| March 14, 2003 #292 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Listen On-line at: http://www.drugsense.org/radio/ | ||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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THIS JUST IN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) CANADA: MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPEAL WEAK: JUDGE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
TORONTO -- An Ontario Court of Appeal judge suggested yesterday the
federal government has a "weak" case in its appeal of a Superior Court
ruling that the medical marijuana regulations enacted by Health Canada
are unconstitutional. | ||||||||||||||||||
During a court hearing to determine a number of procedural issues
connected to the appeal, Justice Michael Moldaver also scolded federal
authorities for apparent stalling tactics. | ||||||||||||||||||
Superior Court Justice Sidney Lederman gave Health Canada until July to
come up with a plan to provide legal marijuana to people with medical
exemptions that allow them to possess the drug. | ||||||||||||||||||
The judge sharply criticized the government for requiring individuals
with medical marijuana exemptions "to consort with criminals to access
their constitutional rights." | ||||||||||||||||||
Government lawyer Chris Leafloor asked for an adjournment on the motion
to stay the Superior Court decision and requested more time to prepare
arguments for the appeal itself. "This is a big, complicated appeal,"
Mr. Leafloor said. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It may be that this isn't so complicated," Judge Moldaver responded.
"A scheme that requires people to go out and buy their medicine
illegally is not something that I think any government would
countenance." | ||||||||||||||||||
"This is a very weak appeal," Judge Moldaver said at another point in
the hearing. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(2) DRUGS, ALCOHOL PART OF GROWING UP IN NZ - US PSYCHIATRIST (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug and alcohol use is an accepted part of growing up in New Zealand,
says an American child psychiatrist. | ||||||||||||||||||
While most of the issues facing young people in New Zealand and the
United States were the same, one obvious difference was the general
complacency in the New Zealand society towards the use of alcohol and
soft drugs amongst teenagers, Joe Babinski, who has just taken up a
permanent position with the Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board,
said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug Awareness Relief Movement (Drug Arm) Marlborough spokesman Paul
Fletcher said he had noticed an increasing acceptance of drug and
alcohol use over the last five years. | ||||||||||||||||||
The ageing of the 1960s and 1970s generations meant increased acceptance of drug use across society, Mr Fletcher said. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It's become socially acceptable to smoke dope in all age groups, even
though it's illegal. I had a 55-year-old tell me the other day he
watched a movie and didn't get much out of it so he had a joint and
watched it again." | ||||||||||||||||||
Mr Fletcher said the Government's approach increasingly seemed to be a case of "If it's too hard to sort out we will legalise it". | ||||||||||||||||||
He argued a harder line, with prosecution and stiffer penalties for
cannabis possession, was needed to prevent drug use from spiralling out
of control. | ||||||||||||||||||
Alcohol and Drug Association chief executive Paul Traynor agreed the level of social acceptance of drug and alcohol use was too high, including elderly dependence on pain relievers and prescription drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
[sigh] | ||||||||||||||||||
However he believed the best way to tackle the issue was to provide
positive role models. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(3) US PA: OPED: DRUG CULTURE NOT WORTHY OF COMPASSION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Columnist Dimitri Vassilaros's criticism ("Priorities go to pot in bong
bust," March 2) of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Operation Pipe
Dreams, which focused on the sale of illegal drug paraphernalia,
compelled me to try to provide him with a more in-depth perspective of
the detrimental affects and misery caused by drug trafficking and drug
abuse on the citizens of our nation. | ||||||||||||||||||
Drugs equals money, money equals power. Drug money funds not only the
gangs committing the drive-by shootings in many neighborhoods but also
international terrorists, drug lords and narco-governments. The DEA has
conducted counterdrug operations against international terrorist
organizations long before they became household names. Drugs are just
another weapon of mass destruction. Thousands die each year in the
United States due to the terror of drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Multilevel Attack | ||||||||||||||||||
The DEA's strategy has always been to attack drug trafficking
organizations at every level in order to make it more difficult for
them to operate here or overseas. The DEA, in partnership with foreign
and U.S. law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, has attacked the
drug organizations' production operations, methods of transportation,
communication and distribution networks, money-laundering methods and
also attempted to seize the assets generated from their ill-gotten
gains. Not to mention incarcerating as many major drug dealers as
possible. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(4) CN BC: EXPERTS WARN: ALUMINUM, HEROIN A DEVASTATING MIX (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
An RCMP toxicologist has a chilling warning for those who "chase the
dragon." | ||||||||||||||||||
"Don't smoke heroin, period, but if you do, don't smoke it off
aluminum," said Wayne Jeffrey. "There seems to be an interaction
between some of the things heroin is cut with and the aluminum foil
that causes a toxic reaction." | ||||||||||||||||||
Three people have died and at least seven more have suffered serious
brain damage after smoking heroin recently in the Lower Mainland. The
cluster is the largest ever in North America. | ||||||||||||||||||
"We haven't confirmed exactly what's going on," said Derek Daws,
managing director of the B.C. Drug and Poison Information Centre. "It's
unusual there is such a cluster that has occurred in this area in such
a short time." | ||||||||||||||||||
Those who are affected develop slurred speech and a wobbly walk. Later,
they develop an inability to speak and paralysis. Doctors say the signs
can take weeks to develop. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-8) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Judges should not judge the drug war. That seems to be the message
from U.S. House members as they prepare to investigate a federal
judge who allegedly departed from mandatory minimum sentences for
drug offenders. Other lawmakers seem to believe the drug war also
overrides environmental law, or that's what they indicated at a
hearing in Arizona last week. | ||||||||||||||||||
The damage of the methamphetamine crisis is being quantified in
Tennessee, where more than 400 children have been taken from parents
accused of manufacturing meth in the past year. The loss of custody
is permanent in some cases. Also in Tennessee, hospital burn unit
workers say they are being overwhelmed by meth makers sustaining
injuries after lab explosions. Many of the burn victims neglect
medical treatment for fear of law enforcement. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(5) IN RARE SHOWDOWN, HOUSE PANEL TO PROBE MINNESOTA U.S. JUDGE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
In a rare showdown between Congress and the judiciary, House
Republicans are planning to subpoena records of a federal judge they
say broke the law by letting drug offenders off too lightly and then
misleading lawmakers about it. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to authorize
Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R., Wis.) to subpoena records
from Chief Judge James M. Rosenbaum of Minnesota's federal district
court. The move comes a month after the committee asked the General
Accounting Office to review sentencing decisions among all federal
judges in Minnesota. | ||||||||||||||||||
In taking an extraordinary step against a sitting judge, the House
action opens a new front in a fight over the direction of the
federal judiciary. | ||||||||||||||||||
Judge Rosenbaum, a former federal prosecutor who was appointed to
the bench by President Reagan, says he acted lawfully, and his
lawyer argues a subpoena would overstep congressional authority and
threaten judicial independence. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(6) 'GREEN' EXCEPTIONS SOUGHT IN DRUG WAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
SELLS - Controlling drug trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border may
require more law enforcement resources and exceptions to
environmental laws, according to testimony and comments at a
congressional hearing here yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||
All but two of 12 presenters at the hearing want to drastically
increase law enforcement presence and basic facilities on the border
to deter illegal entry. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Though they did not get specific, the congressmen (Reps. Mark
Souder, R- IN and John Shadegg, R-AZ) said national security takes
precedence over environmental regulations. | ||||||||||||||||||
Officials from law enforcement agencies testified those regulations
often impede their work. | ||||||||||||||||||
"The greater good needs to be overall protection," Shadegg said. | ||||||||||||||||||
Those who testified about environmental concerns drew no comment
from either congressman. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(7) METH-MAKING PARENTS LOSING CUSTODY OF THEIR KIDS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
CHATTANOOGA - An increasing number of Tennessee parents caught cooking poisonous chemicals to make methamphetamine and using the drug to get high are paying a big price: custody of their children. | ||||||||||||||||||
The state has taken 488 children from parents caught making or using the illegal, addictive stimulant since Jan. 1, 2002, according to the Tennessee Department of Children's Services' first such report. | ||||||||||||||||||
The children, who can be removed immediately from their parents, are
then placed with foster parents or relatives who can pass state
evaluations and home inspections. | ||||||||||||||||||
Some meth users lose custody of their children permanently. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(8) METH LAB BURN VICTIMS ARE A PROBLEM FOR HOSPITALS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
LITTLE ROCK - They often arrive anonymously, dumped in the hospital's emergency room bay with burns over their bodies. | ||||||||||||||||||
Some become blind because they won't tell a doctor how they were
burned, afraid that if they mention any of the chemicals used to
make methamphetamine they'll be prosecuted. | ||||||||||||||||||
As the number of burn victims from methamphetamine lab explosions
and fires rises, doctors at burn units say they've had to take a new
approach to treating patients. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"You can pretty much guess that people who are running meth labs out
of their back room are not insured," Parks said. "Percentage-wise
they tax more than the average patients." | ||||||||||||||||||
That's not the only problem patients injured in methamphetamine lab
accidents bring to burn units. | ||||||||||||||||||
"These guys come in and we have the police sitting with them
sometimes," Parks said. "Sometimes they leave against medical
advice. They're afraid they're going to get in trouble with the
law." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (9-12) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
What are police supposed to do with confiscated drug money? In Georgia, no one seems to know. Police there are seizing drug money and using it with virtually no oversight from the state. In some cases, the money was allegedly used for police Christmas parties. | ||||||||||||||||||
Police in North Carolina are having a difficult time keeping track
of drug evidence. A burglar stole hundreds of pounds of marijuana
from a police evidence room there last week. | ||||||||||||||||||
Police in Allentown, Pennsylvania are protesting proposed new drug testing rules that would fire officers for a single positive drug test. Officers from neighboring cities came to join the protest. | ||||||||||||||||||
More drug testing news from the other side of the prison door. Last
week Nevada legislators proposed drug testing prison inmates before
allowing their release. Enthusiasm for such a policy has been
dampened a bit by the fact that an existing state program to drug
test parolees has lost funding due to budget cuts. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(9) WHERE HAS ALL THE DRUG MONEY GONE? (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Unlike other states and the federal government, Georgia doesn't
track cash and property from drug cases - and local authorities
aren't always acting responsibly. | ||||||||||||||||||
Local police make a drug bust and seize cash from the sale of crack
cocaine. | ||||||||||||||||||
Want to find out what happened to that money? You can't in Georgia. | ||||||||||||||||||
Unlike other states, Georgia does not keep track of cash and
property forfeited in state drug cases. | ||||||||||||||||||
So local law enforcement agencies make up their own rules about how
to handle drug-case proceeds in the state -- about $12 million in
2001. It's a system with serious accountability problems. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(10) THEFT RATTLES HIGHWAY PATROL'S POISE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Breaking into the Highway Patrol's evidence room wasn't hard. The
thieves just smashed the glass in a door at the back of the building
on U.S. 301, turned the lock and walked in. | ||||||||||||||||||
There were no surveillance cameras or burglar alarms to deter them.
Nobody else was in the building. The outside door didn't have a dead
bolt. | ||||||||||||||||||
It appeared that someone broke down the wooden door to the evidence
room, which is just down the hall from the outside door. The
break-in was discovered Thursday morning. | ||||||||||||||||||
Lawmen say the thieves made off with 500 pounds of marijuana valued
at between $500,000 and $600,000. | ||||||||||||||||||
They left behind an embarrassed Highway Patrol. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(11) POLICE RALLY PROTESTS 'BITTER WORDS' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Carrying signs and shouting "One-term Afflerbach!" about 200 police
officers and their supporters marched on Allentown City Hall on
Thursday, denouncing recent criticisms of the city police force by
Mayor Roy Afflerbach and Police Chief Stephen L. Kuhn. | ||||||||||||||||||
In snow, sleet and freezing rain, police from as far away as
Pittsburgh, Erie, Lancaster and Scranton trekked to Allentown for
the march. | ||||||||||||||||||
"I'm with you guys," said Burt Freitas of Allentown, as the marchers
passed by. "One-term Afflerbach!" he yelled. He turned and said, "I
don't like what he's doing to these guys." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Kuhn and Afflerbach are pressing for a new drug-testing policy that would mean dismissal for anyone who tests positive for drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
Under the current system, any officer who tests positive is suspended without pay for 30 days, must undergo drug counseling and is subject to 12 random drug tests during the following year. | ||||||||||||||||||
If the officer tests positive again, the result is immediate
dismissal. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(12) NEVADA PANEL CONSIDERS DRUG-TESTING INMATES BEFORE PAROLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- A plan to drug-test Nevada prison inmates
before parole hearings prompted questions Tuesday about budget cuts
for similar tests for parolees already on the street. | ||||||||||||||||||
AB209 would mandate drug tests for inmates within 30 days of their parole hearings. The Nevada Parole Board conducts about 7,300 hearings every year, and grants nearly a third of the requests. | ||||||||||||||||||
Assembly Judiciary Committee members, told that AB209 would cost more than $65,000 in the next two fiscal years, asked about budget cuts that will slash about $50,000 from a Division of Parole and Probation drug-testing program for parolees in the same period. | ||||||||||||||||||
Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said the
additional cost for testing prison inmates isn't consistent with the
reduced testing for parolees. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (13-16) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Has the American war on responsible cannabis users finally gone too
far for the general public? | ||||||||||||||||||
Strong reaction over the Ed Rosenthal trial and the ill-conceived bust of paraphernalia producers and distributors may be leading to a backlash against the U.S. campaign against marijuana. Last week billboards touting "Free Ed. Free the Jury. Free America" and "Vote Your Conscience. Free America" appeared in San Francisco and Oakland. The initiative, organized by the Greenfield, Massachusetts non-profit "Change the Climate", will put up 150 billboards in the Bay area with the goal of raising awareness and engaging public reaction in regards to the federal prosecution of Ed Rosenthal. | ||||||||||||||||||
Our second story looks at the wasted energies and resources being
put into the arrest and prosecution of paraphernalia makers and
distributors. The laws themselves, which allow for the sale of pipes
and products used to smoke tobacco (U.S. deathrate = 400,000+), but
not cannabis use (deathrate ever, anywhere = zero), remain
questionable; and even law enforcement officials seem stunned to see
paraphernalia charges being laid that were unrelated to the actual
sale or use of an illegal substance. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bad news from the U.K. this week. Uber-activist Free Rob Cannabis
(real name) has been sentenced to 2 months in jail for auctioning
marijuana at a demonstration. And finally from Canada, an article
examining the hypocrisy of the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations,
the Canadian federal program which allows critically and chronically
ill people to use cannabis for medical reasons, but forces them into
the black market to buy their medicine. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(13) BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN URGES SUPPORT FOR OAKLAND POT GURU (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A Massachusetts-based nonprofit group is placing 150 billboards in
Oakland and San Francisco to urge support for convicted marijuana
grower and activist Ed Rosenthal. | ||||||||||||||||||
The billboards, of various sizes, have two slogans. One is "Free Ed. Free The Jury. Free America," and the other is "Vote Your Conscience. Free America." The signs are the work of Change the Climate Inc., a Greenfield, Mass., educational nonprofit group. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Change the Climate is a national organization primarily of parents
and business people," said executive director Joseph H. White Jr.
"Our perspective is that existing marijuana laws for the most part
are really counterproductive, they're a waste of tax dollars, ...
and as a parent, they put my children at risk." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(14) SHOPS WALK A FINE LINE WITH DRUGS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
When it comes to drug paraphernalia, what does matter in court is a
list of standards so full of loopholes that semantics become the
difference between legality and illegality. | ||||||||||||||||||
State law lists things ranging from water pipes to cocaine spoons as
illegal. Under Oklahoma statute 2-101, some items to be considered
drug paraphernalia include: | ||||||||||||||||||
Metal, wooden, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic or ceramic pipes with
or without screens, permanent screens, hashish heads or punctured
metal bowls; | ||||||||||||||||||
Water pipes; | ||||||||||||||||||
Carburetion tubes and devices; | ||||||||||||||||||
Smoking and carburetion masks; | ||||||||||||||||||
Roach clips, meaning objects used to hold burning material -- such
as a marijuana cigarette -- that has become too small or too short
to be held in the hand; | ||||||||||||||||||
Miniature cocaine spoons and cocaine vials; | ||||||||||||||||||
Chamber pipes, carburetor pipes, electric pipes, air-driven pipes,
chillums, bongs, ice pipes or chillers. | ||||||||||||||||||
However, the statute also spells out exceptions: "The term 'drug
paraphernalia' shall not include separation gins intended for use in
preparing tea or spice, clamps used for constructing electrical
equipment, water pipes designed for ornamentation or pipes designed
for smoking tobacco." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(15) MR. CANNABIS JAILED -- FOR AUCTIONING CANNABIS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A British cannabis campaigner, who changed his name by deed poll to
Free R Cannabis was jailed for two months on Friday for auctioning
the drug at a demonstration. Cannabis, 33, previously known as
Robert Christopher, openly sold the drug using a microphone in
London's Hyde Park at a march to press for the drug's legalization
in September 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"The cannabis plant could have saved my mother's life. I will
continue to my dying day to try to get it legalized. I spend all my
money on this," Cannabis, who is the organizer of the Cannabis Hemp
Information Club, said in court. | ||||||||||||||||||
He has several previous convictions for possessing and supplying the
drug dating back to the mid 1990s. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(16) CATCH 22: MEDICAL POT LEGAL BUT NOT AVAILABLE IN CANADA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
If all you do is scan the headlines when you read the newspaper or get your news from television sound bites, it would be tempting to think that Canada has solved the problem of medicinal marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||
It made headlines a couple of years back when the Chretien
government finally gave in to pressure from many directions and
created the Office of Cannabis Medical Access, ostensibly to give
access to those in dire need of legal marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||
Indeed, the government went a step further and started growing its
own stone in an abandoned mine shaft in Manitoba. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Problem solved, or so it seemed. Then the feds seemed to contract
cold feet last fall when it did an abrupt about face. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (17-20) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
There seems to be no let up in the rate of killing in Thailand.
Petty drug users are openly slaughtered by quota-filling police
death squads (1500 since February at last count). The meagre voices
of opposition to the killings -- questioning not the war itself, but
the murderous means used -- are daily threatened. Pradit
Charoenthaitawee, a Thai human rights commissioner, revealed threats
against himself and his family after speaking out against government
death squads at a UN Conference last week. | ||||||||||||||||||
In an ironic twist, police in Chaing Rai Thailand, struggling to meet drug user arrest quotas, have resorted to arresting longstanding informants. Observers noted this would backfire on police efforts, as informants refuse to cooperate with police. | ||||||||||||||||||
In the face of muted international criticism over the extra-judicial
police killings of so many drug users in such a short time, Thai
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra "has been forced to rethink" using
police death squads to kill blacklisted drug users, reported the UK
Guardian. But later reports indicated the Thai leader believed
"operations have been satisfactory." Few independent analysts think
the Thai government killing spree will put a dent in Thai
amphetamine use. | ||||||||||||||||||
In Mexico last week, two Mexican police helicopters were shot down during an "anti-narcotics" flight to poison "poppy" plants. The two helicopters were brought down by "high-powered weapons," according to government reports. All five drug agents on board were killed. | ||||||||||||||||||
And in New South Wales, Australia, drug warrior Police Minister
Michael Costa was embarrassed when a 1999 interview in which he
advocated cannabis decriminalization was released. Since obtaining
power as NSW Police Minister, however, Costa has taken a hard line,
for example, introducing (cannabis) sniffer-dog laws into Parliament
to merely help "divert persons into treatment." In a deft act of
doublethink Costa justified jailing (cannabis) users, because "we
value the freedom to be free of illicit drugs." | ||||||||||||||||||
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(17) THAI DRUG WAR CRITIC THREATENED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
A Thai human rights commissioner has received death threats after
criticising Thailand's controversial drugs crackdown at a United
Nations conference last month. | ||||||||||||||||||
Pradit Charoenthaitawee said on Friday that he was "desperate" over
the threats, which also targeted his family. | ||||||||||||||||||
"They said they had put a bomb under my car, send amphetamines to my
house, or burn my house down," Mr Pradit said. | ||||||||||||||||||
The human rights group Amnesty International has called on the Thai
Government to protect Mr Pradit, and launch an immediate
investigation. | ||||||||||||||||||
In a UN speech in Pakistan last month, Mr Pradit highlighted his
concerns over the drugs crackdown, which has left more than 1,000
people dead in its first month. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(18) UNDER-FIRE PM CHANGES TACK IN THAI DRUGS WAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Worldwide Concern Forces Rethink On Government Crackdown On Speed As
Police Put Rising Death Toll At Up To 1,500 | ||||||||||||||||||
The embattled Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has been
forced to rethink his six-week-long war on drugs, which has led to
1,200 apparent extra-judicial killings by police. | ||||||||||||||||||
Although international alarm over the death toll has prompted the
review, many Thais and independent analysts believe the changes -
halting supply rather than eradicating demand - will prove only
cosmetic. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Few Thais believe the official denials that declare that police are
responsible for only a few dozen deaths; nor do they believe police
claims that most of the killings can be attributed to drug barons
settling scores or silencing potential informants. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(19) POLICE ARREST INFORMANTS TO MEET TARGET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Flow of information ends as trust withers | ||||||||||||||||||
Chiang Rai police put most of their informers in jail, losing their
trust, as they struggled to meet the demand they cut the number of
drug dealers and users by 25% in the first month of the war on
drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
A police source said the mass arrests dealt a serious blow to the
province's drug suppression operations in March, -- the target has
now been raised to 50% -- because the people who could lead them to
major traders were now in prison and refused to give them
information. | ||||||||||||||||||
Most informers were drug users who had cooperated with police in the
anti-drug campaign even before the three-month war on drugs began on
Feb 1. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(20) DRUG WAR 'ON RIGHT TRACK' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
After five weeks of the government's campaign against illegal drugs,
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday insisted his
administration would not change its strategy. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Reports from two committees appointed to monitor the government's
anti-drug operations have shown that the operations have been
satisfactory," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(21) 5 DRUG AGENTS KILLED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY - Two helicopters from Mexico's Attorney | ||||||||||||||||||
The copters had just lifted off to fumigate poppy plants Monday when
they were hit by high-powered weapons fired by unidentified gunmen,
the Attorney General's Office said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
(22) DAY A FUTURE POLICE MINISTER WENT SOFT ON MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Mr Costa called for the decriminalisation of cannabis use and said
drug use should be treated as a health issue rather than a crime
issue. | ||||||||||||||||||
His views were captured in a filmed interview with a representative
of the Nimbin Hemp Embassy at the 1999 Drug Summit at Parliament
House. | ||||||||||||||||||
Since becoming Police Minister a year ago, Mr Costa has led the Carr Government's tough anti-drugs campaign, including introducing legal powers for the use of sniffer dogs to track down cannabis users. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
In his Nimbin Hemp Embassy interview, Mr Costa said: "Harm
minimisation is the approach rather than the punitive approach. Also
treating more drug issues as issues of health rather than issues of
crime and punishment and law is a positive step." | ||||||||||||||||||
He said the summit's proposal to decriminalise cannabis use was
"positive" and he backed the trial of safe injecting rooms for
heroin addicts. | ||||||||||||||||||
"But we need to move away from zero tolerance, because clearly it
doesn't work," he said. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
As minister, Mr Costa has taken a hard line. When introducing sniffer dog legislation into Parliament, Mr Costa said: "No justification is necessary for police concentration on stopping the use of prohibited drugs where they can, and a range of options are available to police once they have identified that a person is carrying a prohibited drug to divert persons into treatment." | ||||||||||||||||||
Another time, Mr Costa said: "As a society we value our freedom of
movement as well as we value the freedom to be free of illicit
drugs." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
IS THE WAR ON DRUGS A "JUST WAR"? | ||||||||||||||||||
By Richard Cowan published at Marijuananews.com | ||||||||||||||||||
"In short, the Drug War is a real war and hence it is appropriate to
ask if it meets the traditional criteria that justify a war.
Moreover, it is always appropriate to ask whether the circumstances
justify the degree of violence used in any government program. Drug
prohibition is no exception. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Indeed, it is outrageous that this question is being raised more about a prospective attack on a foreign dictatorship than about regular attacks on peaceful citizens of the democracies." | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
DRUG WARRIORS SHOOT CHILDREN IN BOLIVIA | ||||||||||||||||||
By Alex Contreras Baspineiro published at Narconews.com | ||||||||||||||||||
The mother of the injured girl said that human rights abuses happened
constantly in the towns of the Chapare region but that now the people
are getting tired of it. "The government says that it is fighting drug
trafficking, but it's a lie. This eradication is just a pretext to
abuse our rights and occupy our land. But the coca farmers won't
surrender. We have decided to die fighting rather than die on our
knees," she said. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CASA EVALUATION FINDS LOWER RECIDIVISM, HIGHER EMPLOYMENT RATES AT HALF | ||||||||||||||||||
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia
University (CASA) has released an evaluation of the Brooklyn Drug
Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Drug-addicted, non-violent felony offenders with five prior drug
arrests and an average of four years behind bars achieved significantly
lower recidivism rates and higher employment rates through a drug
treatment program than comparable offenders who were sent to prison,
according to findings published in the White Paper,
Crossing the Bridge: An Evaluation of the Drug Treatment
Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP) Program, released today by The National
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
These results were achieved at about half the cost of incarceration,
the CASA evaluation found. The five-year evaluation was funded by the
National Institute on Drug Abuse." | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.casacolumbia.org/publications1456/publications_show.htm?doc_id=155067 | ||||||||||||||||||
A copy of the report is available at: | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.casacolumbia.org/usr_doc/Crossing_the_bridge_March2003.pdf | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
HIGH SOCIETY - www.undergroundrailway.ca | ||||||||||||||||||
Join conductor DML for a brief history of refugees fleeing to Canada -
including some from the USA! Included are short clips from rare
documentary films and an interview with draft-dodger helper Mac Elrod.
Then DML walks us through the latest Canadian refugee project - the
Underground Reefer Railway. Finally, David interviews Renee Boje on the
latest word on her case and the Kubby case, ending with the latest
Kubby news clip. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
CONGRESS THREATENS LIVE MUSIC AND DANCING | ||||||||||||||||||
The War on Drugs has often been used to suppress music and lifestyles
disliked by the political establishment. Local, state, and federal drug
laws give the government enormous power and this power has been used to
repress emerging subcultures that threaten the status quo. Jazz in the
1940s. Rock and roll in the 1960s. Heavy metal and rap in the 1980s.
Electronic music and Hip Hop today. | ||||||||||||||||||
Congress is currently considering a number of new laws that would give
the government even more power to harass and arrest innocent musicians,
promoters, venue owners, and fans - all in the name of the War on
Drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
END CORPORATE TERROR IN COLOMBIA | ||||||||||||||||||
Join the Colombia Mobilization on March 24th to support people-centered U.S. policy towards Colombia over corporate profit. Regional events will be taking place in Atlanta, LA, St. Louis and Hartford, CT. | ||||||||||||||||||
Colombia has endured nearly four decades of brutal armed conflict
between army, guerilla and right-wing paramilitary forces resulting in
the deaths of tens of thousands of Colombians, primarily civilians.
Into this tragedy the U.S. has approved billions of dollars in mostly
military aid. This aid has not stopped drugs from coming into the U.S.
but it has fueled the armed conflict in Colombia. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LETTER OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Closer To Justice For Drug Offenders | ||||||||||||||||||
By Debra S. Wright | ||||||||||||||||||
The change in Michigan's mandatory minimum sentencing will be a
positive move toward justice ("Hundreds to be freed early under drug
law," Feb. 27). | ||||||||||||||||||
Mandatory sentences took discretion away from the judges and put it
in the hands of prosecuting attorneys. By deciding whether or not to
charge a defendant or accept a plea bargain, the prosecutor often
held more power than a judge in the case. Judges, whom we elect to
make these tough decisions, had no discretion in sentencing. As a
result, we have seen first-time offenders convicted to life in
prison for certain drug offenses. | ||||||||||||||||||
What we have done in Michigan is to lock up low-to mid-level drug
dealers, and saddle them with lengthy and unjust sentences. While
this legislation is a big step forward, it does not offer relief to
those who are doing life sentences. We need to continue to evaluate
how this legislation has impacted prisoners serving life sentences
and mandatory consecutive sentences under these laws and seek
justice for them. | ||||||||||||||||||
Debra S. Wright, CoChair, | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
LETTER WRITER OF THE MONTH - FEBRUARY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
This month we recognize Alan Randell. During February we archived 7
published letters by Alan. Under the rules for this honor - a year
must pass before a LTE writer becomes eligible again - he becomes
the first to be recognized twice. A year ago his total published
letter count stood at 119. In the past year he has added 118 to that
total! You can review his superb letters at | ||||||||||||||||||
To understand why Alan and Eleanor Randell dedicate so much time to
their reform efforts please read this article: | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT - WASTED ON PIPE DREAMS | ||||||||||||||||||
By Mikki Norris | ||||||||||||||||||
As we prepare to go to war with Iraq and continue fighting terrorism
at home, it is appalling that the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration has chosen to step up the attacks on businesspeople
by going after pipe- and bong-makers and sellers ("U.S. raids firms
selling items used by pot smokers," Feb. 25). Where are the
government's priorities? | ||||||||||||||||||
Let's waste some more resources on "Operation Pipe Dreams"! The message the DEA and Office of National Drug Control Policy send by going after "paraphernalia" (pipe) sellers is that the drug warriors have too much time on their hands and too much money to spend. | ||||||||||||||||||
This latest move is another misguided action stemming from their
policy to demonize cannabis consumers, and it shows just how
intellectually and morally bankrupt they are. | ||||||||||||||||||
The drug warriors raided last week all of the "easy" targets,
including three individuals from the Bay Area as well as Chong Glass
of Los Angeles, owned by actor-comedian Tommy Chong of Cheech and
Chong fame. But makers and sellers of artistic glass pipes and bongs
are not the enemy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Our country is on heightened terror alert status as we head toward a
foreign war that could bring even more serious repercussions to our
shores. | ||||||||||||||||||
How appropriate is it to use law enforcement officers to seek out these artists, craftspeople and business entrepreneurs? Not at all! | ||||||||||||||||||
It is difficult to decipher the DEA's muddled thinking: "Hey, there
are some people using medical marijuana legally under state law! We
better go after the sick and, oh, yeah, imprison all their cannabis
providers! And take their pipes, too, so they can't take their
medicine. Our national security depends on it." | ||||||||||||||||||
"Drug Czar" John Walters is living in his own dazed delusions. | ||||||||||||||||||
He is so blinded by his mission to scapegoat marijuana users for
society's ills that he cannot see that marijuana prohibition and the
need to get tough on the smoking utensils is a frivolous waste of
our tax dollars and law-enforcement resources. | ||||||||||||||||||
Walters claimed that last week's raids "send a clear and unambiguous
message to those who would poison our children: We will bring you to
justice, and we will act decisively to protect our young people from
the harms of illegal drugs." When will he go after the sellers of
cigarettes? Oh yeah, I forgot: Walters' Office of National Drug
Control Policy tells us in its ads that marijuana is more dangerous
than cigarettes, even though there are no known deaths from cannabis
and hundreds of thousands die each year from tobacco. | ||||||||||||||||||
And even though cigarettes have a high potential for abuse, have no
accepted medical use and no medical value, they are legal and
marijuana isn't. | ||||||||||||||||||
"People selling drug paraphernalia are in essence no different than drug dealers," said John Brown, acting DEA chief. "They are as much a part of drug trafficking as (gun) silencers are a part of criminal homicide." Does this mean the feds will be going after guns and silencers? Not on your life. This failure of judgment -- being unable to see the difference between marijuana, which has never caused a single death by overdose, and guns, which kill uncounted people each year -- illustrates the insanity of federal drug policy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Fear, fear, fear. Now, we must be afraid of these big, bad
paraphernalia people. | ||||||||||||||||||
They are so dangerous. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another flaw in this logic is that many water pipes, carburated
glass pipes, etc., are designed to cool smoke and increase the
amount of oxygen taken with the inhalation to reduce potential harm
from smoke. | ||||||||||||||||||
Without them, people simply use ordinary tobacco pipes or fashion soda cans, ink pens, apples and aluminum foil into pipes. | ||||||||||||||||||
Readily available, these methods may carry other risks, like
exposure to aluminum. | ||||||||||||||||||
Will the DEA next go after stores that sell Pepsi, Bics and Reynolds
Wrap to arrest the owners and shut them down? Anything can be
paraphernalia, after all. | ||||||||||||||||||
Get Walters and Brown real jobs doing something useful, instead of
the outdated battle against paraphernalia. For the sake of our
national security, they need to be removed from office. | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
"It was the most lawful period in U.S. history." | ||||||||||||||||||
-Salvation Army Major Brian Watters, who heads the Australian
National Council on Drugs, commenting on the era of alcohol
prohibition. For more details see | ||||||||||||||||||
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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 () | ||||||||||||||||||
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