Not All Students Will Start School this Week (August 30, 2002)
The Students for Sensible Drug Policy have release this statement pointing out that 87,000 US students have now lost federal aid for school under the Higher Education Act's anti-drug provisions, 30,000 or so denied federal aid for the 2002-2003 school year.

Help urged for drug-using students (August 30, 2002)
"'The goal is to say we believe we can do a better job of making kids healthy,' said John P. Walters, who directs the office. Kicking students out of school without treatment can create 'drug-using dropouts,' an even bigger problem, the report said." Will someone inform Rep. Mark Souder of this, the guy who made sure that US students do not get federal aid for college if they've ever been convicted of a drug charge?

What You Need to Know About School Drug Testing (August 30, 2002- Need Adobe Acrobat Reader)
"Guidelines From The White House Office Of National Drug Control Policy Urging That Students Found Using Drugs Be Given Treatment And Counseling, Instead Of Just Being Suspended Or Expelled, To Avoid The Growth Of 'Drug-Using Dropouts, An Even Bigger Problem.'" So notes this release from FindLaw.com.

Turning the Tables of Hip-Hop Summit (August 30, 2002)
This sounds great reading through the site, promoting positivism amonst youth, but then one remembers the very same people who support this also support the Higher Education Act barring students from federal aid for college if they are convicted on illegal drug charges, thereby insuring a lack of positivism in their lives.

Pot growing suspect jailed (August 30, 2002)
"Feinberg had been using his home...his mother's home...also in Port St. Lucie, and a mobile home...in Hobe Sound to produce more than 12 pounds of marijuana every 10 weeks, authorities said." So reports Carleste Hughes, a Palm Beach Post staff writer.

The Jeff and Tracy Show Welcomes Jeffrey Steinborn (August 30, 2002)
These two brave activists are hosting a marijuana education meeting Sept. 5, 2002. Check it out.

American Wins Exemption to Grow Medical Marijuana (August 30, 2002)
US ex-patriot Steve Kubby has won the right to grow his own medicine, but not in his own country. He has had to flee his homeland, literally running for his very life.

DEA Launches Exhibit Proclaiming Drugs = Terrorism (August 29, 2002)
Next there will be an exhibit proving Big Oil Business = Terrorism, and Diamonds = Terrorism, the International Arms Trade = Terrorism, and last but not least, the US Exported War on Drugs = Terrorism.

Australian woman to face firing squad (August 29, 2002)
Caught trying to smuggle a kilo of heroin out of Vietnam, this 43 year old faces the possibility of death by firing squad.

DEA spearheads 15-country drug raid Thousands arrested in Central Asia, Balkans (August 29, 2002)
"The sweep -- from June 10 to July 11 -- seized more than 3,700 pounds of heroin and nine tons of other narcotics," reports Dave Binder for the New York Times.

Malcolm X's grandson arrested on drug charges (August 29, 2002)
"Malcolm Shabazz, who set the 1997 fire that killed his grandmother, has been arrested on trespassing and marijuana possession charges, police said. Shabazz is the grandson of the late Muslim activist Malcolm X and his wife, Betty," notes this report from the Associated Press.

Ex-student pleads guilty to drug trafficking (August 29, 2002)
"Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said her office rejected any deal that would have reduced the charges against Mr. Garity, even though he had no criminal record. 'Although we sympathize with the parents, we can't let this go unpunished,'" notes this report by Sheila McLaughlin for the The Cincinnati Enquirer about 2 young guys arrested for selling 12 pounds of "high grade" pot to cops in a long-running sting operation.

Overhaul for drug laws is way off target (August 28, 2002)
"Only those politicians farthest from the fighting refuse to acknowledge what is plain to soldiers on the front lines: Michigan's war on drugs has been an expensive bust," writes Brian Dickerson in this scathing editorial for the

N.H. police chief wants dorm forfeited under drug laws (August 28, 2002)
This Police Chief wants to not only forfeit this McIntosh College dormatory, but he is also outraged that the school actually allows students to enroll that have prior drug convictions. Heaven forbid these kids want to get ahead and do something with their lives. They're druggies in this sheriff's mind, therefore undeserving of a higher education. What are these prohibitionists thinking when they come up with these kinds of completely backwards and destructive policies and comments?

A probe too far (August 28, 2002)
Dale McFeatters is not at all happy that the FBI is probing Congress for leaks of "classified" information that proves how inept the FBI was before September 11, 2001.

Afghan opium output eclipses Golden Triangle (August 28, 2002)
"Afghanistan will take back its crown this year from the notorious Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia as the world's top producer of opium, the raw material used to make heroin, a Thai anti-narcotics official said on Wednesday," reports Reuters.

Caffeine substantially cuts risk of skin cancer in mice (August 28, 2002)
Can it be true? Does caffeine really stave off cancer?

Flight of the Phoenix: From Vietnam to Homeland Security (August 27, 2002)
"Nearly 20 years later Lawlor is still licking his wounds, and there's no doubt that he holds a major general's grudge against the pacifists and peaceniks who smeared him with Phoenix. So now I'm wondering, what's he got in store for people like me?" So ponders Douglas Valentine for CounterPunch.org.

Texas opens probe into drug busts (August 27, 2002)
"The Texas attorney general has opened a state investigation into a drug bust civil rights groups say was racially motivated. Attorney General John Cornyn said Monday that he is concerned that a federal investigation into the 1999 drug bust in Tulia - about 60 miles north of Lubbock - is flagging," reports Jim Vertuno for the Associated Press. One of the more egregious examples of corrupt, destructive policing by anti-drug cops.

Judge sets aside drug conviction- Officials suspect deceit in getting search warrant (August 27, 2002)
Yet another example of outright corrupt, destructive policing by anti-drug cops.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE: Cop who took confession has faced questions (August 27, 2002)
The officer who coerced the false confession to a horrific rape and murder that landed the innocent Eddie Joe Lloyd in prison for 17 years, has come under scrutiny more than once for disturbing policing pratices.

Ian Hunter tragedy (August 19, 2002)
Reverend Damuzi reports for Cannabis Culture on the loss of Ian Hunter, activist, a co-founder of Hemp BC, a hemp and bong store in Vancouver, and an early contributor to the "prototype" of Cannabis Culture magazine.

Tea Might be OK'd For Religious Practice (August 19, 2002)
"A Santa Fe-based group might get permission to drink a hallucinogenic tea called hoasca. U.S. District Judge James Parker says he is leaning toward granting the group's right to use the tea, based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act," reports Tom Sharpe for The New Mexican.

Army's malaria drug linked to three Fort Bragg killings (August 19, 2002)
At least 3 of the recent murders committed by US Special Forces upon return from Afghanistan might have been due to the vaccinations they were given.

Marijuana eases MS symptoms (August 19, 2002)
"A survey of multiple sclerosis patients living in England found that 45 percent use marijuana either for relief of disabling leg spasms or to ease MS pain -- and use increases as symptoms worsen," writes Peggy Peck for United Press International's Science Desk.

Thousands attend Hempfest in Seattle (August 19, 2002)
"An estimated 80,000 people packed Myrtle Edwards Park along Seattle's waterfront Saturday for the first day of Hempfest, a weekend festival aimed at changing the nation's marijuana laws," reports Janie Mccauley for the Associated Press.

Chickens in Paris, Eggs in Caracas (August 19, 2002)
"Scrambled Priorities of 'Reporters Without Borders' Precede Shooting" of Paul Emile-Dupret, advisor to the European Parliament.

Serbia's Deadly Choppers - U.S. Firm Sold Parts to Milosevic (August 18, 2002)
"At a time when Americans are concerned about U.S. corporate corruption, a tribunal in The Hague has revealed another shadowy deal with international reverberations. Bell Helicopters of Texas sold parts to Serbia during a U.N. arms embargo, when Serbia was involved in a genocidal war using helicopters. The regime of ex-president Slobodan Milosevic paid through a complex, secret offshore financial network." So reports Lucy Komisar for the Pacific News Service about yet more hypocritical, warmongering, and illegal US corporate death profits. Milosevic sits in the Hauge on trial in an international court, as the US asks foreign countries to guarantee US citizens are not going to face trial for warcrimes or worse in an international criminal court.

Crop spraying to crop spying (August 18, 2002)
"The airborne surveillance system that Dave Fuhr came up with 10 years ago is being used in South America to detect the growth of marijuana and the coca plants that yield cocaine -- the better to allow drug-interdiction forces to destroy them," reports Dick Youngblood of the Star Tribune.

“Message In Our Music” moves into next phase (August 18, 2002)
These South Carolina prohibitionists are offering a cash prize to kids who write and sing anti-drug songs.

The Week Online With DRCNet, Issue #250 (August 18, 2002)
Lots of stories about a variety of citizens' drug law reform initiatives around the US, heroin labs resurfacing in Afghanistan, shenanigans in Ohio, New Jersey bans urine test-defeating devices, NORML banned from the Indiana State Fair, and quite a few more news stories in this week's edition of the newsletter. As always, check in on the reformers' calendar to see what is happening in your area that you too can get involved in.

Did he jump or was he pushed? (August 18, 2002)
"I've just been filming, for Channel 4, a press conference in which the son of a CIA officer who died in suspicious circumstances presented his evidence that vice-president Dick Cheney and defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld were, in 1975, when part of the Gerald Ford administration, involved in a cover-up of the events surrounding his father's death," writes Jon Ronson for the Guardian UK. Frank Olson was dosed without his knowlege with LSD by the CIA in the 50s, then thrown out a hotel window a couple weeks later in NYC. The coverup of his death continues, with some of the active participants in Olson's murder apparently serving in some of the highest positions of our government. Is this their pay back? Their just deserts?

Drug Warriors in a Dead Heat (August 17, 2002)
"Rabid drug-warrior Bob Barr and the equally avid, though low-key, drug warrior John Linder are in a dead-heat Republican primary this Tuesday in Georgia's newly drawn 7th Congressional District. The question is, if Barr loses how much credit can the national Libertarian Party claim?" This is a question Daniel Forbes examines in this article about the Libertarian Party's "Incumbent Killer Strategy" paying special attention to the rabid Warrior Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA).

In Battle Over 9-11 Detentions, Feds May Be Hiding More Than Identities- The Name Game (Agust 17, 2002)
"Most significantly, she observes, 'When asked by the Court . . . to explain the standard used to arrest the detainees, or otherwise to substantiate the purported connection to terrorism, the Government was unable to answer.' In other words, she asks, just what is a September 11 detainee?" So reports Chisun Lee for the Village Voice while reporting on U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler's August 2 ruling giving "the government 15 days to release the names of the more than 1000 people it admitted to arresting and secretly detaining in its ongoing September 11 investigation."

Life during Wartime-Secret agents in the newsroom? (August 17, 2002)
"Still, it wouldn't be the first time military operatives manipulated the fourth estate. In the mid 1980s Ronald Reagan used a squad of six U.S. Army soldiers trained in psychological warfare techniques to shape media coverage of the civil wars in Central America," notes A.C. Thompson in this editorial for the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Bust the Kids, Pass the Bong (August 17, 2002)
Mike Males of the OC Weekly is not happy with the current citizens' pot legalization initiative in Nevada, but not for the reasons one might expect. Instead of calling the move wrong for proposing the legalization of marijuana, Males argues that it doesn't go far enough, that "Pot legalizers now gush save-the-children demagogueries loonier than Nancy Reagan’s."

Professor X (August 17, 2002)
"Alexander Shulgin made millions for Dow Chemical. Then he synthesized MDMA, realized his best test subject was himself, and became the godfather of Generation Ecstasy. Now he's back inside his private lab, running a new batch of psychedelic compounds through his chromatograph," reports Ethan Brown for Wired magazine.

Son of Miami prosecutor arrested at airport on drug possession charge (August 16, 2002)
Airport security in Miami found a pipe and 3 grams of marijuana in the pocket of Justin Rundle, son of Miami-Dade County, Florida's top prosecutor, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

Bacardi accused of campaign to oust Castro- Rum company boss 'bankrolled CIA mission to kill Cuban leader' (August 16, 2002)
Bacardi Rum has been supporting for 40 years efforts to overthrow, through means violent and not, the Cuban Government of President Fidel Castro, according to a new book by Colombian journalist Hernando Calvo Ospina. Bacardi also apparently supported Reagan's illegal war in Nicaragua. Now, is Bacardi going to be a target in the War on Terror and Those Who Support It?

Bush anti-corruption chief accused of account fraud (August 16, 2002)
These government crooks are the same people who make sure the War on Some Drugs and Users continues at breakneck speed while insisting that druggies help terrorists. Hmmm. What do people who act like a Mafia in the top rungs of our social strata in the US do for terrorism?

Judge Keeton Rules in Favor of the MTBA- Change the Climate Inc. Will Appeal (August 16, 2002)
"These ads don't say: 'Hey kids! Smoke pot! Break the law! It's fun!' A mother says: 'I've got three great kids. I love them more than anything. I don't want them to smoke pot. But I know jail is a lot more dangerous than smoking pot.' This is clearly, absolutely Protected Political Free Speech," wrote the person who sent me this notice about the efforts of Change the Climate to get their anti-War on Drugs ads onto the Boston subway system.

Russia Bans Brain Surgery On Drug Addicts (August 16, 2002)
"The operations, which began at the institute of the human brain in St Petersburg in 1999, removed a part of the brain associated with addiction. The programme has so far treated 335 patients, but the prosecutor's office in St Petersburg ordered an end to the operations on Monday after a former patient won a court case against the institute. The patient claimed he had suffered headaches as a result of the operation, which also failed to cure him of his addiction," reports Nick Paton Walsh for the Guardian UK.

U.S. moves to stop Oglala Lakota hemp farm (August 16, 2002)
The feds have decided to take Alex White Plume to civil court over his insistance on planting and havesting hemp. More signs that the US government has its priorities a bit scewed towards the insane view. The feds insist they found "traces of marijuana" among the 400 gram sample they took this summer from the White Plume's hemp crop. Hey feds, it's THC you're finding traces of, not marijuana.

US drug war alliances futile, says expert (August 15, 2002)
"The United States should resist cooperating in the drug war with new Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, because he has been linked to terrorist paramilitary groups and to individuals involved with the drug trade, says a new report by a Washington, D.C. think tank," reports Lisa Troshinsky For United Press International. "Instead, the United States should learn from past mistakes, when it financially supported dubious third-world regimes -- some with terrorist links -- in the fight against drugs, only to realize later that these partners were themselves involved in the drug trade, says, 'Unsavory Bedfellows: Washington's International Partners in the War on Drugs,' published by the libertarian Cato Institute."

On 9/11, CIA Was Running Simulation of a Plane Crashing into a Building (August 15, 2002)
"On the morning of September 11th 2001, Mr. Fulton and his team at the CIA were running a pre-planned simulation to explore the emergency response issues that would be created if a plane were to strike a building." See what this is all about at Russ Kick's The Memory Hole.

Uribe, Bush, and Plan Colombia (August 15, 2002)
"Military solutions to social problems are recipes for failure," notes Ron Jacobs.

Marijuana Policy Project to Challenge Rejection of Medical Marijuana Petitions (August 15, 2002)
Seems that thousands of registered voters' signatures were wrongly said to be invalid by the DC Board of Elections and Ethics, disqualifying MPP's Medical Marijuana Initiative from reaching the ballot this November.

Sheriff's department issued more than 400 drug citations at Dead reunion (August 15, 2002)
It is not a well known fact that dangerous terrorist types hang out at Grateful Dead shows, yet it seems the police are right on top of it. Granted, no terrorists were actually caught at the Dead reunion by these hard working police officers, but there sure were a lot of druggies there.

Lynn and Judy Osburn Raided Again (August 14, 2002)
These two medical marijuana patients and caregivers have already been raided once, last year, with no charges filed, although the feds are trying to take their property through asset forfeiture as a result of that raid. Now the feds have gone and done it again, arriving to raid the Osburn home in a sherrif's helicopter and a bunch of vans, according to the last message sent out from the Osburns' computer as the feds arrived.

Federal Court Rules in Favor of Ayahuasca-using Church (August 14, 2002)
"In Monday’s 61-page ruling, Judge James Parker of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, found that although the government’s actions did not violate the UDV’s free exercise rights under the First Amendment, the seizure of the church’s sacrament appears to have been in violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a federal law passed by Congress in 1993 for the purpose of providing greater protection to religious free exercise than even the First Amendment (which had been significantly watered-down by a 1990 United States Supreme Court decision," reports Richard Glen Boire for Alchemind.org.

Toronto Compassion Centre Raided by Police (August 14, 2002)
"Toronto compassion centre has been raided by Toronto Police. They were called to help out when the centre and it's (mostly sick, some Female) staff were viciously attacked, beaten and robbed just before Xmas 2001. While "helping," they found and confiscated a large quantity Of medicine. Not knowing what they should do regarding charges, they left the centre alone until now," writes Dominic S. Cramer.

A Reminder- Carol Ann Rand (August 14, 2002)
"I am also running because one of the incumbent congressmen seeking the new 7th District seat is particularly out of touch. While terrorists around the globe plot more attacks against our country, Bob Barr’s most pressing priority has been to send armies of armed agents to arrest critically ill medical marijuana patients," says this Libertarian candidate running against rabid prohibitionist Bob Barr, (R-GA). Be sure to vote on August 20, and show Rep. Bob Barr that there are consequences to his prohibitionistic behavior.

Tobacco Industry Fought Drugs' Marketing (August 14, 2002- New York Times free registration required)
"Tobacco companies in the 1980's and 1990's put pressure on drug companies to limit their marketing of nicotine gum and skin patches that help people quit smoking, according to a new study of tobacco industry documents," reports Kenneth Chang.

The End of Oil (August 14, 2002)
"War with Iraq and the Arabic World looms in the news now, largely because world oil production has peaked: the world is going to run out of oil in the near future and there is nothing that anybody can do about it.........or is there?" Check out this very interesting and informative dissertation on a ready and available alternative to oil - Hemp.

US reviews military aid to Colombia (August 14, 2002)
"A senior United States official is in Colombia to look at how the country uses American military aid to fight illegal armed groups," reports the BBC. "Last month, the US Congress voted to allow Colombia to use more than a billion dollars of US anti-drugs aid to fight the guerrillas and paramilitary groups."

Beer prescriptions a wash (August 14, 2002)
Despite what seemed promising reports that drinking beer could be good for one's health, one must keep in mind the key is moderatation, as with any mind-altering substance, for most people.

Frisbee pioneer dies (August 14, 2002)
It's a sad day for frisbee-throwing stoners and non-stoners alike.

Show Us the Money! (August 13, 2002)
The Daily Enron wants to know why the federal government can seize the assets of drug users and dealers who in many instances haven't even been charged with a crime, but hasn't yet seized the assets of any corporate thief currently under investigation, or that it knows has ripped off employees and investors.

Marijuana initiative qualifies for ballot (August 13, 2002)
"A medical marijuana initiative has made it to the November ballot amid claims that Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley continues to misuse his office to fight the proposal," reports Elvia Díaz for The Arizona Republic.

Police accused of illegal campaign against pot (August 13, 2002)
"The leader of a group pushing for a ballot question that would ease marijuana possession laws sent a letter this morning to Clark County Sheriff Jerry Keller accusing Metro Police of using government time and resources to campaign against the initiative -- a violation of state law," writes Keith Paul for the Las Vegas Sun.

Bush's Conspiracy to Riot (August 13, 2002)
"On Nov. 22, 2000, the so-called 'Brooks Brothers Riot' of Republican activists helped stop a vote recount in Miami -- and showed how far George W. Bush’s supporters were ready to go to put their man in the White House," reports Robert Parry.

"Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign Policy" aka The Kerry Report (August 13, 2002)
Pages 21 through 40 of this hard-to-find US government report are now up at Russ Kick's Memoryhole.com.

An Outrageous Police Invasion of an Addiction Recovery Program (August 13, 2002)
"...we could save so much money on investigations by putting microphones in and taping the secrets of these losers. After all, they are criminals and we don't need to care what happens to them. So what if a few innocent people get caught and have to suffer?" So wrote Mark Elliot back in April when reporting on an undercover police officer turning in a woman she'd convinced to confide in her in a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.

First They Came For Others (August 13, 2002)
"'We were initially told in the early '90s, when they began to apply the military law heavily, that it would be used only against drug dealers and terrorists.' - Hisham Kassem, head of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, after Saad Eddin Ibrahim, an Egyptian-American sociology professor, was sentenced to seven years in prison for 'tarnishing the image of Egypt,'" starts this column by Molly Ivans.

US Attorney Throws Alexander White Plum a Softball (August 13, 2002)
Read the civil filing against White Plum for his being the first American citizen since 1958 to successfully harvest a hemp crop and delivering it by the US Attorney for South Dakota.

Harvest Festival 2002 (August 12, 2002)
Check out this festival happening in September, in Biloxi, Mississippi.

DynCorp Still Taking the Moral Low Ground (August 12, 2002)
"DynCorp holds the government contract in Bosnia-Herzegovina to hire and train U.N. police forces, and in June 1999 Bolkovac signed on for the project as one of DynCorp's 23,000 employees worldwide. It wasn't long before Bolkovac became aware that other U.N. police officers, officials and DynCorp employees frequented brothels in Bosnia and were involved in the white-slave trafficking of women and children," reports Kelly Patricia O'Meara for Insight Magazine.

Bush the Idiot or Bush the Fiend (August 12, 2002)
William Rivers Pitt is not at all happy with Bush.

'3 strikes' no deterrent to drug crimes, study shows (August 12, 2002)
"California's landmark 'three strikes and you're out' law contributed to the state's sharp decrease in property crimes and violent crimes but has done nothing to reduce drug offenses, according to a new report to be released next month," reports Dana Wilkie for the Copley News Service.

Afghan drug lords set up heroin labs (August 12, 2002)
Thanks to the US military actions in Afghanistan, heroin production is cranking along at a renewed pace. Do US authorities really expect the US public to believe they were unaware this would happen?

The decriminalisation debate (August 11, 2002)
"Danny Kushlick, director of the Transform campaign group based in Bristol, says there are four ways to distribute drugs, and most countries choose the worst - letting criminals do it," reports Dan Damon for BBC News.

Drugs: A global business (August 11, 2002)
"The global illegal trade could be worth as much as $400 billion dollars a year - almost as much as the international tourist trade - creating employment for tens of thousands of people both legally and illegally," reports Philip Fiske of the BBC.

US city prepares joint initiative (August 11, 2002)
San Francisco residents will soon vote on whether the city will grow and distribute medical marijuana.

Colombian leader: 'We must overcome fear' (August 11, 2002)
"President Alvaro Uribe is pressing ahead with plans to equip 1 million Colombians with radios to report on rebel activity, even after the insurgents showed new daring with a mortar attack that killed 19 people on his inauguration day," reports the Associated Press.

Nev. Police Group Changes Pot Stance (August 11, 2002)
The head of the police organization has been fired, and the group is now saying they won't back marijuana legalization after all, it was all a mistake. And here it looked like they were actually a sensible organization too, but that appears to be not the case after all.

Marijuana raid nets one plant, but elaborate setup (August 11, 2002)
Bringing along an unneeded drug dog, the cops got exactly one living plant in their expensive to the tax payer anti-pot raid.

Environmental Groups Sue to Stop Global Deployment Of Navy Low Frequency Sonar System (August 10, 2002)
Another sign of rampant insanity at the highest levels of US policy making, this sonar system is destroying the ability for whales and porpoises to use their own naturally occuring sonar systems, effectively blinding them, often causing large numbers to beach themselves, and even killing the sea mammals. This US Navy system immediately came to the drugwar.com editor's mind when he read about the whales beaching themselves repeatedly in Long Island at the end of July, but so far no one else seems to be making that connection, and he has no proof of this, just suspicions. Read more about the Navy's incredibly loud, destructive, and evil sonar system in Blinded by the Sound.

Nevada Blazes Trail for Legal Marijuana (August 10, 2002)
"'What this does is allow respectable people to use marijuana in their homes and bans it everyplace else,' said Billy Rogers, spokesman for Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, the measure's sponsor. Echoing the sentiment of the police and sheriffs group, Rogers said: 'This will allow law enforcement to concentrate on more serious criminals: terrorists, rapists, murderers,'" writes V. Dion Haynes of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Asset Foreiture and Governor Janklow's Barn (August 10, 2002)
If you have lost property in South Dakota because of anti-drug asset forfeiture proceedings, or if you know someone who has, or you just want to read about yet more hypocrisy of the elite who sign the draconian anti-drugs laws, be sure to read this notice from Bob Newland of South Dakota NORML.

Relatives Conclude CIA Had a Hand in '53 Fatal Fall (August 10, 2002)
Not only did the CIA surreptitiously dose scientist Frank Olson with LSD in the 50s, his family is convinced that the CIA also murdered Olson by throwing him out the window of his hotel in NYC.

Millipedes move in, and the monkeys go wild (August 10, 2002)
Shameless moneys living in this zoo who care not one whit what prohibitionists think about them getting high are using this breed of millipede to relieve the boredom of captivity and protect themselves from mosquitos. It's Natural to Get High folks. As a matter of fact, William Burroughs was writing about shooting up bug juice almost 50 years ago. Did he know about these millipedes?

Pot fans sniff out way to save their sea weed (August 10, 2002)
"B.C. activists have begun spraying commuter ferries with the watered-down essence of marijuana in a plan to stymie police dogs sniffing for the illicit drug," reports Vernon Clement Jones for The Globe and Mail.

Colombia uses 'citizen police' against rebels (August 10, 2002)
"One Colombian analyst noted that similar problems arose with private armed groups in the 1940s and 1950s, contributing to a period called La Violencia, a bloody civil uprising in which about 200,000 people were killed," writes T. Christian Miller for the Los Angeles Times.

Portugal assesses its softer approach to drug users (August 9, 2002)
"A year ago Lisbon decriminalized drug use. Views differ on whether the policy is effective."

Experimenting With Marijuana (August 9, 2002)
"In a recent ABC News special, John Stossel interviews New York City police officers who are watching a protest by opponents of the war on drugs, waiting to catch anyone who dares to light up a joint. When he asks if there might be a better use of their time, they admit that pot smokers are hardly a public menace. Stossel presses the issue: Then why is marijuana illegal? One cop shrugs, saying he just enforces the law; he doesn't write it," reports Jacob Sullum for Reason online.

The Week Online With DRCNet #249 (August 9, 2002)
Bronze age drug cartels, a million American citizens in drug treatment, Penn State may insititute tough anti-ecstacy laws, and one heck of a lot more stories to be read in this week's long newsletter, accompanied of course by the always handy Reformers' Calendar.

Akha Weekly Journal- Do the Akha Have a Reason to Dance? (Agust 9, 2002)
More Akha disappearances at the hands of the military, and Matthew McDaniel is informed by a general that he is not exactly liked by the authorities in his area of Thailand. Also, readers can order fresh coffee grown by the hilltribe people, who are trying to

Police group backs Nevada proposal to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana (August 9, 2002)
"Nevada's largest police organization has endorsed a state ballot initiative that would let adults legally possess small amounts of marijuana. The board of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, a 3,000-member group that represents about 65 percent of the state's street patrol officers, voted 9-0 on Tuesday to support a change in the state constitution that would decriminalize possession of up to three ounces of marijuana," reports the Associated Press.

Copter crash probe under way (August 9, 2002)
Out looking for marijuana fields, this police chopper crashed.

Marijuana Measures (August 8, 2002)
A great cartoon, but a little depressing.

Bush tars drug takers with aiding terrorists Mandatory jail makes a drugs Gulag (August 8, 2002)
The US government is at it again, attempting to link drug use with terrorism. Read this one with a vomit bucket handy.

Drugs found on Janklow's rental property after fire (August 8, 2002)
"Police detectives found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in a house owned by Gov. Bill Janklow after a fire destroyed other buildings on the Sioux Falls farmstead last week. Tenants rent the property from the governor," reports Lee Williams for Sioux Falls, South Dakota's Argus Leader.

Fight Against the Drug War- Action of the Week (August 8, 2002)
"So, for this week's action, let's continue to spread the "prohibition doesn't work" meme and do our part in fighting against the War on Drugs!" Check out this week's action suggestion by Mary Lou for Free-Market.net.

Airport Screeners Order Mom to Drink Breast Milk (August 8, 2002)
"In the latest in a series of airport security nightmares, a woman flying from New York to Florida was forced to drink three bottles of her own breast milk before being allowed to board a flight at JFK International Airport - in an incident that has one prominent New York civil rights attorney ready to sue," report Carl Limbacher for Newsmax.com.

U.S. Investigators Missed Russian Mob in N.Y. Bank Scandal (August 7, 2002)
The Bank of New York "moved Russian crime profits from trafficking in drugs, arms and people, and from extortion, murder-for-hire and fraud. Beginning in 1996, Russian crime groups used BoNY to launder $3 billion a year. Funds were channeled to Europe and invested in legitimate business, or returned to mafia-controlled enterprises in Russia" report Lucy Komisar and Ivan Feranec for Pacific News Service.

Peru to Slow Anti-Cocaine Operations (August 7, 2002)
"Peru has agreed to ease up on anti-drug operations in response to protests by coca farmers, the second move in just over a month that jeopardizes U.S.-backed efforts to fight the cocaine trade," reports Drew Benson of the Associated Press.

Pakistan prez says 9/11 not Osama plan (August 7, 2002)
While Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf doesn't speculate on who he thinks did plan the attacks, he isn't convinced of bin Laden being the mastermind.

Manderson area family harvests hemp crop (August 7, 2002)
"The third time was a charm for Alex White Plume and his family as they quietly harvested their first crop of industrial hemp this week," writes Rapid City Journal staff writer Heidi Bell Gease. After having their crops yanked from the Easrth twice by federal agents, Alex White Plume is a happy man this week, already having sold his crop to the Madison Hemp & Flax Co. of Lexington, Kentucy.

Justice Dept. missing 775 weapons (August 7, 2002)
"Five agencies under Justice Department jurisdiction, including the FBI and DEA, have reported 775 missing or stolen weapons and 400 missing laptop computers, says a report released Monday," reports the Associated Press. Some of the missing weapons were used in crimes, and some of the missing computers may contain classified information.

Judge: Stoudamire search was illegal (August 7, 2002)
"A judge rejected two arguments by prosecutors trying to justify a search of the home of Portland Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire in which a large bag of marijuana was found," reports the Associated Press.

Italian police planted petrol bombs on G8 summit protesters (August 7, 2002)
COINTELPRO is alive and well, even in foreign countries.

Drop That Book and Back Away Slowly: Victories and Defeats for the Right to Read (August 6, 2002)
"Five law enforcement agents entered a building in Denver to execute a search warrant in the spring of 2000. They were members of Metro North's Drug Task Force looking to take down a methamphetamine manufacturer. They had already raided the suspect's house and found what they say is a meth lab. On this April morning they were in the Tattered Cover, one of the most admired independent bookstores in the country, showing their search warrant to the store's owner, Joyce Meskis. The narcocops wanted to grab the store's customer records to see what books their suspect had bought," reports Russ Kick for Loompanics.

Drug sting nets two (August 6, 2002)
One of the poor guys in this report from the staff of Reno Gazette-Journal "was arrested Friday on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia after he allegedly bought some marijuana and offered to share it with an undercover officer, according to a police report."

Too little access to information corrodes public trust (August 6, 2002)
"At a time when the public and elected officials alike are clamoring for more disclosure and accountability in the corporate world, a little-noted provision in legislation establishing a Department of Homeland Security could make corporate dealings even more obscure and less accountable," reports Paul McMasters for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Surviving Grateful Dead Members Reunite For First Time Since Garcia's Death (August 6, 2002)
"The concerts were nearly cancelled last month after local authorities predicted that over 100,000 ticketless fans would show up for the Dead's legendary party scene — but fears of unbridled mayhem were largely unfounded. According to local news outlets, the Walworth County Sheriff reported some 300 arrests over the weekend, mostly minor (though expensive) citations for marijuana possession," reports Richard B. Simon for VH1. Seems the only real "mayhem" at the show turned out to be police making arrests for marijuana possession, not out of control partiers and Deadheads.

Colombia- Pilot Worked for US Contractor (August 6, 2002)
"The pilot who died when his helicopter crashed last week was an El Salvadoran working on anti-drug missions for a U.S. State Department contractor, a U.S. Embassy official said Monday. Thursday's crash of the Huey helicopter killed six men, including pilot Eduardo Gil. Gil worked for DynCorp of Reston, Va., the embassy official said on condition of anonymity," reports the Associated Press.

Afghan Drug Lords Laugh at the Whole World (August 6, 2002)
"Kirghiz border services are concerned with the drug flow that increases monthley. The most curious thing is that the drug smuggling has increased to such an extent. Almost nobody crosses the border with a mere several grams of heroin. Now, the drug dealers carry kilograms," reports Pravda.

Navy Publication on Giving Speed to Military Pilots (August 5, 2002)
Note from Russ Kick's brilliant website, the Memory Hole: "Although this Naval publication repeatedly lists the side effects of amphetamine use, it never mentions tremor, nervousness, anxiety, and dizziness (listed at WebMD) or overstimulation, dysphoria, tics, diarrhea, and Tourette's syndrome (listed at RxList), not to mention the rare occurrences of psychosis and hallucinations. In fact, WebMD warns: 'Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Dextroamphetamine may cause dizziness, blurred vision, or restlessness, and it may hide the symptoms of extreme tiredness.'"

'This is war,' neighbors tell drug dealers, prostitutes (August 5, 2002)
"Tom Cook is plotting a war from his back yard. His soldiers are his neighbors. His weapons are police officers. His enemies are the drug dealers and prostitutes plaguing Rundberg Lane neighborhoods," writes Samira Jafari of the Austin American-Statesman.

Jamaca- Haulage contractor charged for $70 million drug find (August 5, 2002)
"He has been charged with possession of, dealing in, conspiracy to export and taking steps to export over 527 pounds of marijuana. The drug had an estimated street value of US$1.5 million." At least he wasn't trafficking in arms, like the US and other prohibitionist-minded governments are.

Bus driver admits to drug-test cheating (August 5, 2002)
"A police sergeant and school bus driver who admitted selling cocaine also admitted taking chemicals so his drug tests would appear clean," reports the Associated Press.

Canada- Marijuana Party to avenge ferry pot bust (August 5, 2002)
"Upset by police searching cars for marijuana on the Horseshoe Bay-Nanaimo run, [Marijuana Party head Mark Emery] says his supporters will spray ferry decks, doors and bulkheads with THC oil in a bid to confuse police tracker dogs," reports Canada.com.

Oregon marijuana going up in smoke (August 5, 2002)
A lot of illegal marijuana crops are burning in the Oregon wildfires.

The Party's over... (August 4, 2002)
"Us 'potheads' will still be getting harrassed and arrested and assaulted para-military-style in the night for some time to come. The Feds are working day and night to gain dictatorial powers and will try to do something sneaky and evil to snatch away our rights and take over the world. But the bubble's burst, the ballon has popped. The genie is out of the bottle and all the Kings TIPSters and Homeland Defense troops can't stuff it back in." There are a number of great links here in addition to this editorial.

Wait Until Bob Barr Sees This (August 4, 2002)
Libertarian Carol Ann Rand is running against Rep. Bob Barr, (R-GA), in the upcoming November elections. Watch her new commercial featuring Cheryl Miller, a Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, medical marijuana user and target of Rep. Barr, then read what else the Libertarian party is doing to end the War on Drugs' destructive policies.

Spotlight On Vancouver A Crash Course on Fighting the Narco-Warriors (August 4, 2002)
"For those in the U.S., who are accustomed to an insane anti-drug jihad, the upcoming Supreme Court of Canada case and anti-DEA work is pretty remarkable. If you travel north of the 49th parallel, however, you will quickly notice that there are many other initiatives being launched by Canadian activists to fight the war on drugs," reports Alejandro Bustos.

Biden backs letting soldiers arrest civilians (August 4, 2002)
Not content with turning cops into soldiers, Senater Joe Biden, (D-Delaware), wants the military directly involved in arrests, according to Joyce Howard Price of the Washington Times.

Battleground declared local disaster area (August 3, 2002)
"The massive Pines fire near Julian is now 25 percent contained today, with full containment estimated by Sunday, the California Department of Forestry said...CDF officials concluded yesterday the fire was started by a California National Guard helicopter on a reconnaissance flight for the county Narcotics Task Force. San Diego County leaders declared a state of emergency yesterday," reported Greg Gross and Irine Jackson for the San Diego Union Tribune on August 1, 2002.

Hemp Fight - Canadian Company Sues United States Over Hemp Imports (August 3, 2002)
"The drug war is boiling over into a trade dispute along America's northern border," reports Oliver Libaw for ABC News.

Pakistani link probed in arms case (August 3, 2002)
"Wired for sound by agents, Glass listened as Mohsen said he knew people eager to buy U.S. weapons, including officials of a government and 'terrorists' who would pay in heroin," reports John Mintz for the Washington Post. This took place in Florida, the same place where many of the terrorists received flight training for their September 11 date with infamy.

Preparing for Jihad … in Alabama (August 3, 2002)
"A training camp linked to Islamic militants has been operating in Alabama, and European law enforcement officials believe Muslim extremists were using it to prepare for a holy war," reports Brian Ross for ABC News, reminding the editor of drugwar.com of the spector of past CIA operations involving other transplanted foreign terrorists within the US itself, such as the anti-Castro Cubans.

9/11 widows win support for commission (August 3, 2002)
"The CIA strongly opposes an independent probe," reports Kathy Kiely for USA Today. Considering the CIA's troubling number of connections of terrorist groups around the world, even Islamic-based ones, it is not surprising to this editor that the CIA is opposed to the idea of an independent group of anybody, much less potentially powerful politicians, holding independent investigations into just what in the hell happened before, during and after September 11, 2001.

The Week Online with DRCNet issue #248 (August 3, 2002)
Needle Exchange 2002, school drug testing not foreseen despite Supreme Court ruling, killings in Baltimore, federal prison sentences leveling off, these topics and more are covered in this week's Week Online. And of course, there's the Reformers' Calander too.

Hemp NAFTA Suit Begins Arbitration Phase; Canadian Hemp Grower and U.S. to Select Arbitrators for Chapter 11 Claim (August 2, 2002)
"Kenex Ltd., a Canadian firm exporting industrial hemp products to the U.S. for the past five years, will file its NAFTA Notice of Arbitration with the U.S. State Department on Aug. 2. Kenex and the U.S. will select a three-member arbitration panel to determine if at least $20 million compensation is due to Kenex for losses stemming from the DEA's attempt to ban hemp seed foods," writes Adam Eidinger of Mintwood Media Collective.

Scotland- Call to expand drug testing (August 2, 2002)
"Police chiefs believe random drug-testing in the workplace should be more widely introduced to help combat increasing cocaine use north of the Border," writes crime correspondent Dan McDougall.

Proposed Law Could Subject You to 20 Years in Prison (August 2, 2002)
Bone up on the facts behind the US Senate's targeting of raves, rallies, and festivals in the proposed Reducing American's Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act (RAVE Act). Then contact your Congressperson and tell them what you think, and how you want them to vote on this, since they do work for you.

Nevadans Weigh Proposal to Make Marijuana Legal (August 2, 2002- free NYTimes registration required)
"After voting two years ago to ease state drug laws, Nevada voters could go even further this year, making their state the first to legalize marijuana and derive taxes from a regulated sales system," reports Michael Janofsky.

Study: Marijuana eases traumatic memories (August 1, 2002)
"'This paper is not saying you should go ahead and smoke marijuana,' said Pankaj Sah, a neuroscientist at the Australian National University in Canberra who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal. 'It's saying that it's worth thinking about these specific actions of these compounds.'" So notes Faye Flam of Knight-Ridder newspapers. No one wants to deny the governmental and medical monopolies the tidy profits to be made from synthesizing some of the chemicals included in the natural whole herb while waging expensive War on that very same herb.

Innate cannabis chemical erases fears (August 1, 2002)
"Brain chemicals similar to those in cannabis wipe out bad memories - and could point to new drugs for severe anxiety," reports Helen Pearson for Nature magazine. These lunatics brutally shocked mice to instill fear, than blocked certain cannabinoid receptors within the brains of the mice to see how long they can make mice have to suffer through that fear unable to forget it. It's no wonder some people profess that evil alien lizards in people suits have taken over the Earth. Who wants to admit they belong to the same family (i.e. species) as these mad scientist torturers? It's actually asserted that smoking joints isn't good because "A joint is unlikely to do the trick: smoking floods the brain with cannabis's [sic] active ingredient and produces other effects such as memory changes and pain relief." Oh no, heaven forbid!

'Lawman of the Year' (August 1, 2002)
"The state agency that monitors standards for law enforcement officers in Texas had already been warned about Tom Coleman when he was hired to conduct a bizarre one-man undercover drug operation that targeted the black population in Tulia, a small town on the Texas panhandle. Dozens of black people, and a handful of whites who had relationships with blacks, were arrested on July 23, 1999, after an 18-month 'investigation' by Mr. Coleman that at times was as farcical as a Jim Carrey movie," writes Bob Herbert of the New York Times.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Sticks its Feet in its Mouth (August 1, 2002)
Read what General Auther T. Dean, head of the CADCA, an organization that depends upon a War on Drugs and Users for its very survival, had to say about the ABC News/John Stossel special, War on Drugs, War on Ourselves. Then check out Doug McVay, or Common Sense for Drug Policy, and Kay Lee, of Making the Walls Transparent, had to say about the CADCA commentary. Also listen to the Stossel show's audio files, and now watch the entire show in Real Player as well.

CriminalDefenseWeekly- The War on Drugs Online Magazine Vol. 1 Issue 18 July 29-Aug.14 (August 1, 2002)
Top link at page. There are a lot of fresh articles here.

Blast from the Past- "Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign Policy" aka The Kerry Report (August 1, 2002)
Check out this classic official US government report, now going up online, detailing all sorts of criminality within the US intelligence agencies.

UK- Special Report: Brits And Drugs (August 1, 2002)
"While marijuana is not '100 percent legal' anywhere, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Luxembourg have all effectively decriminalized possession in recent years. And on July 10, Great Britain became the newest member of the club, downgrading marijuana possession to essentially a nonarrestable offense," writes Stacey Butterfield for The Nation.