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Gunmen kill 17 people at a drug rehab in Mexico (Sept. 3, 2009)
"Authorities had no immediate suspects or information on the victims. Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, is Mexico's most violent city, with at least 1,400 people killed this year alone. Most of the homicides are tied to drug gang violence, which has taken a heavy toll across Mexico. Earlier the same day, gunmen ambushed and killed a senior security official in the home state of President Felipe Calderon."

Burma's Opium Production Back on Rise (Sept. 2, 2009)
"A Feb. 2 report by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime found that the price of opium in Burma, also known as Myanmar, increased by 15% last year. As a result, Burmese land dedicated to poppy cultivation actually expanded in 2008, despite promises by the country's ruling junta to combat its reputation as one of the world's most notorious narco-states."

Is the Taliban Stockpiling Opium? And If So, Why? (Sept. 2, 2009)
"If international drug- and law-enforcement officials are right, the Taliban might be hiding up to $3.2 billion worth of opium inside Afghanistan, potentially causing huge complications for NATO's decision this month to attack Afghanistan's opium laboratories and smuggling networks. If it exists, the drug stockpile would also have a major bearing on Afghan officials' tentative peace talks with the Taliban, which are favored by U.S. Central Command chief General David Petraeus and both U.S. presidential candidates."

Report: Afghanistan's Opium Boom May Be Over (Sept. 2, 2009)
"But there is a twist. Afghan poppy crops are now high-yield, say U.N. officials, thanks to better irrigation methods and especially good rains over the past year. While acreage devoted to the flowers fell, production of opium itself dropped only 10% in Afghanistan last year, to about 6,900 tons. Each hectare of poppies yielded about 123 lb. (56 kg) of opium — 15% more than last year."

Mexico is safer than in the past, minister says (August 25, 2009)
"Mexico decriminalized the use of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin [Friday, August 21, 2009]. The move will help focus on major traffickers, officials said."

AP Source: Michael Jackson's death ruled homicide (August 25, 2009)
"While the finding does not necessarily mean a crime was committed, it means more likely that criminal charges will be filed against Dr. Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist who was caring for Jackson when he died June 25 in a rented Los Angeles mansion."

Marines assault Taliban town in Afghanistan (August 12, 2009)
"Marines said they killed between seven and 10 militants in Wednesday's push and seized about 66 pounds (30 kilograms) of opium, which the militants use to finance their insurgency. Troops hope to restore control of the town so that residents can vote in the election."

U.S. Military Base Plan Puts Colombia in Hot Water (August 12, 2009)
"As one of the few surviving pro-U.S. conservative heads of state in a continent that has swung left, Colombia's President, Alvaro Uribe, is used to being at odds with his neighbors. But accustomed though he may be to swimming against Latin America's political tide, Uribe is scrambling to explain his less-than-transparent decision to allow the U.S. military to use air bases on Colombian soil to track drug traffickers and even rebels."s

Phony Stats on Cocaine Prices Hide Truth About War on Drugs (July 22, 2009)
"John Walters had some data he wanted to make public, but he also had a credibility problem. Just two years earlier, in 2005, Walters, the country’s drug czar, had cited a hike in the price of cocaine as a battlefield victory in the war on drugs—only to see the price fall just as he was touting the increase. He was ridiculed in some quarters of the press; others decided to stop listening to him. This time around, in the summer of 2007, Walters went looking for the most receptive audience he could find. So he zipped down New York Avenue to the headquarters of The Washington Times, the conservative daily based in the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Walters, according to a staffer present at the briefing, came with a small staff and a stack of glossy pages making the case that the United States had turned a corner in the war on drugs. Prices for cocaine, he said, were rising fast. And that, he explained, can only mean a decline in supply. The Times wouldn’t bite. The data were suspiciously thin."

Foreign Policy Magazine Exposes Folly of Marijuana Ban (July 22, 2009)
"The reason why the editor of Foreign Policy magazine Moises Naim's recent column is significant is because for far too long the foreign policy community has been a willing conduit for exporting America's wrongheaded and failed cannabis prohibition around the globe. But, the American dominance of the drug policy debate has started to wane over the last 8-10 years in quarters like the United Nations, and columns like Mr. Naim's underscore the myriad reasons why America's elected policymakers need to adopt a reform mindset--notably under an Obama administration--not status quo retrenchment into an unyielding, prohibition-centric cannabis policy."

Drug czar: Feds won't support legalized pot (July 22, 2009)
"The federal government is not going to pull back on its efforts to curtail marijuana farming operations, Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, said Wednesday in Fresno. The nation's drug czar, who viewed a foothill marijuana farm on U.S. Forest Service land with state and local officials earlier Wednesday, said the federal government will not support legalizing marijuana. 'Legalization is not in the president's vocabulary, and it's not in mine,' he said. Kerlikowske said he can understand why legislators are talking about taxing marijuana cultivation to help cash-strapped government agencies in California. But the federal government views marijuana as a harmful and addictive drug, he said. 'Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit,' Kerlikowske said in downtown Fresno while discussing Operation SOS -- Save Our Sierra -- a multiagency effort to eradicate marijuana in eastern Fresno County."

Who Are the Drug Lords? (July 21, 2009)
"Who are the drug lords? They are every politician who lives and breathes war, drugs, terror or otherwise. They are the corrupt corporate heads, malicious media barons, venomous judges and cretinous cops, who, knowing full well the truth, choose to follow their nose to riches, to embrace a lie, to feed their evil cornucopia with the lives of their fellow man."

Something Is Happening Down There (July 21, 2009)
"The battle against the drug gangs is a complicated one. A lot of money is involved, and the drug lords are pretty smart. They now keep a lot of their processing (opium into morphine or heroin) labs mobile. The vehicles travel with armed guards, but force is a last resort. The security detachment is also armed with a lot of cash, and the first weapon to be deployed is a bribe. That usually works. But the U.S. intelligence troops are after the drug gangs now, and this makes concealment more difficult. The U.S. military isn't releasing any play-by-play of these operations, lest they provide useful information to the enemy. It won't be until the end of August that an initial assessment is possible, and not until the end of the year until one can check the trends in wholesale and retail prices for heroin. As Afghanistan heroin production grew since the 1990s, the world supply has doubled, and prices have come down by about 50 percent. More people are using, and dying from, heroin. And now we can add many of the victims of the fighting in southern Afghanistan to that toll."

Worldwide production of heroin and cocaine falling, says UN drug chief (July 20, 2009)
"Drug use should be treated more as an illness than a crime, the head of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime said today as the body's annual report announced a worldwide decline in the production of cocaine and heroin. The report for 2009 called for traffickers to be targeted rather than users and announced that there was a worldwide growth in synthetic drugs.""

Chavez Attacks US Report Naming Venezuela a ‘Narcotics State’ (July 20, 2009)
This is a great way of making one's unliked leftist darker-skinned President of a South American country look bad to the US public while simutaneously helping justify the spending of US tax money to maybe, just maybe, do things like, say, destabilize Venezuala, the country Chavez currnetly heads? Chavez has long been a very irritating thorn in the Us' side. How long he will remain as President, well, let's all wish him the best.

Revolutionary Latin America and Today's Nexus of Terror (July 20, 2009)
"The irony of the narcotics scourge alone is how the massive accrued wealth of the narco-terrorist’s hierarchy is at the expense of the citizenry and the victims, as a nation must struggle with the overwhelming massive resources needed to defend their homeland. It has been reported that Mexican drug syndicates “generate more revenue than at least 40% of Fortune 500 companies.” And let’s face it – Mexico remains under siege.

Marijuana Legalization: CBS News Poll Has Support at 41% Nationwide (July 19, 2009)
"A CBS News poll conducted over the weekend has found that 41% of Americans support marijuana legalization, while 52% oppose, and 7% are undecided. The figure matches that of a January CBS News poll. Support dropped to 31% in an April CBS News poll before rebounding this month."

Most ‘Trusted Man In America’, Also Supported Marijuana Law Reform (July 19, 2009)
"RIP Walter Cronkite! In the summer 1992, I was told by an assistant that I had a phone call, and that 'unless the person on the phone was kidding, that it was someone claiming to be Walter Cronkite.'..."Drug war is a war on families By Walter Cronkite Article Published: Sunday, August 08, 2004"
" In the midst of the soaring rhetoric of the recent Democratic National Convention, more than one speaker quoted Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address, invoking 'the better angels of our nature.' Well, there is an especially appropriate task awaiting those heavenly creatures - a long-overdue reform of our disastrous war on drugs. We should begin by recognizing its costly and inhumane dimensions."

State helps ease drug offenders’ release (July 19, 2009)
"NEW YORK STATE — In the fall, low-level drug offenders will begin trickling out of state prisons and into treatment programs under the landmark state drug law reforms passed earlier this year. Legislation dismantling most of the state’s strict Rockefeller drug laws was signed into law in April by Gov. David Paterson. The bill repealed many of the state’s mandatory minimum prison sentences for lower-level drug offenders."

World drugs in graphics (July 19, 2009)
"A UN agency has published a comprehensive report on the worldwide illicit drugs market, the World Drug Report 2009. The graphs and maps below show the extent of the problem and measures to tackle it."

DEA boosts its war in Afghanistan (July 19, 2009)
"The move is seen as a recognition that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won with military force alone. Until near the end of its eight years in office, the Bush administration failed to link the drug traffickers in Afghanistan with the rising insurgency, basing its anti-drug campaign primarily on an effort to destroy the vast fields of poppy that produce more than 90 percent of the world's heroin....After Sept. 11, the Bush administration's focus on counterterrorism and, later, the war in Iraq, extensively depleted U.S. global counternarcotics efforts, especially in South Asia, they say. The DEA also suffered from hiring freezes, budget cuts and a lack of political support despite its intelligence showing ever-closer links between drug traffickers and terrorist groups."

La Familia cartel kills 12 federal agents in Mexico drug war attack (Jully 19, 2009)
"A powerful Mexican drug cartel has unleashed a killing spree against the authorities in a challenge to the leadership of the President in his home state....The perception that the war against drugs is being lost is pervasive. A poll published in Milenio said that only 28 per cent of Mexicans believed that the Government was winning, and more than half thought that it was losing."

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories (July 17, 2009)
"It's a corrupt cops twofer for New Jersey, another twofer for Indiana, a two-for-one special on Texas deputies, and a lone prison guard in Florida. Let's get to it...."

Heroin is "Good for Your Health": Occupation Forces support Afghan Narcotics Trade (May 10, 2007)
"The occupation forces in Afghanistan are supporting the drug trade, which brings between 120 and 194 billion dollars of revenues to organized crime, intelligence agencies and Western financial institutions."

U.S., allies seen as losing drug war (May 7, 2007)
"The United States and its Latin American allies are losing a major battle in the war on drugs, according to indicators that show cocaine prices dipped for most of 2006 and U.S. users were getting more bang for their buck."

101-year-old Zambian man nabbed over cannabis cultivation, trafficking (May 3, 2007)
"DEC spokesperson Rosten Chulu confirmed the arrest of Timothy Chilekwa, a peasant farmer of Namembo village in Southern province who was born in 1906. Chulu said the old man was nabbed for alleged unlawful cultivation of cannabis weighing 1.2 tons. He was also found trafficking two sacks of cannabis weighing 6. 95 kg, Chulu said. The spokesperson said the 101-year-old would appear in court soon."

Was Timothy Leary Right? (May 3, 2007)
"Are psychedelics good for you? It's such a hippie relic of a question that it's almost embarrassing to ask. But a quiet psychedelic renaissance is beginning at the highest levels of American science, including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and Harvard, which is conducting what is thought to be its first research into therapeutic uses of psychedelics (in this case, Ecstasy) since the university fired Timothy Leary in 1963. But should we be prying open the doors of perception again? Wasn't the whole thing a disaster the first time? The answer to both questions is yes."

The Farce of the War on Drugs (May 1, 2007)
"My brother Howard Wooldridge served as a decorated police officer and detective in Lansing, Michigan for 18 years. During that time, he collared killers, drunk drivers, child molesters, rapists, wife beaters and drug dealers. What he learned launched him on a crusade to stop the federal government’s useless 35 year 'War on Drugs.'"

Coca Growers Shake the Andes Once Again (April 27, 2007)
"During the last few days, coca growers, especially in Peru and Colombia, have been in the news again, as their actions have given the media something to talk about."

LSD as Therapy? Write about It, Get Barred from US (April 27, 2007)
"BC psychotherapist denied entry after border guard googled his work."

No Jail for Willie Nelson on Drug Charge (April 25, 2007)
While the editor of DrugWar.com applauds this decision by the judge, I can't help but wonder how hard the judge would have thrown the book at me for the exact same offense.

The War on Salvia Divinorum Heats Up (April 14, 2007)
"Middlebury, Vermont, this week declared a public health emergency to prevent a local business from selling it. It's already illegal in five states -- Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Delaware -- and a number of towns and cities across the country, and now politicians in at least seven other states have filed bills to make it illegal there. For the DEA, it is a 'drug of concern.'"

Book Offer: Lies, Damn Lies, and Drug War Statistics (April 14, 2007)
"Normally when we publish a book review in our Drug War Chronicle newsletter, it gets readers but is not among the top stories visited on the site. Recently we saw a big exception to that rule when more than 2,700 of you read our review of the new book Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics: A Critical Analysis of Claims Made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy."

Plant growers served search warrant (April 11, 2007)
"Three WSU students were surprised when a plant they were growing in their closet was mistaken for marijuana."

California in bid to impose 7.25% sales tax on cannabis (April 10, 2007)
"For decades, smoking marijuana has been an illicit affair, a key anti-establishment ritual for America's counter-culture underground. But the legalisation of the drug for medicinal purposes in California has presented its advocates with a dilemma: to remain firmly on the wrong side of the law or accept a demand to pay taxes on its sale."

The Other War: Democratic Candidates are Deafeningly Silent on the Drug War (April 9, 2007)
"There is a major disconnect in the 2008 Democratic race for the White House. While all the top candidates are vying for the black and Latino vote, they are completely ignoring one of the most pressing issues affecting those constituencies: the failed War on Drugs, a war that has morphed into a war on people of color."

Ex-officer likens drug war to Prohibition (April 8, 2007)
"Retired police officer Peter Christ on Tuesday compared the contemporary war on drugs to National Prohibition of the 1920s."

Minnesota drug laws: Are they too harsh? (April 8, 2007)
Momentum gathers for review of sentencing rules

Drug Czar Blasted for Lack of Leadership (April 8, 2007)
"During the course of research for this series, it became apparent that many prominent players in the war on drugs don't have many compliments for the current drug czar, John Walters."

Is the Drug War Nearing an End? (April 8, 2007)
"Little by little by little there is some hope that the "war" on drugs is becoming a political issue - the first step in undoing a set of policies that make little sense no matter how you look at them."

Law Enforcement Group Visits Maine To Advocate For Legalization Of Drugs (April 8, 2007)
"LEAP, or Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, says it has 5,000 members, made up mostly of retired and active law enforcement professionals. The group tours the country speaking to various civic groups about what they call a $60 billion failed war on drugs."

Afghans pin hopes on a new economy (April 8, 2007)
"As a competitive economy awakens in one of the world's poorest countries, the residents of Kabul are jockeying to get ahead in a city flush with cash from US soldiers, foreign aid workers, new investors, parliamentarians, and drug traffickers."

Salvadoran Murders in Guatemala (April 8, 2007)
"If the trip to Guatemala was a fiasco, Colombia was no better, Bush's arrival in Bogotá couldn't have happened at a worse time as every moment ticked off another scandal, some of them leading in the direction ofo President Uribe's office, and nothing that Bush or Uribe president could say concealed the fact that the Colombia phase of the U.S. anti-drug war was more dead than alive, which was even more certain when it came to extraditing Colombian suspected felons to the U.S."

Analysis: U.S. anti-drug war in Afghanistan (April 8, 2007)
"In a bluntly worded letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the lawmakers said inter-agency rivalry and U.S. policy failures in Afghanistan risked allowing it to slide back into chaos."

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories (April 7, 2007)
"A Georgia fire captain gets caught peddling coke, a pair of New Haven narcs lose their jobs, a former Mississippi police chief cops a plea, and a former Ohio cop goes back to prison. Let's get to it...."

Methamphetamine: Feds Make First Cold Medicine Bust Under Combat Meth Act (April 7, 2007)
"An Ontario, New York, man last Friday won the dubious distinction of being the first person arrested under the 2005 Combat Meth Epidemic Act. According to a DEA press release, William Fousse was arrested for purchasing cold tablets containing more than nine grams of pseudoephedrine within a one month period."

Harm Reduction: New Mexico Governor Signs Overdose Death Reduction Measure (April 7, 2007)
"New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) Wednesday signed innovative legislation that would protect friends or family members who seek medical attention for drug overdose victims. The law is the first of its kind in the country."

Pot-Growing Takes Root in the Suburbs (April 1, 2007)
"In Coldwater Creek, a middle-class housing development outside Atlanta, the neighbors mind their own business and respect each other's privacy - ideal conditions, it turns out, for growing marijuana in the suburbs."

Bob Barr Flip-Flops on Pot (March 28, 2007)
"Bob Barr, who as a Georgia congressman authored a successful amendment that blocked D.C. from implementing a medical marijuana initiative, has switched sides and become a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project."

What the heck is Sibel Edmonds' Case about? And why should I care? (March 28, 2007)
"Essentially, there is only one investigation – a very big one, an all-inclusive one... But I can tell you there are a lot of people involved, a lot of ranking officials, and a lot of illegal activities that include multi-billion-dollar drug-smuggling operations, black-market nuclear sales to terrorists and unsavory regimes, you name it... You can start from the AIPAC angle. You can start from the Plame case. You can start from my case. They all end up going to the same place, and they revolve around the same nucleus of people."

Mexican Envoy Highly Critical of U.S. Role in Anti-Drug Effort (March 23, 2007)
"The United States has contributed 'zilch' to Mexico's efforts to combat the nations' joint problem with criminal narcotics gangs, Mexico's new ambassador to Washington said yesterday."

Colorado Has Song in Its Heart, and Not Drugs on Its Mind (March 14, 2007- Free NYTimes registration required)
"The Colorado General Assembly wants to be quite clear on this point: When the singer-songwriter John Denver praised the joys of Colorado and sang about 'friends around the campfire, and everybody’s high,' in 1972, he was not referring to illicit drugs. Definitely not. Don’t even think it. The high in question, lawmakers say, is really about nature and the great outdoors — the tingly feeling you get after a nice hike, perhaps."

U.S. faults friends, foes in drug war (March 5, 2007)
"The United States said top anti-terror allies Afghanistan, Pakistan and Colombia had fallen short in the war on drugs despite enhanced counter-narcotics efforts and it criticized perennial foes Iran, North Korea and Venezuela for not cooperating."

Cuba’s War on Drugs (March 5, 2007)
"A review of the main results of the Cuban efforts against illegal drug trafficking as well as prevention during 2006, shows a marked reduction in the presence of drugs on the island, with 1.7 tons of narcotics seized, the lowest figure of the past 11 years and almost four times less than the amount detected in 2003."

Drug War Corrupting Cops In Hawaii and Elsewhere (March 5, 2007)
"Claiming to be the 'world’s leading drug policy newsletter,' the Drug War Chronicle publishes a regular online feature called, 'This Week’s Corrupt Cops Stories.' The typical Hawaii newspaper reader probably comes across these cops-gone-bad stories pretty rarely. But, when hundreds of reports compiled over the past year from around the nation are read at one sitting, they add up to a hidden cost of America’s ill-fated drug war -- widespread corruption inside local police departments, prisons and jails."

Drug war rips apart Mexico (March 5, 2007)
"More than 250 people were executed last year in Acapulco as the sweltering Pacific resort became the latest battleground between rival cartels battling for supremacy of the multibillion-dollar drug trade."

In Guatemala, officers' killings echo dirty war (March 5, 2007)
"The two sets of brazen killings set off a vicious diplomatic conflict between Guatemala and El Salvador — heightened by news reports suggesting that the congressmen were indeed drug dealers — and ignited a political scandal here. It shed light on how corrupt the National Police has become, and raised questions about links between drug dealers and high-level police officials, as well as whether the government can contain drug trafficking without international help."

Collision Course: Bolivia's "Coca, Si; Cocaine, No" Policy Runs Afoul of the International Drug Control Board and, Probably, the United States (March 1, 2007)
"A confrontation is brewing over Bolivian President Evo Morales' effort to rationalize coca production in his country and expand markets for coca-based products....Now, the Morales government is also pushing for expanded legal markets for coca products and, in a joint venture with the Venezuelan government, is preparing to begin coca product exports to that country."

Ga. Reconsiders No - Knock Warrant Rules (March 1, 2007)
"A group of lawmakers wants to make it harder for police to use ''no-knock'' warrants in the wake of a shootout that left an elderly woman dead after plainclothes officers stormed her home unannounced in a search for drugs."

Here we go again (Feb. 22, 2007)
"We're happy we could help with that, Mr. Vice President, but Colombian cocaine is still readily available in U.S. cities, so we have a difficult time thinking we got a good deal for our $4 billion. In fact, we don't believe Americans are getting their money's worth for any of the cash the government has thrown into the bottomless pit of the drug war. Court dockets are packed and prisons are overcrowded, yet illicit drugs are still readily available to anyone who wants them."

Latin America: Mexico Moves to Decriminalize Drug Possession -- So It Can Concentrate on Drug Traffickers (Feb. 22, 2007)
"Legislators from Mexican President Felipe's Calderon's National Action Party (PAN -- Partido de Accion Nacional) have introduced a bill in the Mexican Senate that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs for 'addicts.'"

DPS officials were told of lax lab security (Feb. 22, 2007)
"Texas Department of Public Safety officials were aware of security breaches in the handling of their drug evidence as recently as 2006 and as far back as at least 2003 — problems such as failure to log evidence out of storage, containers of marijuana left open and the lack of a monitoring system for a high-security drug vault — according to the agency's internal audits."

'Safest city' now has drug war (Feb. 22, 2007)
"From the shopping malls and the fashionable clothes of its residents, this could be any affluent U.S. suburb. Residents pride themselves on their prosperity. But in recent weeks, drug-related violence has shattered the tranquillity."

Mexican president gives soldiers pay hike as drug war intensifies (Feb. 22, 2007)
"Soldiers waging a nationwide offensive against drug traffickers will get a pay hike of nearly 50 percent this year in a bid to insulate them from corruption, Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced Monday."

New Federal Study Shows Methamphetamine Use Decreased Between 2002 and 2005 (Jan. 31, 2007)
"A new analysis of data from The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that past-year use of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant, declined between 2002 and 2005 among persons age 12 or older....The study also shows that the number of persons who used methamphetamine for the first time in the 12 months before the survey remained stable between 2002 and 2004 but decreased between 2004 and 2005."

Tell Governor Spitzer to Support Rockefeller Drug Law Reform (Jan. 31, 2007)
"The Rockefeller Drug Laws require extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Most of the people incarcerated under these laws are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses, and many of them have no prior criminal records. Today 14,139 people are locked up for drug offenses in NY State prisons, comprising nearly 38% of the prison population. This costs New Yorkers over half a billion dollars a year. Send a message to Governor Spitzer now, urging him to support real reform."

Mexico eyes Colombian experience in drug battle (Jan. 27, 2007)
"Mexico's top prosecutor on Thursday looked to Colombia's experience in counter-narcotics and conflict for lessons to help his government battle drug cartels whose violence has engulfed parts of the country."

Rio gang kills seven as drug war spreads (Jan. 27, 2007)
"The mutilated bodies of seven youths, some with their heads and legs chopped off, have been found in an abandoned car in a notorious Rio de Janeiro slum. They appeared to be the latest victims of a long-running drug war that has made Rio, which depends heavily on tourism, one of the most violent cities in the world."

Drug Policy Reform Group to Partner with State of New Mexico in Federally-Funded Meth Prevention Education Program (Jan. 27, 2007)
"In a first for drug reform organizations, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) New Mexico office has been designated to create a statewide methamphetamine education and prevention program directed at high school students, thanks to a $500,000 grant obtained by US Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) as part of a Justice Department appropriations bill. The grant is the result of years of close collaboration between DPA and New Mexico state and local officials dating back to the administration of former Gov. Gary Johnson (R), a prominent voice for drug law reform."

Spot in brain may control smoking urge (Jan. 27, 2007)
"Damage to a silver dollar-sized spot deep in the brain seems to wipe out the urge to smoke, a surprising discovery that may shed important new light on addiction. The research was inspired by a stroke survivor who claimed he simply forgot his two-pack-a-day addiction - no cravings, no nicotine patches, not even a conscious desire to quit."

Case highlights medical-pot dilemma (Jan. 23, 2007)
"'If they didn't arrest me with 1,500, it's not likely they're going to come back and arrest me for 50,' said Sarich, whose advocacy group, CannaCare, says it has provided marijuana plants for 1,200 patients all over the state. Some of his new plants, delivered by patients in Longview, Federal Way and Vancouver, Wash., are descendants of the plants he lost."

Alleged cartel members extradited to Texas (Jan. 23, 2007)
"A suspected Mexican drug lord whose cartel allegedly smuggled more than 4 tons of cocaine a month over the U.S. border will stand trial in Texas. Osiel Cardenas-Guillen, the alleged kingpin of the Gulf Cartel, and three other alleged drug lords appeared in a Houston court Monday. Mexican authorities delivered Cardenas-Guillen and 14 other alleged Mexican drug dealers and criminals to Houston late Friday and early Saturday, the Drug Enforcement Administration said."

Burdened U.S. military cuts role in drug war (Jan. 22, 2007)
"Stretched thin from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military has sharply reduced its role in the war on drugs, leaving significant gaps in the nation's narcotics interdiction efforts."

S.F. area is No. 1 for regular drug use, study says (Jan. 21, 2007)
"The San Francisco metropolitan area has a higher percentage of people who are regular drug users than any other major metropolitan area in the USA, a study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found."

Executive Order 13420 -- Dismantling the DEA (Jan. 21, 2007)
"This is the order I will sign after delivering my inaugural address," says Steve Kubby, who is again running for office this time seeking the nomination from the Libertarian Party as their Presidential candidate.

Cocaine found on 99.9% of UK banknotes (Jan. 21, 2007)
"Pretty well every banknote in the UK shows traces of cocaine, forensic scientists have claimed. According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph, 99.9 per cent of the two billion notes currently in circulation have come into contact with Bolivian marching powder."

A Legacy of Torture: From Cointelpro to the Patriot Act (Jan. 21, 2007)
"In today's world, the US government's use of torture and complicity in its clients' use of it is part of the headlines on a regular basis. Yet very few US citizens believe that methods like waterboarding, beating, and electrical shocks could be -- and have been -- used on US citizens." But the fact that torture is used profusely in US jails and prisons is unsurprising to those who've been inside the US "justice" system.

Reefer Madness (Jan. 21, 2007)
"I was never an activist until I got busted [noted Tommy Chong]. But it ’s not so much my efforts as the substance itself. Pot lives and dies on its own reputation....Years ago, people would do booze jokes. Then they start dying of cirrhosis of the liver and all these alcohol-related car accidents. Alcohol started out as a fun thing and ended up as this evil thing that kills people. Pot is the opposite...."

In the Costly War on Drugs, Who's To Say What Is Right? (Jan. 21, 2007)
"It seems like you lack a certain enthusiasm for the war on drugs, I said. I do lack enthusiasm for the war on drugs, he said. I asked about legalization. He shrugged. 'Monday, Wednesday and Friday I think they should be legalized. Tuesdays and Thursdays I think they should be illegal. I don't like drugs. I strongly disapprove of them. The costs are great. But it's expensive to incarcerate somebody. The costs are enormous either way. I don't know what's right.'"

Democracy and Plan Colombia (Jan. 21, 2007)
Just what effects are the massive spraying in anti-cocaine and poppy efforts that are one of the main tenents of Plan Colombia, not to mention all the arms and training given to the Colombian military and governments to combat Colombian peasents...errr, I mean, dastardly narco-terrorists? No major advancement of democracy it appears.

Drug mafia, CIA blamed for sacking of Afghan governor (Jan. 21, 2007)
"As The Washington Post has plainly summarized, 'corruption and alliances formed by Washington and the Afghan government with anti-Taliban tribal chieftains, some of whom are believed to be deeply involved in the trade, [have] undercut the [counter-narcotics] effort.'"

PAST NEWS ARCHIVE

April 2002

Bush's Drug War Strategy: Escalate It (April 30, 2002)
Written almost exactly 11 months ago, (May 28, 2001), this article by Daniel Forbes and Don Hazen makes most dire prognostications about what direction the War on Drugs would take under Bush, asserting that despite reformers thinking "it couldn't possibly get any worse" than it was under Clinton's and 'Bloody Hands' Barry McCaffrey's guidance, it will get worse. Wouldn't you know it, they were right, it has gotten worse.

US Expects a Wider War on Two Front in Colombia (April 30, 2002)
"With elections in Colombia a month away, the Bush administration expects the country's next president to take a harder line in the battle against guerrillas and narcotics traffickers and dedicate more resources to the fight, administration officials say," leads in this article from the New York Times. The definition of insanity is to repeat the same actions over and over yet expect different results, according to many intelligent, thinking people.

Lawmakers Kill Bill Banning Police Surveillance of Peaceful Protesters (April 30, 2002)
Not wanting to "hinder" law enforcement efforts, these Colorado lawmakers have decided it's cool for their cops to survey and investigate peaceful protesters, which includes such terrifying and threatening organizations as Amnesty International and the Quakers.

Colombia Mobilization National Call In Day- May 1, 2002 (April 30, 2002)
Call your Representatives and Congressfolk to let them know how you feel about their throwing good money after bad to Colombia, ostensibly to combat a coca trade that has only exploded in size each year the US gives over more US taxdollars to stop it.

American Navy 'Helped Venezuelan Coup' (April 30, 2002)
"'I first heard of Lieutenant Colonel James Rogers [the assistant military attache now based at the US embassy in Caracas] going down there last June to set the ground,' Mr Madsen, an intelligence analyst, said yesterday. 'Some of our counter-narcotics agents were also involved.'" So notes this article from the Guardian UK.

CIA and FBI Attack Warning- The Methods and the Madness (April 28, 2002)
Repeated warnings issued by both the FBI and CIA are either ratcheting up the fear factor in the US, or are signs that there really are impending attacks on America. Will they too be allowed to take place?

DEA Head Launches Meth Tour in Indy (April 28, 2002)
Asa Hutchinson is beginning a nation-wide tour touting the dangers of methamphetamines.

Peru Sees Drug Flights Relaunch, Washington Mum (April 28, 2002)
Peru and the US are planning on resuming anti-drug flight shootdowns in Peru, though plans are note quite finalized.

Venezuelan Coup Plotter 'In Miami' (April 28, 2002)
Seems that at least one of those coup plotters who were not even winked at by US officials while receiving money from, and having meetings with US officials before throwing their failed coup has fled to Miami. Also see Three Days the Shook the Media, and Three Time Losers Try Again for more information about the increasing evidence of US involvement in the failed coup.

Beijing Declares War on New Breed of Drug Users (April 28, 2002)
Since there seem to be a lot of successful drug users, despite their drug use, the Chinese authorities are lifting a page right out of the US prohibitionist Drug Warrior playbook by deciding to impose added legal repercussions for drug use that will only increase whatever harms result from the drug use itself.

Hmong Vets March in Support of Vang Pao (April 27, 2002)
The great thing about living in the US, at least traditionally and this 'right to free speech' thing could soon be subject to change, is that people can go out in the streets and publicly support a major opium warlord who fought the CIA's secret war in Laos while producing much of the dope that eventually entered US GI veins. Here Vang Pao's supporters are calling for the firing of Professor Alfred McCoy by the University of Wisconsin for his detailing Vang Pao's opium operations in his landmark book, "The Politics of Heroin- CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade," readdressed in a recent article in the Capital Times.

Kissinger: Mistakes May Have Been Made (April 27, 2002)
Human rights activists have lost a couple of bids to have Henry Kissinger arrested and held for questioning while he is in London. They want to question him about his role and/or knowledge in both Operation Condor, a South American terror campaign, and the US military activities in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Crack Cop- New FBI Documents Add to Mystery (April 27, 2002)
Although the CIA insists that Ron Lister was never affiliated with the CIA in any way while he smuggled drugs and sold arms, newly released FBI documents about Lister are heavily redacted for "national security" reasons, and other documents have been withheld from release because the FBI says they belong to another, un-named, government agency.

Steve Kubby Update and Defense Fund (April 27, 2002)
Steve Kubby's wife Michelle gives an update on their situation, what they are expecting to happen to them since their recent arrest in Canada, and wants all to know they need help fighting this latest legal battle. Find links to the Kubby Defense Fund here, as well as to articles detailing the history of this new/old case.

Eddie Smith, Cancer Patient and Medical Marijuana User, In Hospital (April 27, 2002)
Eddie Smith, a cancer and AIDS patient who once lit up a joint in the Texas Democratic Party headquarters in Austin, during the 2000 campaign to protest assertions that marijuana has no medical benefits, is now in the hospital, and would appreciate hearing from you. Go ahead, what you are waiting for? Pick up the phone and give him a call.

It's an Angry, Violent, Warmongering World Out There Right Now. You Just Live In It (or Frat Boys Rule the Earth) (April 27, 2002)
"World War III will not be two egomaniacal superpowers battling for supremacy and bragging rights. It will be scattershot and bewildering, a hundred different battles fought on a hundred different fronts for a thousand ever-shifting reasons, each and every one twisted and distorted by regulation GOP spin doctors who somehow convince the bulk of the populace that it's somehow patriotic to be cavity searched and fingerprinted and beaten with a stick when you buy groceries." So notes Mark Morford in this impassioned editorial on our current state of affairs.

The Graying of the Black Panthers (April 27, 2002)
"Eventually, the party claimed more than 40 chapters and 5,000 members. But by 1974, it was imploding, done in by infighting and drugs, police raids on more than 30 Panther offices and the FBI's illegal counterintelligence program, in which agents sowed disinformation within the party to turn one Panther against another," notes this report on a recent reunion of surviving members of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

Justice Department Uses Drug Law to Target Low Income Students (April 27, 2002)
Seems the anti-drug provision in the Higher Education Act barring federal aid for school to those convicted on a drug charge is mainly targeting poor kids, not those who can afford to pay for school on their own and don't need government assistance.

Akha Journal of the Golden Triangle (April 26, 2002)
Matthew McDaniel has put together a new quarterly journal by and about the Akha people in Thailand. Find out how to subscribe here.

NYC Double Header- Dress Rehearsal for May 4, 2002 Million Marijuana March (April 26, 2002)
Get out to Washington Square Park on Saturday for a dry run of the upcoming MMM pot march and rally. There's updates and announcements here, to alert you to all that's happening this weekend, (and next).

Living in a Police State (April 26, 2002)
The Michigan State Legislature has passed two laws that allow cops to enter your home without telling why. The title of this piece says it all.

Mohamed Atta Kept Terrorist 'E-list' (April 26, 2002)
Dan Hopsicker, author of the seminal book "Barry and the Boys" has been investigating the terrorists' flight training down in Florida to prepare for their Sept. 11 attacks. What he's been turning up is most disturbing. Read his collection of articles on this subject here.

Arianna Huffington: Taking Drug Task Forces to Task (April 25, 2002)
"Combined with draconian asset forfeiture laws, the money-for-arrest model has turned avaricious cops into drug war entrepreneurs, all-too-willing to bend the rules in exchange for more money and power. In a grave abuse of our treasured presumption of innocence, forfeiture laws allow police departments to seize and sell any property connected to illegal drugs, even if the owner is never actually charged with a crime," writes Huffington in her cutting and to the point fashion. Huffington pulls no punches, repeatedly putting the idiocies of the War on Drugs in their proper perspective.

Richard Helms' Afghan Niece Leads Corp of Taliban Reps (April 25, 2002)
Laili Helms is a "pleasant young woman who makes her home in New Jersey," and was "the Taliban rulers' unofficial ambassador in the U.S., and their most active and best-known advocate elsewhere in the West. As such she not only defend[ed] but promot[ed] a severe regime that has given the White House fits for the past six years—by throwing women out of jobs and schools, stoning adulterers, forcing Hindus to wear an identifying yellow patch, and smashing ancient Buddha statues," reports this June 6, 2001 article in the Village Voice. Her uncle Richard was former head of the CIA who shredded reams of official documents to keep them from the public and Congressional eye, and helped spark the overthrow of the Shah in Iran.

US Used Islamists to Arm Bosnians (April 25, 2002)
"US intelligence agencies secretly broke a UN arms embargo during the 1991-1995 war in the former Yugoslavia by channeling arms through Islamist jihad groups that Washington is now hunting down across Europe and Asia, according to evidence from the Netherlands," is the first paragraph of this unbelievable but apparently true report. Once again, US intelligence agencies, in this case associated with the military as opposed to the CIA, set themselves up a future enemy by arming, training, then ditching an extremist terrorist army. But no worries, the military and the US intelligence services are receiving huge increases in budgets this year to help them do this kind of job even better.

Israeli Crime Syndicates Push Global Trade in Ecstasy Drug: DEA (April 25, 2002)
This is a report from Saudi Arabia's First English Daily, ArabNews, which could lead some to suspect this to be slightly biased against Israel, more apt perhaps to paint Israel in the worst light possible. This is not to say that Israel doesn't produce huge quantities of the drug ecstasy as some criminal chemists there apparently do have a thriving business producing and shipping the stuff. It is often important to keep the source of a news story in mind when reading, and it is no different in this case.

In Defense of Cynthia McKinney (April 25, 2002)
"...Ms. Parker's arguments are completely devoid of substance, thereby offering us ample opportunity to just shoot the living hell out of them," writes Carol Schiffler here in this brilliant defense of Rep. Cynthia McKinney's questions about Sept. 11 and more.

Pentagon to Investigates Its Own Role in Venezuela (April 25, 2002)
The Pentagon is going to investigate its own role in the coup, in what promises to be an open and honest report, since the US military never, ever lies to the American public about anything at all, keeping no secrets as they protect freedom and democracy around the world.

Procedural Delays Force Drug Treatment Initiative to Wait for 2004 (April 25, 2002)
The Florida Supreme Court is forcing treatment instead of jail initiative supporters in Florida to wait until at least 2004 to get their initiative onto the Florida ballots. Court mandated treatment or jail- Is this really a choice?

Statement of John P. Walters Director of National Drug Control Policy Before the Senate Drug Control Policy Before the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasure and General Government (April 25, 2002)
You'll need an Adobe Reader, downloadable free here, to read Walter's complete testimony before the subcommittee. It's always a good thing to read just what these dogmatic drug warriors are saying to the people who continue to pass ever the more damaging and draconian US anti-drug laws, while refusing to prosecute those in intelligence who facilitate drug trafficking on huge scales while propping up drug producing nations and dictators around the world.

Drug Czar Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee (April 25, 2002)
"The President's goals of lowering youth and adult drug use by 10 percent in two years and by 25 percent in 5 years are both aggressive and achievable. By rallying parents, teachers, and community leaders to the cause, and continuing to administer ONDCP's highly effective programs including the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center, and the Drug-Free Communities Program, we will make positive strides in making America's drug problem smaller," Walters told the Subcommittee. There doesn't seem to be a single difference in what he said, and what every other rabid anti-drug prohibitionist drug warrior has spewed fro Congress to justify increasing an already bloated, wasteful Drug War budget for the last 30 years. What aren't these people smoking? Do they really believe their own ridiculous comments?

Clinics Foresee Legal Battles (April 24, 2002)
The Baltimore County Council is fighting to keep methadone clinics from starting up in their fair city, which of course is completely heroin free. What are these politicians thinking? Do they really believe that their communities are heroin free, and that methadone clinics will not help ease their communities' rampant heroin problems they seem to deny exist?

Why Drug Tests Flunk (April 24, 2002)
American students, even ingenious, are figuring out ways to beat the unconstitutional and arbitrary drug tests more and more US schools are forcing students to undergo. One student quoted here estimate that at least 75 percent of his class uses marijuana but almost no ever gets busted. Who said US kids aren't smart today?

African Nations Respond to Illicit Drug Trafficking and Abuse (April 24, 2002)
Focusing on the "priorities" of interdictions and strong law enforcement, these African nations seemed to have learned nothing whatsoever from the absolutely fail War to Stop Drugs and Use anywhere in the world that utilizes such prohibition tactics, and are all set to emulate these insane, destructive anti-drug policies. The War on Drugs is only successful for those waging war and making tons of money fighting the never ending, unwinnable War. Hence the continuance of such policies. Too much money is being made by the Drug Warriors for them to ever seriously accept, or admit rather, that their War is wrong and not ending drug use or abuse. It does obviously further empower the cartels, so just what is the purpose of the War?

The Hidden Dangers of Drugs by ONDCP Director John Walters (April 24, 2002)
For the head of an agency, the ONDCP, to claim the drug production destroys the environment, (which admittedly does happen to some degree from the production of some hard drugs, such as cocaine), while he and his agency advocate spraying Colombian peasants and their environment, crops, children and livestock with extremely poisonous and damaging pesticides, herbicides, and fusarium oxysporum is beyond disgusting, it is flat out sickening to the editor of drugwar.com. His and the federal government's hypocrisy oozes like slime from these rabid prohibitionist drug warriors.

More Than Half Young Britons Have Taken Illegal Drugs (April 24, 2002)
Oh yeah, prohibitionist, militaristic law enforcement strategies are sure worked well. We're just around the corner of victory in the War on Drugs, and no one will be using them at all, if we just throw more money, cops, and military at the situation. Look at all the good it's done so far, at lowering the incredibly illegal drug use rates among the youth in Britain. Oh, hold on, this article proves the exact opposite.

McKinney Draws Fire With Call For Probe (April 24, 2002)
Rep. McKinney (D-GA), has not only called for an investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks, even alluding to the possibility that some in the Bush administration and those oil and defense contractors are profiting off the attacks, but also strongly questioned why we, the US taxpayers, should be being such large increases of money to the intelligence and military agencies when the Pentagon is missing $2.3 trillion, an extremely difficult number to comprehend for the average taxpayer. That's not even mentioning the money missing and unaccounted for from Housing and Urban Development (HUD).She has been attacked as an unpatriotic loony and partisan politician in much of the mainstream press, but not one of the attacks has addressed the pertinent and important issues she's raised. This leads some to suspect that this is a classic character assassination engaged in by powerful types with something to hide and/or protect.

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (April 24, 2002)
Philip Morris cigarette company has apparently changed its name, but not its nefarious advertising practices, according to this report from Truth Out.

Marchers Protest Aid to Colombia (April 23, 2002)
Largely peaceful protests were held this weekend and Monday in Washington DC. There were arrests, but mainly on misdemeanor charges that involved no violence. Also see- Anti-War Protests Overwhelm Expectations

Davidians Appeal Wrongful Death Case (April 23, 2002)
Davidian survivors of the slaughter committed against their friends and families at Mt. Carmel in 1993 have appealed their wrongful death suit against the US government, asserting that the judge who ruled against them last time was biased since he had also been the judge at their criminal trials. Also see- Civil Liberties: Give Me Liberty or Give Me...What? Security?

World War 3 Report #30 (April 23, 2002)
This is a weekly compendium of world wide events that make up the ongoing World War 3, by Bill Weinberg, and David Bloom.

The Case for Bush Administration Advance Knowledge of 9-11 Attacks (April 23, 2002)
Michael Ruppert has compiled a lot of evidence that points to the Bush Administration having pre-Sept. 11 knowledge of an impending terrorist attack on the US.

Million Marijuana March Locator (April 23, 2002)
Check out this map to locate the city holding a marijuana liberation march nearest you! Don't forget, on May 5, 2002, 180 cities so far plan to participate. Get out there and make politicians and law enforcers understand their anti-pot laws are ridiculous, damaging, and flat out nuts. Also check this url (cut and paste) for a complete listing of cities and contacts- http://corporatism.tripod.com/mmm2002.htm

Growbusters (April 23, 2002)
This is a 5 part series in The Record, on the War on Marijuana in Vancouver, Canada.

Santa Clara County Sees Success With Prop. 36 (April 22, 2002)
From the results so far, it appears that most of the people mandated into drug treatment through Prop. 36 are actually staying with their programs. It is not clear how many of these people are actually hard core drug addicts in need of treatment or simply casual drug users caught in the prohibitionist net from this report.

Well Before 'Evil Axis' Label, North Korean Spies, Drug Runners Have Worried Japan (April 22, 2002)
The Japanese are dealing with large scale methamphetamine smuggling, allegedly by the North Koreans, according to this report.

Cop Kills Bellport Man (April 22, 2002)
Evidence that drug cops can often be more deadly than the drugs they are combating the use of. This poor 20-year old guy, Jose Colon, was shot and killed 'accidentally' with a 9mm submachinegun by a supposedly clumsy cop during a raid for marijuana in Suffolk County, NY. "He was asked a number of times 'Show your hands, drop to the floor.' He didn't and that's when the accident occurred," Fitzpatrick said. Colon was not armed and had no illegal drugs in his possession, police said," reports a more complete version of this story at New York Newsday, also linked here.

Accused Drug Kingpin Trial Begins (April 22, 2002)
Murder, mystery, and mayhem in a Florida drug case.

Turkey Seizes 154,000 Pills in Drug Haul Worth $2.3 Million (April 22, 2002)
Turkish cops arrested two people for smuggling these Captagon pills, an amphetamine.

$10 Million Available to Fund Substance Abuse Treatment Drug Courts (April 22, 2002)
"State and local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, courts, community-based organizations and faith-based organizations are eligible" to apply and receive funding for drug courts from the US federal government, which has set aside $10 million to be spread among 25 programs. Drug warriors cannot, or will not, think outside the mandated behavior modification and control paradigm.

Federal Meth Bill Provision Would Send Promoters to Prison for Drug Use at Events (April 22, 2002)
Bill sponsor Rep. Doug Ose, (R-CA), is joined by more of the usual maniacal Drug Warriors such as Rep. Bob Barr, (killer of the medical marijuana initiative voted in by Washington DC voters), Rep. Mark Souder, (R-IN), (author of the HEA anti-drug provision which bars US citizens from furthering their education if they receive a felony conviction for drugs), Rep. John Mica, (R-FL), 42 co-sponsors so far in all, that would send party/concert promoters to prison "for not more than 9 years" for any use of a controlled substance at any event they promote. Write your Representatives and make your voices heard. This is yet another repressive and outright insane move on the part of Drug Warriors, but not surprising.

Thousands Rally at Washington Summit (April 21, 2002)
The protests were "colorful and noisy", but police hadn't made any arrests at the huge anti-War on Terrorism/IMF/World Bank/anti-War-in-general demonstrations in Washington DC.

New Delay for 'Third Trial' Stewardess (April 21, 2002)
This poor woman, cleared twice of cocaine trafficking charges in the United Arab Emirates, is facing a possible third trial on the same charges. She's been held in jail for a year and a half already while the first two trials were conducted.

Steve Kubby Freed (April 21, 2002)
Kubby is out on $7,000 bail, but still faces yet another heated legal battle in his war against the War on medical marijuana users.

Peru Cancels Army Training With US (April 21, 2002)
"Lima's decision comes days after Washington withdrew non-essential diplomats from Venezuela after acknowledging it had discussed with President Hugo Chavez's opponents steps to remove him from office," reports the BBC.

Great Britain: One in Four 'Has Taken Drugs' (April 21, 2002)
This headline should read "one in four has taken Illegal drugs," since everyone alive today on this planet has taken a drug of one kind or another, be it coffee, tea, chocolate, alcohol, or the illegal ones. Still, this is a fairly large percentage of the population willfully breaking Great Britain's anti-drug laws.

Iran Nets Major Drugs Haul (April 21, 2002)
Police in Kerman province, Iran, have seized 4 tons of raw opium from Afghanistan, the largest seizure ever in that province according to this report.

Layne Staley Dead- Alice in Chains Singer Found Dead in Seattle Apartment (April 21, 2002)
Layne Staley has been found dead and decomposing in his apartment. The long-time, outspoken user of heroin may have died of an overdose, but authorities have not yet made that determination. Regardless, may the creative and free-spirited Staley now rest in peace.

Marijuana Penalty Increase Bill Returns to New York Assembly (April 21, 2002)
The New York State lawmakers are considering increasing the penalties for third time possession of 25 grams or more of marijuana to 4 years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. While the rest of the world eases towards sane drug policies, US politicians continue to dogmatically cause more damage than any drug use with these insane punitive measures.

The Week Online With DRCNet Issue #233 (April 20, 2002)
The feds want to prosecute rave promoters for drug use at raves, efforts to save NY prison art, the Drug War Race/Party in NYC on 4-20, alerts and events calendar, all this and more in this week's update.

Tobacco Traffic- BAT/Philip Morris Smuggling Revealed (April 20, 2002)
Read how Philip Morris is accused of assisting in smuggling millions of dollars worth of addictive, killer cigarettes into Latin America while the US wages war on Colombian peasants for growing coca plants, and that the company has been laundering drug money.

Home Drug Testing (April 20, 2002)
Here is a short commentary, with links, on a Drug Testing company ad I received in my email box yesterday. Why someone at the company thought I should receive their ad and the accompanying links is a mystery, but the website is quite educational as to the prohibitionist mind-set.

Don't Believe Everything You Read In The Papers About Venezuela (April 20, 2002)
More on the coup in Venezuela, and how it was portrayed in the US mainstream press, by Greg Palast. The Irish Times has also reported that the US military attaché in Caracas was meeting with coup plotters in the hours leading up to the coup.

Cops May Have Used Chalk To Plant On Suspects (April 19, 2002)
The FBI suspects that scores of people were set up for drug charges when cops and/or informants planted pool chalk on them.

Cannabis OK For Kids, Say 1 in 5 Australian Parents (April 19, 2002)
Approximately 17 percent of the parents participating in this study thought that their kids experimenting with pot was just fine, although they did hesitate over harder drug use.

Michelle Kubby- Update on Steve Kubby and Steve Tuck (April 19, 2002)
These two American medical marijuana users who have been living in Canada as refugees from political persecution in the US are facing serious difficulties since being taken into custody by Canadian officials on Tuesday, April 16. Tuck may be deported back to the US, and Kubby is not being allowed to use medical marijuana while in custody, which could literally kill him.

First US Resident Diagnosed With Mad Cow (April 19, 2002)
While this is the first diagnosed case of Mad Cow Disease in a US resident, officials are assuring the public that this British citizen must have become infected with it while still living in England. So keep eating that dead flesh folks, there's no need to fear.

Sexually Enslaved Prisoner Sues for Alleged Multiple Rapes by Fellow Inmates (April 19, 2002)
This poor guy was sent to a Texas prison for writing a bad $300 check, which violated his probation for a burglary 10 years ago. Prison guards seemed to take the attitude that since he was gay, he must enjoy the incessant raping, since he showed no signs of outward physical injuries from fighting back. Fight back in prison and a prisoner get more time, is seriously injured, or dies. And even if he does fight back, that doesn't mean he won't still get raped. But hey, he's a gay black man in a US prison, so he must deserve to be raped repeatedly, no? This is definitely one for the "pass the vomit bucket" files. The editor of drugwar.com wishes him the best of luck on his lawsuit.

Drug Tunnel Found Under US Customs Lot in Arizona (April 19, 2002)
The 85 foot long tunnel, "complete with wood bracing and electricity illegally tapped from a Customs employee parking lot was found Sunday underneath a US Customs Service parking lot in Southern Arizona," says this Reuters report.

A Bus Ride Tests Limits of Police Searches (April 18, 2002)
The US Supreme Court will hear a case involving two men caught on a Greyhound bus by cops they say intimidated them into consenting to the search that turned up over a pound of cocaine taped to their thighs. US citizens are allowed to say no to police searches, but this isn't always made exactly clear by the police in these sorts of situations.

Ecstasy Research Flawed (April 18, 2002)
Seems that tests using radioactive substances on brains of x consumers and non-consumers to check what effects ecstasy has on brains had serious defects in results, yet still have been bandied about by hysterical prohibitionist as proving that ecstasy use causes holes in brains. Just one more in a long line of instances when, finding the factual evidence clearly does not support prohibition, drug warriors make up stuff to justify their budget and power.

Spanish Judge Targets Kissinger (April 18, 2002)
Kissinger is planning to visit London soon, but Spanish judge Balthazar Garzon, waging his own personal War on International Terrorism, is seeking to question former Secretary of State Kissinger about Operation Condor, a US-backed operation with 6 Latin American dictatorships involving kidnapping, torture, and murder of hundreds of people of the wrong political persuasion. Now perhaps Kissinger might not want to leave the US.

Thor Heyerdahl Dies (April 18, 2002)
The famous, free-thinking Norwegian explorer has died of cancer at age 87.

Picture Gallery- Inca Mummies (April 18, 2002)
Some really cool photos of a recent archaeological find in Peru can be found here.

Earth Day 2002- 7 Things You Can Do For The Earth (April 18, 2002)
There are all sorts of links to information here on what you can do to help limit the damage done to the Earth, as well as to news blurbs, announcements for upcoming Earth Day 2002 events, and more.

US Denies Role in Venezuelan Coup (April 17, 2002)
The folks at PR Watch have put together this information on both possible and definite US ties to the Venezuelan coup affair.

Conservatives Gearing Up to Push for Private Prisons (April 17, 2002)
While it is true that the private prison industry is exploding in size and scope in the US, wielding enormous power and influence, it isn't only Conservative politicians who are sullied by this. For 8 years with Bill Clinton as President, the US prison population filling these profitable private prisons just got bigger as the number of victims of the War on Drugs climbed to ever new heights.

Canada- Steve Kubby and Steve Tuck in Custody (April 17, 2002)
These two US citizens, living in exile in Canada to escape vindictive and damaging US marijuana laws, have been picked up by Canadian immigration officials and police, and are being held in custody. Kubby has a rare form of adrenal cancer that marijuana keeps at bay, yet he is once again being denied his medication by authorities. Are they really risking killing this guy just because he smokes an herb? You better believe it. There's also a note from Kubby's wife Michelle here, and phone numbers of the arresting officer and the immigration official.

US Senate Confirms ONDCP Deputy Director for State and Local Affairs (April 17, 2002)
"Mr. Burns' successful experience using law enforcement tools to combat drugs at the local level will advance ONDCP's mission to aid the anti-drug efforts of local and state law enforcement agencies throughout the United States," crows this press release from the Office of National Drug Control Policy. If the current state of the War on Drugs shows any successes whatsoever, the editor of drugwar.com would really like to know what exactly those successes are. Using law enforcement tools to combat drug use has done nothing but empower the cartels, and ruin lives.

Drug War and Human Rights in Colombia (April 17, 2002)
"Thousands of people are assassinated, kidnapped and disappeared in Colombia every year in political violence. The conflict has been marked by guerrilla attacks on oil pipelines, high tension towers, and rural police stations, and by gruesome massacres of 'subversives' by government-sponsored death squads," says the lead-in at this hard-hitting website. Check out recent photos taken in Colombia, and read a lot of history on the US-backed drugwar there.

Hepatitis C: The Insidious Spread of a Killer Virus (April 16, 2002)
Newsweek covers the Hep C epidemic in the US in this week's cover story.

US Should Legalize Marijuana (April 16, 2002)
Considering the cavalier attitude many US politicians have about their own youthful marijuana use, the fact that the War continues unabated should have these politicians up before a War crimes tribunal. Would any of these self-admitted law breakers have benefited from mandated drug treatment or jail sentences?

Colombian Aid Limits Reviewed (April 16, 2002)
Presidents Bush and Pastrana are urging the US Congress to allow direct US involvement in Colombia's nearly 40-year long civil war. This is semantical, as the US already has a strong presence in Colombia, waging its horrific yet profitable War on Drugs. The Bush administration wants to be able to expand that presence and openly shovel US tax dollars in ever increasing amounts into the pockets of those waging its Drug War. Some in Congress are showing signs of War fatigue, questioning the results so far from pouring US money, arms and training into Colombia, as despite all the pesticide spraying and war, production of coca and poppy has only risen every year the amount of US aid has been upped.

Bush's Betrayal of Democracy (April 16, 2002)
No, this article is not about the Florida voter-roll shenanigans, but rather discusses Bush's disgraceful support of the military coup in Venezuela. The Bush Administration didn't express any anger or outrage whatsoever until it became clear the coup was going to fail, and still is not publically overjoyed at the return of President Chavez to office. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is also saying he will investigate the presence of a US plane at the island prison where he was being held by the military coup plotters over the weekend. Bush administration officials had meetings with coup plotters in the months preceding the coup attempt, but insists they did not support the coup itself.

Chemical Coup D'Etat (April 16, 2002)
Brazilian diplomat Jose Bustani, Director General of the Organization For The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, is finding himself under attack by the US, which wants him fired.

FBI Investigates Army Secretary's Enron Dealings (April 16, 2002)
The FBI is investigating whether or not US Army Secretary Thomas White made himself large amounts of money from illegal insider trading of Enron holdings.

Mexican Police Linked to Tijuana Cartel (April 15, 2002)
Some of these 41 Mexican cops under arrest for selling information to a major bloodthirsty drug cartel were trained by the DEA, reports this article. Would any possible problems some drug warriors postulate might result from the outright legalization of drugs really be of more serious consequence than this major reoccurring problem with rampant corruption among those police hired to combat the ultra-rich, ultra-cruel, prohibitionist-empowered criminal cartels?

2003 Budget Completes Big Jump In Spending (April 15, 2002)
Despite common Republican rhetoric about cutting big government, Bush has greatly increased government spending, mainly throwing US taxpayer money to the military to the exclusion of domestic spending programs.

Gulf War Veterans Demand Inquiry (April 15, 2002)
British Gulf War vets are pushing for an investigation into why they and their US counterparts are suffering so many illnesses, suspecting that Depleted Uranium and/or vaccinations are to blame. The French found in February that their soldiers were not suffering similar illnesses, and they did not use the same vaccinations on their troops.

Dumped Needles Pose Health Threat (April 15, 2002)
A reader might be forgiven for concluding after reading this that Britain need an even more comprehensive harm reduction/needle exchange program.

Take Two Aspirin and Make a Lot of Noise (April 15, 2002)
How are these US pharmaceutical companies getting away with ripping off US citizens so flagrantly? Is there anything the senior citizens hit hardest by this practice can do to force a change?

GW Pharma Doubles Cannabis Drug Trials (April 14, 2002)
If cannabis has no medical benefits, as claimed incessantly by hysterical, prohibitionist US Drug Warriors, why is this company putting so much money and effort into what they seem to think is promising research and development?

'Marijuana Doctor Gets Probation, $5,000 Fine (April 14, 2002)
Dr. Philip Leveque of Oregon is also facing a 90 day suspension from practicing medicine, in addition to this fine and ten year probation sentence.

Lost City Found Off India (April 14, 2002)
Graham Hancock, the controversial author and searcher of lost civilizations, suggested that this lost city be searched for. Lo and Behold, there does seem to be a city underwater off the coast of India. What else about our ancient history do we not know? Just how far back in time does organized civilization really go? This subject has nothing to do with drugs, but it sure is fun to think about.

Chavez Returns to Power (April 14, 2002)
After a 2-day overthrow, President Hugo Chavez Frias is back in power in Venezuela, thanks to a massive outpouring of public support both at home and abroad. There are also a couple links here to more complete coverage of the events that lead to the coup and now counter-coup.

Is The United States a Haven For Torturers? (April 13, 2002)
With 150 identified foreign torturers and killers currently living in the US and probably more unidentified, with no sign of the US government arresting and deporting them, it raises the obvious question of why is the FBI rounding up Arab-Americans for petty visa violations, and not these people, many of whom are wanted in their own countries?

Toxic Town (April 13, 2002)
Take a look at Anniston, Alabama, a US town and the citizens of which that Monsantos Co. poisoned. This is the same company that produced Agent Orange, used in Vietnam, and Round-Up, currently being sprayed on Colombian peasants, both of which the company and the US government denied or spent years denying causes any damage to humans. The US army now has plans to begin burning and destroying 2,000 tons of Sarin and mustard gas in Anniston in the near future.

FDA Calls Nicotine Lollipops Illegal (April 13, 2002)
Seems the FDA doesn't like these lollipops at all, and has now informed a variety of online and free standing pharmacies to immediately stop selling them.

Teenage Girl May Be Youngest Bankrobber in County's History (April 13, 2002)
Allegedly addicted to crack, this 14 year old California girl is being charged with at least 2 bank robberies.

Smuggler, 12, Swallows Heroin (April 13, 2002)
This Nigerian-American child swallowed 87 packets of heroin and smuggled them into the US on a flight from London to NYC, some of which burst in his stomach, necessitating a trip to the emergency room, and into police hands.

A Letter to Congressman Isakson (April 13, 2002)
Catherine Austin Fitts writes a letter supporting Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's demand for answers to Sept 11 events and the $2.3 trillion misplaced by the Pentagon.

Coup D'Etat in Venezuela Will Let Oil Flow (April 12, 2002)
Democratically elected Chavez is out, overthrown by generals who are replacing him with the leader of the biggest business association of this OPEC member country.

The Week Online With DRCNet Issue #232 (April 12, 2002)
Peru says 'no' to US insistence on 'zero-coca' goals in their country, federal incarceration grows at records speeds, mass protests against US policies in Colombia, these stories and more in this issue of The Week Online.

NYC- Drug War Race and Party on 4/20 (April 12, 2002)
Come to NYC to celebrate 4/20 at the Drug War! Race and Party. Hosted by the Drug War Awareness Project, "committed to raising awareness of the Drug War through art and education," the event has scores of artists taking part, reams of dj's supplying music, and an afternoon bike race around the city simulating the trials and tribulations of a low level NYC drug dealer. Good fun for a serious cause.

Tattered Cover Wins Ruling (April 12, 2002)
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court rules that the Tattered Cover bookstore does not have to turn over customers' buying and reading habits to police. Of course, in the future if police prove they have a compelling need for similar information, they can get it still, as this ruling does not make it impossible.

Catherine Austin Fitts to Appear on NewBlackCity.com, April 14, 2002, (April 12, 2002)
Be sure to tune in and get an earful on major financial shenanigans behind the scenes in the US and around the world, of which the War on Drugs is a major part.

Will Corruption and Injustice Gain a Stranglehold Over Venezuela's Misery Again (April 12, 2002)
President Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela appears to be facing a coup in the making.

Recommending Pot Sounds OK to 9th Circuit (April 11, 2002)
The 9th Circuit Court is openly skeptical of government claims that the government knows what it's doing by going after California doctors for recommending medical pot use to some patients, according to this article.

Maryland- Medical Marijuana Bill Killed by Senate Committee (April 11, 2002)
A Maryland bill backed by the Marijuana Policy Project of Washington DC, which would have imposed a $100 maximum fine for possessing pot intended for medical use, was killed by a mere one vote margin in Maryland's Senate.

Alaska- Banner Case Heading to Court (April 11, 2002)
Suspended by his high school in January for displaying a banner that read, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during the Olympic torch relay through Alaska, this kid is taking his case to court, asserting some sort of right to free speech as a US citizen.

Military Linked to Cape Water Taint (April 11, 2002)
The US military has been busy poisoning US citizens again, and denying any part in the poisoning, this time by contaminating the water supply of Bourne, Massachusetts, with live ammo detritus.

CIA 'Drugged Russian Defense Worker to Get Military Secrets' (April 11, 2002)
There are two articles linked here on recent Russian allegations of the US CIA secretly using psychotropic drugs on a Russian citizen while operating a spy ring in their country.

Gunman Opens Fire on FBI Convoy (April 10, 2002)
Someone pulled a carload of FBI agents over while they were towing two cars, evidence in a drug investigation, then took some shots at them before, get this, speeding away and escaping in the minivan he was driving.

Afghan Poppy Eradication Plan Begins (April 10, 2002)
Afghan government representatives with guns, dollars and tractors began plowing up fields today, Wednesday, April 10, launching their plan to do away with the illegal poppies before harvest begins in earnest in the next two weeks.

Information on World-Wide Million Marijuana March, May 4, 2002 (April 10, 2002)
Here's a useful gathering of links to all kinds of information dealing with the upcoming worldwide pro-pot protest/celebration. Find out if your city is taking part, and if not, get something started. Less than a month to go.

Colombian Rebels Release 11 Hostages (April 10, 2002)
The ELN, a leftist guerilla army, released these hostages with a message for the Colombian government to resist any agreement with the US to protect the Cano Limon oil pipeline. The BBC is reporting simultaneously that ELN has "declared war" on Occidental Petroleum and its Colombian pipeline.

Colombia- Pipeline Brigade (April 10, 2002)
The Bush administration has announced $700 million in aid this year to the Andean region, $98 million of which goes specifically to protect Occidental Petroleum's Cano Limon oil pipeline.

Yale to Reimburse Students Denied Federal Aid For Drug Possession (April 9, 2002)
Yale University has informed its students it will reimburse any of them who loose federal student aid due to simple drug possession convictions. Yale doesn't actually seem to have any students currently who are facing loosing their aid, but if any turn up, Yale will take care of them. As of March, 2002, there were approximately 47,000 US students and hopeful student applicants nationwide who may loose their aid.

Pot Campaign to Feature NYC Mayor (April 9, 2002)
Mayor Bloomberg not only admitted to smoking pot, saying, "You bet I did," but also that he enjoyed it too. NORML is running a full-page ad today featuring the mayor in the New York Times, as well as plastering NYC with similar poster ads calling for an end to the War on Pot. Bloomberg may have enjoyed smoking pot, but that didn't stop him from saying he supports the current drug laws as they stand when asked by reporters how he feels about his feature role in the NORML ads.

Oregon- Police Officer Fires at Man Armed With Chinese Food (April 9, 2002)
Don't throw your Chinese food through the window of an unmarked narcotics cop car, or you may get shot at, as demonstrated by the head of the narcotics unit in Jackson County, Oregon, who shot at a Chinese food-chucking "attacker" recently.

Hmong Leader Says Conflict Helps Americans (April 8, 2002)
Introducing Vang Pao as someone who "helped the US military in the Vietnam War," as this article does, glaringly ignores the fact that as General of the CIA's 30,000 strong Laotian "secret" army during that war, Vang Pao opened processing labs and used CIA airplanes to traffic tons upon tons of high quality no. 4 heroin from the Laotian hills right into US veins, all while the US ratcheted up the War on Drugs. That Vang Pao lives freely and openly as a US citizen now says a lot about how serious the US government is about waging a War on Drugs, or at least upon whom they are most serious about waging it: US citizens.

For Hemp Foods, a Decisive Moment (April 8, 2002)
Here's another look at the DEA's odd, even anti-capitalist battle to outlaw hemp food, and other hemp products that may be ingested by people.

UK- What's Wrong With Our Drinking Culture? (April 8, 2002)
Although alcohol consumption is legal, this article postulates that the 11 PM closing time tradition of ordering last rounds in England's pubs leads to accelerated drinking habits, and the associated problems. Is this another example of prohibition-like tactics leading to more trouble than they're worth?

Marijuana Headlines Are Half-Baked (April 7, 2002)
Three different headlines, all saying something different about the very same study on pot and memory. It's enough to leave a pothead's head spinning.

New Battle, Old Pattern- The War on Terrorism Takes the Shape of the Drug War (April 7, 2002)
The "new" War on Terrorism is not just another Vietnam or Kosovo, not merely another US military adventure in foreign lands. According to this article, including a discussion with Ethan Nadelman of the Drug Policy Alliance, the "new" war more closely resembles the War on Drugs, in more ways than one.

Dope Sales Build Secret Empires (April 7, 2002)
If this article is to be bought at face value, those dastardly street gangs made up of blacks and minorities are at it still, running their vast underground drug empires and some even, gasp, being paid with public funding to teach children about the dangers of gang life and drug dealing. This article mentions not once where these gangs are getting their drugs from, nor touches once on the true scale of world-wide drug trafficking and where all the profits go, preferring to focus on inner-city blacks, thereby reinforcing dogmatic and racist drug war stereotypes in the minds of readers.

Afghanistan- Poppy Farmers: Eradication is Unfair (April 7, 2002)
While the US and Colombian governments are calling off their crop-substitution programs in that war-torn Latin American country, the Afghan government is suddenly calling for a similar program in their own country, ordering the destruction of all poppy crops and offering farmers a pittance for each acre of poppy crops destroyed, just two weeks now before harvest time.

Colombia- US Doubts Effects of Coca Plan (April 7, 2002)
Those ungrateful Colombian peasants are unhappy with the US-forced alternative crop substitution plan whereby Colombian farmers are supplied seed for food crops if they do away with their coca planting, only to have their Prohibitionist-supplied food crops sprayed by anti-narcotic drug flights. Therefore US politicians are planning to do away with even the meager percentage of Plan Colombian/Andean Initiative funds this project receives now.

In Regards to Winokur Leaving Harvard Board (April 7, 2002)
Catherine Austin Fitt's responds, in a 'letter to the editor' to a recent article in the Boston Globe regarding Herbert S. "Pug" Winokur's decision to leave Harvard's board, supplying a long list of links to articles and information as to why he might really have made his decision. More importantly, Fitts paints a detailed picture of why there is a need for some number of criminal investigations into Winokur's, and others', financial dealings and practices.

Colombia's Conflict Spills Over (April 6, 2002)
The countries surrounding Colombia are facing dire repercussions resulting from the recent explosion in military actions on the part of all parties in that war ravaged country, as well as domestic troubles within their own borders resulting from homegrown turmoils.

Stop Smoking Lollipops Cause Concern (April 6, 2002)
Touted as a convenient way to get a nic-fix when not allowed to light up, or to assist in quitting smoking altogether, some are worrying that the sweet and fruity lollipops may attract kids and even do them damage.

Colombia- Paramilitaries Back Colombian Candidate, Rival Says (April 6, 2002)
While praising his rival as an "honorable man," according to this Reuters article, this candidate is insisting that illegal right-wing paramilitary forces are "coercing" villagers to back his opponent, Alvaro Uribe, in the up-coming Presidential elections.

Angola- CIA 'Ran Covert Missions' to Stop Communist Coup (April 6, 2002)
Although the above headline makes it appear there was some legitimacy to the CIA covert operations in Angola during the 70's, it turns out from reading the text that the CIA lied through its teeth from the get go about a Cuban presence in Angola, the main lie used to justify CIA/US intervention.

City May Honor Hmong General (April 6, 2002)
The infamous heroin warlord, ally of the US CIA during the Vietnam conflict, and now US citizen General Vang Pao, might get a park in this US city named in his honor.

Akha Weekly Journal (April 6, 2002)
Matt McDaniel, living with the Akha people in Thailand, has obtained a printing press, and will soon begin the Akha Journal Publication. There's also plans for an Akha Nature Conservancy Project discussed, as well as a vicious attack on Meh Joh Akha, forced relocations, and I.D. cards.

DRCNet Week Online #231 (April 5, 2002)
Access an assortment of hard hitting news stories, editorials, alerts, and a reformers' calendar. This is a great news letter, and comes with Drugwar.com's editor's highest recommendation.

Dallas Texas- Drug Bust Gone Bad, Then Worse (April 5, 2002)
Seems the prohibitionist drug warriors in Dallas were arresting poor, immigrant people for drug busts, trying and often deporting them, all for what eventually in at least 70 cases turned out to be powdered drywall, not the alleged cocaine.

Bolivia- US Knew Of Assassination (April 5, 2002)
Bolivian military troops cold-bloodedly murdered this coca growers' union leader, and the US embassy knew the Bolivian government and military were lying about not knowing about the incident. Read more on this important story, and see US embassy communications.

Drug Policy Forum Tri-State Drug Events (April 5, 2002)
If you either live in, or can reach the Northeastern US this month, read about some drug reform events planned.

FTW Interview- Delmart 'Mike' Vreeland- What the CIA Doesn't Want You to Know (April 5, 2002)
Just what did Mike Vreeland know about the Sept. 11 attacks before they happened, and why are so many denigrating and marginalizing this story?

Cheap Drink Helps Keep Japan Cheerful (April 4, 2002)
A new type of alcoholic beverage similar to beer is selling fast and well in Japan.

Ozzy Osbourne 'Invited to White House': (April 4, 2002)
The former Black Sabbath front man, hard-core drug user, and High Times cover featured artist, may be visiting GW Bush in the White House as an honored guest soon.

Switzerland- FARC Not 'Terrorist Org' (April 4, 2002)
The Swiss are apparently not buckling under to US demands to freeze the Colombian rebel group FARC's money deposited in Swiss banks.

Former Washington Mayor Barry Rethinking Comeback (April 4, 2002)
Although there was no arrest, and no charges filed, Marion Barry was alleged to have traces of drug in his car by park police.

Inspirational Sports Statues (April 4, 2002)
Holy mackerel, these statues are too funny. Smoke a fatty, and go shopping, or at least, go window shopping.

18 Tales of Media Censorship (April 2, 2002)
"Into the Buzzsaw", a new book reviewed here, is about a number of well respected journalists who found themselves under attack, vilified, fired, and more, for reporting news stories that were simply not acceptable to the mainstream establishment viewpoint.

Arrest Challenges Pot Law (April 2, 2002)
Bruce Buckner, suffering from the debilitating and extremely painful Crohn's Disease, is being prosecuted for growing his own medical marijuana, which became legal in Washington State in 1998. So why are the cops after this guy? Why are the feds prosecuting Buckner for treating his pain and illness? What is it that drives prohibitionists to outlaw some of the most beautiful, beneficial gifts given humanity by nature?

What Has the Supreme Court Been Smoking? (April 2, 2002)
Arianna Huffington is justifiably not at all happy with some recent US Supreme Court decisions. Perhaps the question should be, "what has the US Supreme Court NOT been smoking?" How else to explain such unenlightened thinking, and their cruel, inhuman comments and rulings?

US Supreme Court to Review Three Strikes Sentencing Laws (April 2, 2002)
The Court is looking at whether 'three strikes you're out' laws are unconstitutional or not.

DEA Hemp Ban Put On Hold (April 1, 2002)
Hemp food and other products are still legal to sell in the United States, thanks to a stay by the 9th Circuit court of Appeals. The DEA is finding itself in the midst of some real political brouhaha, with the Canadian government, and US and Canadian hemp industries all really pissed off at DEA's flagrant violations of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Don't Always Trust What They Tell You In The War On Terror (April 1, 2002)
Not mentioning one of the most glaring examples of untrustworthy statements and assertions during this "new" War on Terror, that buying drugs supports terrorists, here is a list of stories leapt upon by the press, trumpeted loudly at first, then subsequently disproved. Which doesn't necessarily mean the stories aren't still propagated by the press and warmongering military perps and politicians.

Unaddressed Conflicts of Interest Link to 9-11- The elephant in the Living Room (April 1, 2002)
Michael C. Ruppert, Editor of From the Wilderness, examines Attorney General John Ashcroft's recusing himself from the Enron investigation, and discusses the facts that there are even more grand juries in session at this time, which could open up huge cans of worms for Ashcroft, and others.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy Midwest Regional Conference (April 1, 2002)
Yet more SSDP members are inviting the American public and other students to come join them at their Midwest Regional Conference, April 13-14, 2002, at Loyola University, Chicago, to try and find ways to not only lessen the harms the War on Drug engenders, but even to end the War itself.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy- The Northeast Conference for New Drug Policies (April 1, 2002)
Come join hundreds of US students April 27-28, 2002, at Wesleyan University, CT. as they discuss the harms and lies of the War on Drugs, and try to figure out ways to end the War.

Salvia Divinorum- A New LSD? (April 1, 2002)
Though it is legal to sell Salvia, the Mexican hallucinogenic herb, the DEA has added it to its list of chemicals to watch out for.

 

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