| December 21, 2001 #231 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Listen On-line at: http://www.drugsense.org/radio/ | ||||||||||||||||||
NOTE TO READERS: DrugSense Weekly will mark the festive season by taking next week off, but we will return with a new edition Jan. 4. The DrugSense staff wishes happy holidays to all our readers, and to the generous volunteers and contributors who make this work possible. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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THIS JUST IN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) POT PLAYS STARRING ROLE ON TV, IN MOVIES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Sniff. Sniff. Smell that? It's the pungent odor of marijuana wafting
in the air as the music, television, and film industries inhale a
lungful of pot culture: | ||||||||||||||||||
On the cover of High Times magazine, Aaron Lewis, lead singer of the
rock group Staind, proudly clutches a bong and a handful of weed.
Afroman had a novelty hit song this year, "Because I Got High," which
had nothing to do with altitude. | ||||||||||||||||||
On ABC's "Once and Again," the eldest son passes a joint to his teenage
stepsister, while on NBC's "The West Wing," the surgeon general floats
the idea of decriminalizing marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(2) FINDINGS SHOW DECREASE IN USE OF MOST DRUGS BY AMERICAN YOUTH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Smoking is declining sharply among American teens. That's good news on
an important public health front, and it's thanks to ongoing national
efforts, experts say. | ||||||||||||||||||
A report also disclosed that the recent sharp increases in the use of
the drug Ecstasy are slowing, heroin use decreased, notably among 10th-
and 12th-graders, and a gradual decline in the use of inhalants
continued in 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The findings were reported Wednesday in the annual Monitoring the Future
survey conducted for the government by the University of Michigan's
Institute for Social Research. The report surveyed 44,300 students
nationwide in grades eight, 10 and 12. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(3) ITALIAN MEP ARRESTED IN BRITISH CANNABIS CAFE CASE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
LONDON, - An Italian Radical Party euro MP was arrested in Britain on Thursday for civil disobedience, his party said in a statement. | ||||||||||||||||||
It said Marco Cappato was detained while appearing in support of
British Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies who was arrested last week
for civil disobedience while appearing in support of a local man
facing drugs charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
Colin Davies -- no relation -- was arrested in Stockport in November
for supplying cannabis from his Amsterdam-style Dutch Experience cafe.
His brother Mark said he gave the drug away free to those who wanted
it for medical reasons. | ||||||||||||||||||
"He (Cappato) heard about Colin Davies, and came over partly to
support me and partly to make a further gesture in support of a
change in the drug laws," Chris Davies said. | ||||||||||||||||||
Chris Davies pleaded not guilty at Stockport Magistrates' Court. He
is due to appear for committal on January 29. | ||||||||||||||||||
"I want a jury to consider the broader issue about whether laws of
this kind should be in place," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(4) US TELLS COLOMBIA TO IMPROVE RIGHTS RECORD BEFORE IT GETS AID (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The House attached a series of conditions to
American aid to Colombia today, demanding that the government hold
right-wing paramilitary groups and their military allies accountable
for violence there. The Senate, which initiated the restrictions, is
expected to concur. | ||||||||||||||||||
Under the conditions, the secretary of state must certify that the
commander of the Colombian armed forces suspends troops that violate
human rights and make them available for prosecution in civilian
courts. The Colombian military must also sever links to paramilitary
groups that have thrived, often with military intelligence and
supplies, in an increasingly brutal showdown with leftist
guerrillas. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-11) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Statewide groups, including doctors, lawyers and pharmacists from
Washington joined together to offer a unified condemnation of the drug
war. In Ohio, state officials appear to fear similar sentiments, as
documents showed a state employing scheming to derail a drug reform
initiative. | ||||||||||||||||||
Speaking of wasted public resources, police are enlisting drug dogs and
customs agents to sniff out drugs on public transportation systems in
San Francisco. Believe it or not, they didn't catch any big dealers,
but they found a few people carrying cannabis for personal use. In
other transportation news, North Carolina police aren't concerned about
the right to move freely, as drug police secretly watch and label
drivers. And foreigners who have drug convictions now aren't even
allowed to change planes at American airports. | ||||||||||||||||||
In Texas, a woman whose son was killed in a questionable drug raid was essentially forced to plead guilty to drug charges. While the drug war isn't helping any of these people, it is pushing smugglers to new levels of ruthlessness, including using babies as mules. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(5) A UNIFIED CALL TO END WAR ON DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Doctors, Pharmacists, Lawyers Say It Doesn't Work. | ||||||||||||||||||
Doctors, lawyers and pharmacists joined yesterday in calling for an end
to the state's war on drugs, saying people should no longer be jailed
for simple possession of drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Releasing a one-year study on illegal drug use, the leaders of five major professional organizations said imprisoning drug users is the most costly and least effective approach to ending drug abuse. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We need to shift from a punitive legal model to a public health
model," said Fred Noland, the Seattle attorney who was the driving
force behind the policy review. | ||||||||||||||||||
Noland is a past president of the King County Bar Association, which conducted the study and won support for it from the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington State Medical Association, the King County Medical Society and the Washington State Pharmacy Association. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(6) RECORDS REVEAL DRUG ISSUE'S FOES IN TAFT ADMINISTRATION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Columbus -- State officials want to keep an initiative off the November
ballot that would allow first-time drug offenders to get treatment in
lieu of jail, proponents of the measure said yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||
Documents obtained by the Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies indicate
that Luceille Fleming, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and
Drug Addiction Services, is leading the charge. | ||||||||||||||||||
"The first line and best possible defense against the proposed
constitutional amendment is to keep it off the ballot," Fleming wrote
to Greg Moody, Gov. Bob Taft's executive assistant for Health and Human
Services, in a Sept. 13 memo. | ||||||||||||||||||
Ed Orlett, the ballot initiative's campaign manager, said the state is plotting to block the measure and hopes to confuse and scare voters. | ||||||||||||||||||
"They are trying to violate the rights of Ohioans by denying them
access to amending the Constitution by petition," Orlett said. "And
they are doing it at taxpayer's expense." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(7) CIVIL LIBERTARIANS BARK ABOUT BART DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Random sweeps of BART trains with drug-sniffing dogs led to about a
dozen marijuana citations and an arrest this week, but they also have
some civil libertarians howling mad. | ||||||||||||||||||
BART Police officers and U.S. Customs Service agents began walking a
drug-trained Labrador Retriever through the trains Wednesday. When the
dog smells drugs on a person, she stops, sits down and points with her
nose, alerting officers to make a search. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It's unconstitutional," said San Francisco attorney John G. Heller,
who has helped the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern
California fight cases of similar random sweeps in public schools. "A
dog sniff is a search of a person under the Fourth Amendment, and you
can't do that unless you have some particularized suspicion a person
has contraband on them. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Above and beyond that, I think it sends a terrible message at a time
our civil liberties are already under siege," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
More marijuana citations were handed out Thursday. Gomes said Friday it's a good start, although not quite what they'd hoped for. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We didn't detect any large amounts," he said -- the sweeps didn't catch the "kilos of cocaine or large amounts of heroin" that federal, state and local police have said could be moving via BART. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(8) UNSOLICITED MAIL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Kevin Collins thought it was a joke when he received the bright yellow index card from the Hendersonville Police Department in the mail. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Mr. Kevin Alexander Collins, it was reported to the Police Department
that your vehicle, a silver 1988 Mazda ... was recently observed in an
area of Hendersonville known for illegal drug activity," according to
the message on the index card. "We feel that you should be made aware
that this area is being watched by law enforcement and also that your
vehicle is subject to seizure and forfeiture if illegal drugs are found
to be in the vehicle." | ||||||||||||||||||
As he read the note, Collins said he began to realize it was no joke. "It pretty much struck me as harassment right off," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
The notice irritated Collins so much that he wrote a letter protesting
the practice to Hendersonville Police Chief Donnie Parks. He also sent
a copy to Hendersonville Mayor Fred Niehoff. | ||||||||||||||||||
Parks said notices such as the one Collins received are part of his
department's fight against illegal drugs and are not meant to harass
anyone. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(9) DRUG CONVICTION COST AIR TRAVELLER HIS TICKET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
If there's a drug conviction in your past, make sure any plane you board does not touch down in the United States, even for an hour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Heightened security measures at airports there are forcing all passengers who land on U.S. soil to clear customs and immigration. | ||||||||||||||||||
Those found inadmissible are being turned back to Canada, regardless
of their ultimate destination. | ||||||||||||||||||
Jason Hammond, 29, missed his trip home to New Zealand last week
because U.S. immigration refused him entry to a Hawaiian airport
transit lounge for a two-hour stopover. | ||||||||||||||||||
Before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. allowed air carriers
to stop for refuelling and crew changes without subjecting passengers
to full immigration and customs checks said Peter Gordon, an assistant
inspections director with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization
Service. | ||||||||||||||||||
That exemption was suspended a short time after Sept.11, he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
Hammond, who was convicted of possession of hash oil for the purpose
of trafficking when he was 20, was sent back to Canada. | ||||||||||||||||||
He lost his $2,100 ticket and must now pay for another trip, via a
new route, to travel home for Christmas. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(10) WRITER PLEADS GUILTY TO GHB POSSESSION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A true crime writer whose son was fatally shot during a 1999 drug raid
at her North Richland Hills home pleaded guilty Friday to possession of
GHB. | ||||||||||||||||||
Barbara Davis, 50, showed no emotion as she entered her plea to a
charge of possession of a controlled substance, 4 ounces to 200 grams,
before senior state District Judge C.C. "Kit" Cooke in a Fort Worth
courtroom. | ||||||||||||||||||
"I thought it was legal. I had bought it through a pharmaceutical
company," she said. "I have insomnia, and that's why I bought it. This
was not street GHB." | ||||||||||||||||||
Because of the plea, a charge of attempted manufacture of a controlled
substance/GHB over 400 grams was dismissed. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
A federal lawsuit is pending against North Richland Hills and the
police. It states that officers used excessive force and violated the
son's civil rights. | ||||||||||||||||||
The raid and shooting occurred Dec. 15, 1999, when 17 tactical team
officers raided the house in North Richland Hills. Police said Troy
Davis, 25, was pointing a loaded 9 mm pistol at officers when he was
shot by tactical team member Allen Hill. | ||||||||||||||||||
Police said they found three marijuana plants and enough GHB to make 600 doses. Police also found 16 guns, all legal, authorities said. | ||||||||||||||||||
Barbara Davis has said that her son was not armed and that police
placed the gun near his body. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(11) 35 CHARGED IN DRUG PLOT USING FORMULA, BABIES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
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CHICAGO (AP) -- Federal officials charged 35 people Friday in an
international scheme to smuggle drugs inside baby formula cans, and
said some of the smugglers "rented" infants from their parents to get
through customs without arousing suspicion. | ||||||||||||||||||
U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald announced three indictments alleging
Chicago-based conspiracies in which cocaine and heroin were smuggled
into the United States from Panama and Jamaica for distribution in
Chicago, New York and Britain from 1996 to 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Renting babies for the purpose of allowing drug dealers to smuggle
cocaine and heroin is truly a new low in drug smuggling," Fitzgerald
said, adding that one infant took six trips--the first at 3 weeks old.
Those charged included alleged suppliers in Panama and Jamaica,
organizers, couriers and four Chicago parents accused of renting their
children for money or drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (12-16) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
There were literally too many new police drug corruption stories this
week to include them all in DrugSense Weekly, but fortunately you can
visit the MAP corruption archive at http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm
to find out about the others. One of the most interesting cases
involves the department of a publicity-seeking county sheriff who
suddenly shunned the cameras after three of his top narcotics
investigators were arrested for stealing and reselling illegal drugs.
Reports suggest the three disgraced investigators bonded over their
abuse of anabolic steroids. Coincidentally or not, another cop gone
bad story involved an officer who allegedly returned drugs to a
suspect in exchange for steroids. | ||||||||||||||||||
In Alabama, narcotics police shot at and injured three unarmed men
last week, leading to apparent retaliation against the police. Drug
crackdowns continue in the state, even though there's no more room at
one county jail. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(12) HEGE LOW-KEY SINCE ARREST OF 3 INVESTIGATORS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
In fact these past few days have been some of the worst in his seven-year tenure as sheriff of this sprawling, largely rural county. | ||||||||||||||||||
The man who welcomed controversy with his tough talk and unconventional style is still reeling from the arrests last Wednesday of three of his top investigators on federal charges of distributing drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
[Davidson County Sheriff Gerald] Hege has limited his public
appearances. He canceled several scheduled DARE graduation speeches at
local elementary schools last week. He has been uncharacteristically
low-key, deferring to state and federal agents about the investigation
and his officers. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Nobody was more stunned than Hege, who had campaigned on the promise
that he would sweep drugs out of the county. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(13) AFFADAVIT TELLS TALE OF DRUGS, SALES, THEFTS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Four law enforcement officers jailed on drug charges apparently
shared a common bond of anabolic steroid abuse. | ||||||||||||||||||
They also routinely robbed drug dealers for cash and drugs they could
sell, sometimes by breaking in and other times by serving false search
warrants, according to an affidavit filed by federal investigators to
obtain a warrant to search. Among those charged are Sgt. William Rankin
Jr., 32, Lt. David Scott Woodall, 34, and Lt. Douglas Edward
Westmoreland, 49, all Davidson County deputies assigned to the
vice-narcotics division. | ||||||||||||||||||
Also charged was Chris Shetley, an Archdale police patrol sergeant and former vice officer, and two other men, Wyatt Nathan Kepley and Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza, who were not law enforcement officers. | ||||||||||||||||||
Kepley is the son of Davidson County Commissioner Billy Joe Kepley, who
declined to comment about the case Wednesday. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(14) OFFICER A 'CRIMINAL' IN UNIFORM, POLICE SAY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Accused In Federal Court of Trading in Ecstasy | ||||||||||||||||||
TAMPA - The drug suspect had a problem. When police impounded his
1995 Mustang convertible, there were 1,000 hits of ecstasy hidden
inside. | ||||||||||||||||||
That's when Tampa police Officer Matthew R. Campbell stepped in to help, federal authorities say. Officials say Campbell, 26, entered the impound lot and cut the top of the car to get to the drug. | ||||||||||||||||||
Then, an affidavit states, Campbell - in uniform and on duty with
another cruiser parked nearby - delivered the drug to the suspect in
December 2000. He agreed to the deal in exchange for 10 bottles of an
anabolic steroid, investigators say. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(15) 3 MEN SHOT BY UNDERCOVER NARCOTICS DETECTIVES TUESDAY NIGHT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
One Victim In Critical Condition With Gunshot Wound To Head, Others
Receive Minor Injuries | ||||||||||||||||||
Two undercover Prichard narcotics detectives shot three young men in a
car Tuesday morning after a traffic stop in the Alabama Village
community. One of the victims was shot in the head and remained in
critical condition Tuesday night. | ||||||||||||||||||
One of the officers reported that he began firing when the car started
moving back toward him and his partner, according to Police Chief
Sammie Brown. Some residents, however, said the young men in the car
were unarmed and the shooting was unjustified. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Chief Brown said a search of the victims' car afterward turned up no
weapons. Officers did find drugs in the car, he said. He declined to
say what type drugs they found, or how much. | ||||||||||||||||||
After the shooting, the car that carried the victims ended up about two
blocks away on Madison Avenue where it dead-ends at Marengo Drive.
There, the car struck a utility pole. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(16) BOY DIES, COP HURT IN HAIL OF GUNFIRE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A 6-year-old boy was killed and a Prichard police officer wounded
Wednesday night in a hail of gunfire that authorities called
retaliation for the shooting a day before of three young men by
undercover officers. "This appears to be retaliatory actions against
our police department," said Prichard Mayor Charles Harden, who
responded to the scene at the Queens Court apartments near the
Mobile-Prichard city line. | ||||||||||||||||||
The shooting came a day after threats of an ambush by people angry about Tuesday's shooting. Police Chief Sammie Brown said he believed it was a setup to lure officers into a dangerous situation. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(17) DRUG SUSPECTS FLOOD ALREADY CROWDED JAIL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
BAY MINETTE -- The new prisoners booked into the Baldwin County jail as
a result of this week's roundup of suspected drug dealers has done more
than push up the facility's inmate count. | ||||||||||||||||||
It has demonstrated the difficulty of meeting goals set by local
officials to quickly adjust bonds so nonviolent inmates do not clog the
overcrowded jail while they await trial. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Sheriff's Department on Wednesday arrested 36 people who were
indicted by a grand jury on numerous drug charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
The arrests are largely responsible for bumping the inmate population
at the Baldwin County Corrections Center from 466 on Monday to nearly
500 on Thursday. | ||||||||||||||||||
That occupancy rate has not been seen for at least six months. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (18 - 22) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
For the first time in two decades, the US has approved studies set
to examine the medical efficacy of cannabis. Early in the new year,
3 DEA approved studies are scheduled to begin examining the effects
of smoked cannabis in the treatment of HIV/AIDS-related neuropathy
as well as spasticity and muscle pain in MS sufferers. All three
studies are sponsored by the University of California Center for
Medicinal Cannabis Research. | ||||||||||||||||||
In other US news, lawmakers in Wisconsin have introduced a medical
marijuana bill modeled on the Hawaii medical access program.
Wisconsin would be 9th state to pass medical marijuana legislation.
This week also saw the unfortunate arrest of an ill grandmother in
upper New York State for distributing cannabis to local medical
users through her compassion club. | ||||||||||||||||||
News from abroad was fairly forward-thinking this week. The Swiss
parliament is moving closer to legalizing the personal use (and
limited commercial sale and cultivation) of marijuana. Meanwhile, a
recent Dutch study conducted by Jan van Ours of Tilburg University
once again confirms that there is no link between cannabis use and
the use of hard drugs. The study, based on four surveys involving
almost 17000 people, will be published by the Center for Economic
Policy Research in London. | ||||||||||||||||||
The DSW wishes each and everyone a happy and hempy (at least until
the Feb. 8th DEA ban goes into effect) holiday. See you all next
year. With peace and pot, Philippe Lucas | ||||||||||||||||||
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(18) AFTER TWO-DECADE HALT, US MARIJUANA RESEARCH IS SET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Research on the medical uses of marijuana is scheduled to begin early
next year, for the first time in nearly two decades, now that the
government has approved new experiments to test whether smoking it
can help patients who have multiple sclerosis or who suffer from pain
in their limbs as a result of AIDS. | ||||||||||||||||||
The new approvals, granted on Nov. 28 by the Drug Enforcement
Administration, do not make it legal for doctors to give their
patients marijuana as treatment; they merely provide for limited use
in scientific experiments. In some states, state law allows doctors
to prescribe or recommend marijuana; federal law prohibits the
practice, however, even in those states. | ||||||||||||||||||
The D.E.A. approved two experiments when it acted late last month,
and expects to approve a third soon. Officials at the agency said the
approvals did not amount to a policy change, since experiments to
discover medical uses of marijuana had never been prohibited. Rather,
said Terry Woodworth, deputy director for diversionary control,
scientists and the public agencies that finance research have changed
their attitudes about the value of such experiments. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(19) WISCONSIN LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE BILL TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MADISON -- Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Ed Thompson endorsed a
bill Tuesday that would allow Wisconsin residents suffering from
cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other diseases to legally smoke marijuana
to help manage their pain and increase their appetites. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It's high time that the Wisconsin Legislature gets off its high
horse and recognizes how important this is," said Thompson, who is
mayor of Tomah and brother of U.S. Health and Human Services
Secretary Tommy Thompson. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Nobody's ever died from the use of marijuana," he said. "It's not
harmful but helpful." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(20) WOMAN RUNNING NY MEDICAL POT CLUB BUSTED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A 65-year-old Elmira grandmother faces criminal charges after police raided her apartment and confiscated three pounds of pot she was planning to distribute through her medical marijuana buyers club. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sherrie D. Wilkie, who suffers chronic pain from arthritis and other
ailments, said she started the buyers club in 1998 and began making
regular trips to New York City to buy pot for about a dozen other
Twin Tiers residents who use marijuana as medicine. | ||||||||||||||||||
But that routine changed last week when Elmira police raided her
apartment and confiscated nearly three pounds of high-grade marijuana
and 40 grams of hashish, investigators said. The drugs were worth
$10,000 to $15,000, investigators said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(21) DUTCH STUDY FINDS NO CANNABIS LINK TO HARD DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
CANNABIS does not lead to the use of hard drugs, a study will say
this week. The survey, based on drug users in Amsterdam over a
10-year period, will be seized upon by advocates of more liberal laws
in Britain, writes David Smith. | ||||||||||||||||||
It shows that cannabis users typically start using the drug between
the ages of 18 and 20, while cocaine use usually starts between 20
and 25. But it concludes that cannabis is not a stepping stone to
using cocaine or heroin. | ||||||||||||||||||
The study, by Jan van Ours of Tilburg University in the Netherlands,
will be published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research in
London. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(22) SWISS PARLIAMENT MOVES TOWARDS LEGALISING CANNABIS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The Senate Has Approved A Government Proposal To Allow The
Consumption Of Cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
Pending approval by the House of Representatives, the production and
trade in hashish and marijuana could also become legal under certain
conditions. | ||||||||||||||||||
The amended law, which was accepted by 25 votes and no opposition in
the Senate, is aimed at catching up with present-day reality. More
than 700,000 people between the age of 15 and 30 have smoked cannabis
at least once in their lives. | ||||||||||||||||||
While the consumption of hashish and marijuana would be legalised,
the cultivation and sale of cannabis would only be allowed under
certain conditions. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||
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In Colombia, over 40 leftist guerillas and right-wing paramilitary
fighters were killed in a five day battle over coca plantations in
Antioquia state. Both sides earn money from the coca trade, taxing
peasants and traffickers. | ||||||||||||||||||
After the actions of Irish judges were questioned by the US State
Department, Irish justice Minister John O'Donoghue has ordered a
review of judicial sentencing "to further strength[en] the law in this
area." US officials complained of Irish sentencing in drug cases where
the "mandatory sentence was not imposed." | ||||||||||||||||||
In Mexico, 16 police officers and anti-narcotic soldiers were arrested after accusations they had protected a drug trafficker. Those arrested were part of an elite airborne unit that tracked drug smugglers. | ||||||||||||||||||
A Euro MP in the UK, Liberal Democrat Chris Davies, was arrested for
possession of cannabis in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The arrest
was part of a protest of Britain's cannabis laws. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(23) DOZENS DIE IN COLOMBIA DRUG STRUGGLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
BOGOTA, Colombia - A five-day battle over cocaine producing plantations in the northern mountains killed up to 44 leftist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary fighters, a military commander said Sunday. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
The two main outlaw factions squaring off in the South American country's 37-year-old war - the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and the rightist-United Self-Defense of Colombia, or AUC - fund themselves through profits off the drug trade. | ||||||||||||||||||
Both sides tax peasants who grow coca, the plant used to make cocaine,
and demand payoffs from traffickers who ship the finished product to
the United States and Europe. They regularly battle for | ||||||||||||||||||
Washington is playing a growing role in the intensifying Colombian
conflict. The U.S. government is providing hundreds of millions of
dollars in military aid to help the armed forces battle rebel and
paramilitary units involved in the drug trade. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(24) O'DONOGHUE ORDERS DRUG LAW REVIEW TO ENSURE CORRECT SENTENCING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
JUSTICE Minister John O'Donoghue has ordered a review of stringent drug
laws amid concerns that judges are failing to hand down mandatory
sentences for traffickers. The minister is considering whether certain
conditions exempting judges from imposing a mandatory 10-year-sentence
for those caught with drugs with a street value of 10,000 [UKP] or more
should be tightened up. "While I am satisfied that the provisions have
had a beneficial effect, I am, nevertheless, examining the provisions
in the context of forthcoming criminal justice legislation with a view,
if such is necessary, to further strengthening the law in this area,"
he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Earlier this year, a US State Department report criticised the Government for the lack of follow through on the 1999 Criminal Justice Act regarding the imposition of mandatory 10-year sentences. | ||||||||||||||||||
"In the first half of 2000, six cases came before the courts and the
mandatory sentence was not imposed in any of them. In each case, the
courts invoked the clause allowing for lighter sentences in cases of
'exception and specific circumstance," the report said. The report
described Ireland as an major trans-shipment point and as a gateway to
Europe. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(25) POLICE, EX-SOLDIERS ARRESTED IN MEXICO FOR TIES TO DRUG LORD (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 15 -- Police officers and former anti-narcotic
soldiers were among 16 people arrested on accusations of protecting a
drug lord who has a $2 million U.S. bounty on his head. | ||||||||||||||||||
Anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago, who announced the arrests Friday, called the soldiers and police "deserters, traitors." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
He is said to be rebuilding the Gulf Cartel, once led by Amado Carrillo
Fuentes, who died in a hospital four years ago after undergoing plastic
surgery to disguise himself. U.S. officials have offered a $2 million
reward for Cardenas. | ||||||||||||||||||
The soldiers on Cardenas's payroll were until recently part of an elite
airborne unit that tracked drug trafficking. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(26) EURO MP ARRESTED DURING CANNABIS PROTEST MARCH (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A Euro MP has been arrested for possession of cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
Liberal Democrat Chris Davies was taking part in a protest against what
he called Britain's "ridiculous" drug laws. | ||||||||||||||||||
He joined dozens of cannabis campaigners for the march through
Stockport, Greater Manchester. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Speaking outside Stockport police station, Chris Davies said: "I think
it is very appropriate we are standing outside a police station the day
after the Chief Constable of Wales called for the legalisation of all
drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Earlier this week, a report said that some 800 people died of
cirrhosis of the liver from drinking alcohol which is available from
half the shops on our high street. Not one died from taking cannabis,"
he said to cheers from supporters. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
There Must Be 50 Ways To Get Your MAP News From the Media Awareness
Project. | ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know that MAP can email you (faster than items are archived)
only the news items with words like cannabis, marijuana, hemp, pot, or
hash in the headline of the article? Or that you can sign up to be sent
news items only about each of the following countries/areas??
Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand, United Kingdom or the
United States! How about the many ways you can create a link or
bookmark to bring up with a mouse click the items of interest to you?
Details are at: | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEAR Store Online | ||||||||||||||||||
Forfeiture Endangers American Rights has set up an online store for the
primary purpose of selling the new FEAR Asset Forfeiture Defense
Manual. Other items will be added from time to time. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Photographs Of The Effects Of Aerial Fumigation On Colombia | ||||||||||||||||||
From a report by Witness for Peace ( www.witnessforpeace.org ) | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Marc-Boris St-Maurice's Visit To The DrugSense Chat Room | ||||||||||||||||||
A transcript. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Dr. Grinspoon's Visit To The DrugSense Chat Room | ||||||||||||||||||
A transcript. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LETTER OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MONEY-SUCKING PORKFEST | ||||||||||||||||||
By Bob Ramsey | ||||||||||||||||||
Re: "Drug cash keeps poor farmers afloat," Nov. 19. | ||||||||||||||||||
For years and years, The Dallas Morning News has been reporting on the
latest plan to reduce South American acreage under cultivation for coca
and opium. Nobody seems to notice that the same figure of 600,000 to
650,000 acres keeps showing up in news stories every year, distributed
in varying proportions among Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. Demand is
inelastic; if they grew more, the price would crater. | ||||||||||||||||||
The total land area required to satisfy America's lust for drugs peaks
out at 1,000 square miles, roughly equivalent to Ben Cartwright's
mythical Ponderosa Ranch or Dallas County. South America has 2.5
million square miles suitable for growing coca and poppies, 2,500 times
what's needed. | ||||||||||||||||||
The next time you fantasize about stopping drug production by
pretending to buy off a few thousand impoverished farmers, don't forget
about the other 99 million impoverished South American farmers sitting
on fine drug-producing land. | ||||||||||||||||||
Instead of buying more thimbles to bail out the ocean, it's time to recognize the drug war as a depraved agricultural price-support program. It is a money-sucking porkfest that makes its quotas persecuting minorities while hacking away everybody's freedom. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bob Ramsey, Drug Policy Forum of Texas, Irving | ||||||||||||||||||
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Honorable Mentions | ||||||||||||||||||
DRUGS AND TERROR
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ANTI-DRUG WARRIORS THINK ALL DRUGS ALIKE
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: LETTER WRITER OF THE YEAR - ROBERT SHARPE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
This week we would like to honor and thank Mr. Robert Sharpe as our MAP
Letter Writer of the Year. Anyone who reads the published letters
generated by MAP will recall his name beneath hundreds of published
letters, along with the title that usually follows - Program Officer,
The Lindesmith Center Drug Policy Foundation. | ||||||||||||||||||
The 400+ letters Robert has had published can be found at:
http://www.mapinc.org/writers/Robert+Sharpe | ||||||||||||||||||
Of those published letters, more than 340 were published this year alone. | ||||||||||||||||||
Every week we receive many excellent letters from some very talented
writers. We love to see them and we want to "Thank" everyone who has
taken the time to write these letters. But for shear volume, dedication
and perseverance Robert Sharpe is in a league of his own. He has had
letters published in newspapers around the world, in places like
Thailand and Russia. | ||||||||||||||||||
Robert also offers tips on getting your letter published, his tips can
be found at: http://www.mapinc.org/resource/tips.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
His letters has also inspired other to write letters too, such as this
one: http://www.mapinc.org/letters/2001/12/lte48.html | ||||||||||||||||||
Robert tells us that he spends about an hour of his own time each day
writing LTEs. Of course, many more do not see print than do - but even
the unpublished letters send a message to the publication that there is
interest in the subject. | ||||||||||||||||||
Robert's experience is that a wide range of newspapers will accept and print letters from folks who live far away, though some will not. Here is a sample of the publications which printed his LTEs this year: Albany Democrat-Herald (OR), Bakersfield Californian (CA), Beacon Journal, The (OH), Boston Globe (MA), Charlotte Observer (NC), Chicago Tribune (IL), Christian Science Monitor (US), Denver Post (CO), Detroit Free Press (MI), Evening Post (New Zealand), Florida Today (FL), Honolulu Advertiser (HI), Idaho State Journal (ID), Indianapolis Star (IN), International Herald-Tribune, Kansas City Star (MO), Las Vegas Sun (NV), Los Angeles Times (CA), Montreal Gazette (CN QU), National Post (Canada), New Scientist (UK), New York Times (NY), Oregonian (OR), Orlando Sentinel (FL), Ottawa Citizen (CN ON), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA, Plain Dealer (OH), Reason Magazine (US), Salt Lake Tribune (UT), San Francisco Chronicle (CA), San Francisco Examiner (CA), Scotsman (UK), Seattle Times (WA), St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), Sun (UK), Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Tampa Tribune (FL), Time Magazine (US), The Times (UK), Times-Picayune (LA), Tulsa World (OK), U.S. News and World Report (US), USA Today (US), Village Voice (NY), Wall Street Journal (US), Washington Post (DC), Washington Times (DC), Wichita Eagle (KS), Winnipeg Sun (CN MB), Wisconsin State Journal (WI). | ||||||||||||||||||
Robert's voice is heard around the world, and we all want to say a "BIG
THANKS" to him. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Please Consider a Tax Deductible Year-End Contribution To DrugSense/MAP | ||||||||||||||||||
By Mark Greer | ||||||||||||||||||
Dear Friends: | ||||||||||||||||||
As we approach the end of the tax year, some of you are in the enviable
position of having discretionary income to support charitable causes
which you believe are important for the welfare of our nation and the
world. | ||||||||||||||||||
I would appreciate your giving serious consideration to making a
significant year end donation to MAP/DrugSense to enable us to maintain
our work and expand our services in the New Year. | ||||||||||||||||||
If we could raise an additional $50,000, this is what we could
accomplish: | ||||||||||||||||||
By June 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
Launch a first-ever extensive and up-to-date media contact database
to enable local media activism on a nationwide basis. | ||||||||||||||||||
Increase the DrugSense DrugNews archive from 70,000 to 76,000 fully
searchable drug related news articles. | ||||||||||||||||||
By December 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
Increase the number of active state- and issue-based drug policy
subgroups from 21 organizations to 35 total groups. | ||||||||||||||||||
Increase the number of letter- and article-writing volunteer
activists from 3,000 to 4,000. | ||||||||||||||||||
Increase from $7.6 million to $8.5 million dollars the cumulative
value of media coverage generated on behalf of the drug policy reform
movement by MAP volunteers to date. | ||||||||||||||||||
Participate in at least 15 new radio talk show and broadcast media
opportunities. | ||||||||||||||||||
Create and distribute "Five Year Plan to End the Drug War" designed
to provide guidance, a cohesive strategy, and an overall game plan to
the diverse and growing reform movement. | ||||||||||||||||||
We will also continue and expand our efforts to provide web hosting
and support services for a wide array of other reform minded groups
nation and worldwide. We currently provide various types of web
support to more than 50 drug policy reform focused groups. Notable
clients include The Lindesmith Center/Drug Policy Foundation
(TLC/DPF), the National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
(NORML), the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and the Harm Reduction
Coalition (HRC) and many others. For a more complete list please
see: http://www.drugsense.org/sitemap.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
As I have mentioned in previous fund raising communication, our entire staff earn hourly wages that hover around the minimum wage level, arguably even lower in some cases. Our main sustenance is the knowledge that we are visited by twenty-thousand people a day (we serve more than 200,000 files every day!) We have accomplished all this on an annual budget of under $150,000! You can see that you would have a hard time finding a more dedicated, talented and harder working group that accomplishes so much with every dollar. | ||||||||||||||||||
MAP / DrugSense is a 501(c)3 organization which means that donations
qualify for charitable deductions on your income tax. | ||||||||||||||||||
If you would like more detail as to our accomplishments and future
goals please visit our 2002 On-line Grant Proposal at | ||||||||||||||||||
For your convenience, your contribution can be made on-line using
your credit card at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm | ||||||||||||||||||
Paypal users may make contributions at | ||||||||||||||||||
Alternately you may mail a check made our to either DrugSense or MAP
Inc. to | ||||||||||||||||||
DrugSense | ||||||||||||||||||
We wish you much pleasure during the holiday season and a happy and
successful New Year. If you have the discretionary resources, please
help us to have the same. | ||||||||||||||||||
Mark Greer, Executive Director | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
"The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in
Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't
find three wise men and a virgin." -- Jay Leno | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
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 analyses by Stephen Young (), Cannabis/Hemp content selection and analysis by Phillipe 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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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. | ||||||||||||||||||
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