growers will fully obey
Morales' plea that they voluntarily limit their current level of
plantings, which are still more than double the amount allowed
today. | ||||||||||||||||||||
But even if they do, the European Union study is expected to show
that Bolivia's current legal coca market requires only about 30,000
acres. | ||||||||||||||||||||
This would put Morales on the spot. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(20) CONDOLEEZZA RICE PRESENTED WITH COCA LEAF-INLAY GUITAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
VALPARAISO, Chile - Condoleezza Rice knew coca would top the agenda
in her meeting with Bolivia's new president, but she likely wasn't
expecting to get the real thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||
At the end of their 25-minute meeting, President Evo Morales
presented the U.S. secretary of state with an Andean guitar that
bore a coca-leaf inlay. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rice told Morales, "I'm a musician you know," and strummed the
instrument, a typical Bolivian lacquered handicraft with five pairs
of strings. | ||||||||||||||||||||
It was unclear whether she immediately realised what | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
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(21) WASHINGTON WANTS CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
New Report By U.S. Urges Canada To Take Action On | ||||||||||||||||||||
OTTAWA - Methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana production is on the
rise in Canada, a new report by the U.S. State Department says, and
transnational crime groups are steadily importing more cocaine and
heroin. | ||||||||||||||||||||
While the American government's annual international narcotics
review pegs the country as "primarily a drug consuming" one, Canada
remains a significant producer of high quality marijuana and a
transit point for over-the-counter pharmaceuticals used in synthetic
drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
While the report paints a positive picture of law enforcement
efforts, it's clear the U.S. government wants legal changes to crack
down on drug producers in Canada. It notes marijuana cultivation is
a thriving, low-risk pursuit, due in part to "low sentences meted
out by Canadian courts." | ||||||||||||||||||||
The U.S. may get its wish soon, as Justice Minister Vic Toews has
suggested mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug crimes are on
the way. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The report also sums up various government-sponsored | ||||||||||||||||||||
It notes the U.S. supports "science-based treatment programs to
reduce drug use, as opposed to measures which facilitate drug abuse
in hopes of reducing some of its harmful consequences." | ||||||||||||||||||||
It makes a general request that Canada address the rise of ecstasy
production and "improve its regulatory and enforcement capacity"
regarding precursor chemicals as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Canadian government has taken several steps in that direction.
It boosted prison sentences for meth and ecstasy producers and
tightened controls on six chemicals used as base ingredients. The
regulations came into effect in January. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(22) GMA REVAMPS DRUGS BOARD FOLLOWING U.S. 'DRUG HAVEN' REPORT ON RP (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
President Arroyo is revitalizing the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and
putting it in charge of the fight against illegal drugs following a
U.S. government report describing the Philippines as a "drug
smuggler's haven." | ||||||||||||||||||||
"The DDB is provided by law to be a separate department and to take
over the anti-drug campaign from the police," Mrs. Arroyo told STAR
columnist Babe Romualdez in a one-on-one interview at Malacanang
yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
In its annual report on the worldwide illegal drug trade, the U.S.
State Department said the illegal drug trade in the Philippines has
evolved into a billion-dollar industry. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
"The Philippines is a narcotics source and transshipment country.
Illegal drugs enter the country through seaports, economic zones,
and airports. With over 36,200 kilometers of coastline and 7,000
islands, the Philippine archipelago is a drug smuggler's paradise,"
the report said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
"You'll see more of that fight against drugs, fight against corruption, fight against smuggling," she pledged yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency contested the U.S.
report, saying its conclusion was without basis. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
THE PROFITS OF PROHIBITION | ||||||||||||||||||||
By Libby Spencer at Last One Speaks | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://lastonespeaks.blogspot.com/2006_03_12_lastonespeaks_archive.html#114238428158708583 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
REPORTS FROM ONDCP DRUG TESTING SUMMIT AT DARE GENERATION DIARY | ||||||||||||||||||||
By Tom Angell | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
U.S. / CANADA GRASS WARS | ||||||||||||||||||||
14/03/2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
North America correspondent Mark Simkin, goes north of the border to
report on Canada's biggest growth industry - dope. He travels to the
picturesque province of British Columbia, which is at the centre of
the multi-billion dollar trade. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
ILLICIT DRUGS: BURDEN AND POLICY. CONFERENCE WHITE PAPER | ||||||||||||||||||||
A landmark two day conference on drug policy was held last October
at Trinity College. This gathering of law enforcement officers,
advocates for change and ordinary citizens provided a unique
opportunity for multiple stakeholders to begin a dialogue around
the problem of drugs in Hartford, CT. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
CULTURAL BAGGAGE RADIO SHOW | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| ||||||||||||||||||||
Listen Live Fridays 8:00 PM, ET, 7:00 CT, 6:00 MT & 5:00 PT at
http://www.KPFT.org/ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
THE MISUSE OF SWAT -- PARAMILITARY POLICING IN THE DRUG WAR | ||||||||||||||||||||
Drug War Chronicle, #427, March 17 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
AN ANALYTIC ASSESSMENT OF U.S. DRUG POLICY | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday, March 9, 2006 11:00 AM | ||||||||||||||||||||
In its efforts to control the use of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and other illegal drugs, the United States spends about $35 billion per year in public funds. Almost half a million dealers and users are incarcerated. In An Analytic Assessment of U.S. Drug Policy (AEI Press, 2005), policy analysts David Boyum and Peter Reuter provide an assessment of how poorly this massive investment of tax dollars and government authority is working. | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.aei.org/events/eventID.1262,filter.all/event_detail.asp# | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS BELIEVE POT SHOULD BE REGULATED LIKE ALCOHOL | ||||||||||||||||||||
Majorities In The East And West Coasts Back Legalization | ||||||||||||||||||||
March 16, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA | ||||||||||||||||||||
Washington, DC: Nearly one out of two Americans support amending
federal law "to let states legally regulate and tax marijuana the
way they do liquor and gambling," according to a national poll of
1,004 likely voters by Zogby International and commissioned by the
NORML Foundation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
JOHN WALTERS DOES THE DRUG CZAR DANCE | ||||||||||||||||||||
DrugSense FOCUS Alert #327 - Friday, 17 March 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Federal Drug Czar John Walters mustered together one of his semi-annual
OPED efforts at a national level with Thursday's publication in The
Wall Street Journal. His ire was obviously stimulated by a Feb 22 WSJ
opinion piece penned by Deputy Editor for International Affairs George
Melloan which contained a lengthy list of provocative criticisms of the
modern day Prohibition - the War on Drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Please consider writing a succinct Letter to the Editor (200 words or less is best) and sending it to the Wall Street Journal this weekend. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
JOBS AVAILABLE AT THE DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Alliance is currently looking to fill 3 positions: Communications
Assistant (NY), Part-Time Office Manager/Receptionist (DC) and
Legislative Assistant (DC). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
LETTER OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
PROHIBITION IS A POLICY OF FAILURE THAT'S NO JOKE OR REASON TO LAUGH | ||||||||||||||||||||
By Allan Erickson | ||||||||||||||||||||
EDITOR, THE TIMES: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Your headline, War on drugs a joke to ex-cop ( Tuesday, Feb 28,
Times ), is incongruous with the subject and the content of the
article. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Christina Toth doesn't raise the issue of humour and neither does
former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Stamper, as a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, is ahead of the curve on the issue of drugs and their prohibition. | ||||||||||||||||||||
As Canada continues her civil and political degradation by following
United States dictates on illicit drugs policy it seems prudent to
listen to the voices of experience Stamper represents as a member of
LEAP. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Prohibition is the cause of social declinations surrounding the
abuse of drugs. Prohibition is a policy of failure in fact, practice
and principle. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Prohibition is no joke. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Allan Erickson | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Report from the Trenches: ONDCP Student Drug Testing Summit | ||||||||||||||||||||
By Jennifer Kern | ||||||||||||||||||||
We must be doing something right. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The minute I arrived at the student drug testing summit in Falls
Church an ONDCP official descended upon me asking, "Are you the
person from DPA?" After shaking off his disingenuous attempt to
engage me in a debate, I proceeded into the summit, found the table
marked "Non-ONDCP approved materials" (they were expecting us) and
laid out our educational materials. Once officials noticed educators
eagerly picking up our booklets, a particularly vicious ONDCP
representative planted herself by the table and made snide comments
as educators approached. The tactic backfired: her comments prompted
one educator to take a large stack of booklets and thank me for
providing an alternative viewpoint. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The ONDCP apparently had not had enough. The next representative who approached me knew both my name and that I had attended the last summit in San Diego. He told me it was great to meet me in person after reading about me (apparently he frequents our web site.) How bizarre. We must really be throwing a wrench in the ONDCP's show. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Drug Czar John Walters presented opening remarks. He reflected that
this is the 19th or 20th student drug testing summit the ONDCP has
hosted around the country, but insisted that the programs are not
being pushed or mandated from Washington. Walters, along with the
rest of the presenters throughout the day, attempted to dismiss the
only national federally funded study conducted on the subject, which
found no difference in rates of drug use in schools with and without
drug testing programs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Knowing opposition was present in the audience, throughout the day
presenters were forced to attempt to diffuse our criticism of the
costly, ineffective and humiliating policy. One presenter, Principle
Chris Steffner of New Jersey, admitted that suspending students from
extracurricular activities eliminates the confidentiality promised
in the programs, and conveyed the message that humiliation might be
what young people need. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Throughout the day DPA members and staff from Students for Sensible
Drug Policy and NORML did an excellent job of keeping presenters on
their toes and keeping their deceptions in check. I spoke to a
number of educators who expressed dissatisfaction with the one-sided
information throughout the day, and were grateful for the
opportunity to hear the other side of the story. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Jennifer Kern is a Drug Policy Alliance research associate and expert on student drug testing. This piece initially appeared on D'Alliance - http://blog.drugpolicy.org/ - the DPA Weblog. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." | ||||||||||||||||||||
-- Irish proverb | ||||||||||||||||||||
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