March 2002

Peru Clears Aero Continente Founder of Drug Links (March 31, 2002)
'''The court concluded there was insufficient proof on the charges that (Aero Continente founder Fernando Zevallos) laundered drug money,' a court official, who requested anonymity, told Reuters," for this report, but the prosecutor is going to appeal. Prohibition of drugs leads to exactly the problems of creating criminal cartels as did alcohol prohibition but drugs are so astronomically greater in profit potential that drug cartels are not only buying up politicians at local levels, they are buying corporations and entire national governments. It is not mystery why prohibition continues, and why the War on Drugs is a "failure," because it is an extremely lucrative policy for Drug Warriors and their criminal drug trafficking compatriots,

Probe Into Cuba's Possible "Sunken city" Advances (March 31, 2002)
Most mainstream researchers and scientists scoff at any suggestion that there could be a basis in reality for the Atlantis myth, but strange underwater formations resembling pyramids, roads, and buildings off the coast of Cuba are leading many serious researchers to at least entertain the idea that there lies a previously unknown civilization of undetermined age lying in the shallow waters of the Caribbean. History is full of romantic unsolved mysteries that await only the intrepid explorers and dreamers to bring them to light.

Colombia- The Paramilitary Effect (March 31, 2002)
Despite being a wanted man and recently convicted in absentia for organizing illegal vigilante groups, and sentenced to 11 years in prison, Salvatore Mancusio continues to operate with impunity, as an untouchable warlord no one dare cross. Read more about how these right-wing murderous paramilitary groups rampage through the Colombian countryside, adding yet more terror to an already terrorized civilian population.

US Drugged Policy (March 31, 2002)
It is the precursor chemicals that enable the cocaine trade to flourish, and it is a powerful, rich, American-beloved Colombian candidate that controls that trade.

Meeting with Akha, Heroin Production (March 31, 2002)
Although Meth production is and will remain a factor in the region, it appears to Matt McDaniel that heroin production is taking the front seat, and that the Americans have no interest in trying to help curb this Akha culture killing trade.

Enron and Bush- The Mystery Deepens (March 31, 2002)
"While 11,000 pages of documents were released on court orders this week, most were heavily edited to blank out any useful information, particularly e-mails. The government continues to hold back an additional 15,000 documents, citing privacy and security concerns, as well as the mysterious Cheney logs," notes this CBSMarket Watch article. Government by the people seems a foreign idea to the Bush crew.

Texas- Snow Job (March 30, 2002)
The outstanding arrest records of these cops seemed too good to be true, and sure enough, they were. Prohibition engenders corruption and flat out evil, even on the part of the so-called Drug Warriors, hell, for that matter, especially amongst the Drug Warriors

Forced Drugging OK'd By Federal Court (March 30, 2002)
The Federal Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in the case of United States vs. Charles Thomas Sell ruled March 27, 2002, that "defendants can be forcibly drugged even though they haven’t been convicted of any charges and pose no danger to themselves or others." Somehow this just seems sort of un-American. Isn't this what the US accused the Soviets and Chinese 'commies' of doing to dissidents, whether they actually were or not? How can we Americans really stand for this, and judges honestly justify this kind of behavior?

Germany Begins Heroin Research Maintenance Research (March 30, 2002)
With an estimated 120,000 heroin addicts, German is ready to try what to US prohibitionists is a radical approach- supply the addict with their drugs, thereby removing all incentives to commit crimes to supply their habits. Gee, such common sense. When will the US populace begin to force their prohibitionist politicians to come to their senses in similar manner?

Mexico Nabs Suspected Drug Kingpin (March 30, 2002)
Mexico gets ahold of yet another suspected drug kingpin, opening up yet another slot for ambitious up-and-coming cutthroat entrepreneurs to move in and take over the arrested boss's little bit of the trade. Pick 'em off one by one, and one by one, more step into to fill their shoes. Each arrest of these kingpins usually leads to a spate of more extreme violence as differing factions vie for control of the now headless cartel, knocking off their competitors in flashy and bloody assassinations. Meanwhile there's never a diminishment in the flow of drugs into the US, ever.

FDA Urged To Ban Arthritis Drug (March 30, 2002)
Ah, here's yet another legally produced, advertised, and mass marketed killer pharmaceutical drug, this one billed as a cure for arthritis. Again, the editor of drugwar.com feels it imperative to note the pot, which can land a person in jail merely for possessing, much less producing, has never killed even one person ever in thousands of years of human use both medicinally and recreationally, but this company will get away with marketing their killer drug, most probably suffering no more sanctions than possibly a fine that would be hefty were it not for the astronomical prices these companies charge US citizens and others around the world for their drugs, ensuring mass profits a fine won't even dent.

CIA's Death Squad Body Count Continues to Pile Up (March 30, 2002)
Here's more on those defenders of the American way, CIA death squads and cold blooded killers.

J'Accuse- Bush's Death Squads (March 30, 2002)
Remember, US death squads, these officially sanctioned assassins and murders, these are not terrorists, they are defenders of freedom, liberty, and the American way.

UK- Drug Policies a Resounding Failure (March 29, 2002)
Here is a graphic article from the BBC illustrating quite clearly just how complete failed current anti-drug policies are at stopping drug use.

DRCNet File FOIA Request for Justice Department List of 52 Internet Menace Web Sites (March 29, 2002)
Exactly which 52 internet sites that the Justice Department feels to be drugs menaces, and what they plan to do about them is still a mystery, although there are groups, such as DRCNet, trying to pry this information out of the feds, so far to no avail

Justice Department Fights to Maintain Crack/Powder Disparities (March 29, 2002)
The Justice department seems to think that the outrageous and downright insane disparities in sentencing guidelines between crack, and powder cocaine as just fine, and may even want to increase the penalties of powder possession rather than decrease the penalties for crack possession. AS more US citizens come to the realization that the War on Drugs is an utter waste for everyone but those insisting on waging and profiting off the War, the rabid prohibitionist drug warriors in Congress and the Administration continue to blindly promote ever more destructive drugwar dogma driven policies.

Peron Works Toward Marijuana Legalization (March 29, 2002)
Dennis Peron, the "father of medicinal marijuana" is waging his own war on the War on Drugs.

Law Overturned Barring Medical Marijuana Vote in D.C. (March 29, 2002)
Here's the Washington Post version of the court's overturning Bob Barr's unconstitutional barring of medical marijuana voting in Washington DC, thanks in large part of the efforts of MPP.

Marijuana Policy Project Wins Lawsuit (March 29, 2002)
US Rep. Bob Barr has come under fire for his anti-democratic actions killing a vote by DC resident passing a medical marijuana law. MPP has sued and won the right to actively promote a new medical marijuana bill for the upcoming November ballot. Read more to find out how you can help their efforts.

The Limits of Lying (March 29, 2002)
So just how much lying to the American public by the government is ok? A lot? A Little? And if any lying is ok, what are they lying to us about?

Students for Sensible Drug Policy- North East Conference on New Drug Policies (March 28, 2002)
Get the info you need if you'd like to attend the National Conference held by the Students for Sensible Drug Policies, to be held at the end of April, 2002.

Drug Sniffing Dogs on Campus (March 28, 2002)
Kay Lee of Making the Walls Transparent has some harsh words for this policy of allowing drug dogs to arbitrarily search students on campus.

If G.W. Bush Were a Girl (March 28, 2002)
This is strictly a spoof site, but one well worth visiting. A big fatty will increase the hilarity, but of course, we at drugwar.com would never recommend breaking any unjust, stupid, unconstitutional laws, like promoting the use of marijuana. (wink, wink, nudge nudge)

Maryland House Passes MPP Medical Marijuana Bill (March 27, 2002)
The House passed this bill by a vote of 80 to 56, which will now head to the Senate. If you live in Maryland, write your Senators and let them know your thoughts on this issue.

NYC- First Annual Alternative Craft Fair and Trade Show at MMM 2002 (March 27, 2002)
Reserve your table at Battery Park for the May 4, 2002, Cannabis Liberation march and rally. This year the rally will not only have speakers and bands, but will also feature for the first time this alternative trades and crafts fair. Nearly 200 cities worldwide are reporting plans for events that day, so join in and show how you feel about the War on Drugs and pot in particular.

Alvaro Uribe vs. the Press (March 27, 2002)
This is the second installment of a series on the travils of a courageous Colombian journalist. After recently reporting some harsh allegations of ties between powerful political figures, drug cartels, and drug production, he has had to flee due to assassination threats, and is now reporting from the US.

Supreme Court Rules Drug Use Grounds for Federal Eviction (March 27, 2002)
"'It is not absurd that a local housing authority may sometimes evict a tenant who had no knowledge of drug-related activity,' Rehnquist wrote. He said that even if tenants were unaware of the drug use, they could still be held responsible for not controlling narcotics crime of family members," reports this CBSNews article. Seems the Blue Meanies have not only taken over the Supreme Court, they're going out of their way to illustrate the utter hypocrisy, bias, and racism of the War on Drugs, by singling out poor, usually black or Latino Americans for punitive measures resulting from drug use of anyone in their families, even if there are absolutely no drugs or use thereof on public housing property, or even any knowledge of a family member using drugs. (Also see One Strike for the Poor...)

The Seventh Annual Dordtse Weedcup (March 27, 2002)
Get your tickets now to this world famous annual sailing event in Holland, where you can get high and float around in more ways than one.

One Strike for the Poor, How Many for the Rest of US? (March 26, 2002)
If you are a rich, well connected American, or better yet a politician, drug arrests of yourself or family members are to be treated with privacy and delicacy, (other than for some public newsprint in which the rich, well connected perp can express remorse for their "crime") as they are a family matter. But if you are poor and live in public housing, watch out! Your grandkid getting arrested for drugs once can get you kicked out onto the street with no hope for redress. Shouldn't a law be passed that politicians have to hold themselves to the same the same nasty laws they pass, that they should have to pay the same consequences as everyone else? There would be quick drug law reforms passed without debate. End the War already!

Scholarships Aim to Counter Drug Restrictions to Federal Aid (March 26, 2002)
"A coalition of drug-law reform groups plans Tuesday to inaugurate a scholarship for those denied aid because of drug records. The John W. Perry Fund scholarships honor a New York police officer who decried the war on drugs and died saving people in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11," reports this article.

Million Marijuana March 2002 (March 26, 2002)
This link will take you to a webpage with contact information for nearly 200 cities world-wide where folks are planning on participating in the Cannabis Liberation marches and demonstrations this year. Find out if your city has an event in the works, and if not, sign up to represent yourselves.

Afghanistan- Military Opposes Spraying Poppies (March 26, 2002)
The Bush Administration has asked Congress to ok plans for the US military to get directly involved in the civil war in Colombia because training the Colombians for "anti-narcotics" efforts, and spraying their food crops...I mean, coca and poppy crops just wasn't/isn't enough, but in Afghanistan, well, "attacking Afghanistan's poppy fields is a nonmilitary function that should be left to others." Does this mean the private mercenary outfit Dyncorp, currently spraying crops and peasants in Colombia, is about to get itself another scrumptious contract?

Feds Scrutinize Oregon's Marijuana Law (March 26, 2002)
Why is the US Government Accounting Office looking into medical marijuana laws passed by the citizens in Oregon and at least 3 other states?

Urine or You're Out (March 25, 2002)
Since there's a problem with drugs in US schools nation-wide, even after 30 years of all out War on Drugs, US Supreme Court Justice Scalia thinks the policy of this school district to require any student who wants to participate in extracurricular activities, such as band and choir, to submit to urine testing to make sure they aren't druggies is not only a great idea, but also constitutionally a-ok.

Sentence for Four OxyContin Deaths (March 25, 2002)
A jury has found this doctor at fault for the deaths of 4 of his patients for their abuse of OxyContin, which he'd prescribed for their pain. He has been sentenced to 63 years in prison, for treating pain, but will appeal.

Philip Morris Ordered to Pay Millions (March 25, 2002)
The tobacco giant has been ordered to pay millions for their culpability in the death of a consumer of their highly addictive and deadly product. Philip Morris says it will appeal.

Coalition Fights Drug Patent Extension (March 25, 2002)
Pharmaceutical companies fight to maintain their monopolies on certain prescription drugs, making sure their exorbitant profits are not threatened by annoying generic versions of their lucrative drugs becoming available to the consuming public. This coalition is tired of the industry's greed, and are fighting back.

Britain Continues Brisk March to Drug Reform (March 25, 2002)
The moves towards serious drug laws reform continue to gain momentum in the land of Magna Carta.

DrugSense and the Media Awareness Project (March 24, 2002)
Read the history of this outstanding online media source for all things War on Drugs related.

Arctic Tree Fossils Show Different World (March 24, 2002)
These 45 million year old fossils seem to show that there were vastly different weather patterns at that time, offering a view that the Earth drastically changes in ways humans have yet to understand.

Thai Troops Ambush Myanmar Drug Caravan (March 24, 2002)
Thailand reports its troops killed a number of smugglers trying to sneak up to 2 million methamphetamine pills across the border.

Tightening Loopholes Allowing Magic Mushrooms (March 24, 2002)
Japan currently outlaws psilocybin but not the mushrooms that contain it, thereby allowing the advertisement and sales of magic mushrooms. That is about to change, thanks to outrageous and dogmatic anti-drugs hysteria.

Peru- Bush, Toledo Joke About Age (March 24, 2002)
Talking tough on terror and drugs, the two Presidents met Saturday while outside a clampdown on Free Speech and Assembly was being strictly enforced for the duration of Bush's visit.

Direct US Aid to Colombia Likely (March 24, 2002)
Bush has asked Congress to lift restrictions on how US military aid to Colombia can be used, urging that US lawmakers allow the aid to directly go to combating guerillas and rebels rather than only for counter-narcotics efforts.

California- Who Bears the Brunt of California's Drug Law (March 24, 2002)
Although people in California voted in the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, they still discriminate against those convicted on felony drug charges by denying them food stamps and financial assistance.

Explorers Unearth Lost Inca Stronghold In Peru (March 23, 2002)
Check out what Peter Frost found 22 miles southwest the famous Machu Picchu on a windswept mountain ridge.

Colombia Worried FARC Crossing Into Venezuela (March 23, 2002)
The Colombian government is claiming that FARC guerillas are using Venezuela as a base from which to launch military strikes back into Colombia.

Stunning Depths of Government Collaboration With Enron Revealed (March 23, 2002)
Up to 21 separate agencies of the US government apparently gave Enron at least $7.2 Billion in US taxpayers' money to help them develop 38 of their energy projects in 29 different countries, many projects which resulted in massive blackouts, charges of corruption, riots and even death.

Sensuality vs. Puritanism- What Can A Woman Do To Delete The Shadow Government (March 23, 2002)
Catherine Austin Fitts ruminates in this 1999 essay on some ways that certain incentives can lead to positivity, rather than favoring those who impose danger, stress, prohibition, and all around negativity on the world.

Is Marijuana Really as Addictive as Heroin- A Challenge to Federal Marijuana Scheduling (March 22, 2002)
Jon Gettman and High Times magazine are taking to the courts once again to try and interject some sanity into current US policies on marijuana and the users thereof.

Canadian Firm That Sued Feds Over Hemp Foods Ban Set to Meet Array of Feds (March 22, 2002)
The DEA stepped in a major pile of mess when they declared hemp foods containing any trace amounts of THC to be a controlled substance and therefore illegal in the US. Kennex has filed a NAFTA suit alleging grave harms done by the DEA's actions which violate the trade agreement. They are meeting Monday with a bevy of US federal representatives and other hemp industry reps to try and work out a way to avoid going all the way to court.

Narco Candidate in Colombia (March 22, 2002)
It's not who controls the coca plants, but rather who controls the precursor chemicals needed to convert the coca into cocaine that have to be imported from far away lands that controls the cocaine trade. Guess which dear Colombian politico/friend of the US imports tons of stuff? Read here to find out.

Alcohol Impairs Driving More Than Marijuana (March 22, 2002)
A glass of wine makes one a worse driver than does smoking one joint, according to this report from the New Scientist magazine.

Pamela Anderson Says She Has Hepatitis C (March 22, 2002)
More and more of us Americans are being infected with this serious, often lethal, liver disease.

US to Settle Suit Over Plane's Downing in Peru (March 22, 2002)
The US survivors and family of the US-Peruvian shootdown of a missionary plane mistaken for drug traffickers last year have settled for an undisclosed sum of money with the US government.

Nixon- Just What Was He Smoking? (March 22, 2002)
Here's another look at the ravings of the once dangerous, now dead, lunatic ex-US President Richard Nixon as he rambles on about how the Jews are behind pot legalization, because most of them are psychiatrists, when taking time off from running the media.

Army Reviews Deployment After Hilltribe Deaths (March 22, 2002)
Matt McDaniel gives us a report on how the Thai military is reacting to murders of hilltribe people by its forces stationed in the Mae Sot district of Tak, Thailand, admitting there is a 'problem' and pursuing criminal charges against some soldiers.

Nixon Oval Office Tapes- Marijuana, Alcohol, Prejudice, and Culture War (March 21, 2002)
It's no secret that ex-President Nixon was a crook, a liar and an all around shady character, but the tapes he made keep spewing forth these disturbing insights into the private conversations of this bigoted crackpot who controlled the Vietnam War and the nuclear capacity of the US.

Colombia- US Pilot Dies as US Spray Plane Explodes Over Coca (March 21, 2002)
A non-US citizen flying spray mission in a US State Department plane crashed and exploded. For more information on what is happening during these spray missions to the people underneath the spray, see When Did Poisoning Foreign Farmers Become US National Security.

Under Fire, NBC Says to Halt Liquor Ads (March 21, 2002)
NBC has decided that it will not run hard liquor ads on television after all, but not all the networks or cable channels are following suit.

Some Democrats Wary of Bush's Colombian Aid Plan (March 21, 2002)
Bush's proposed massive increases in both the amount of aid to Colombia's National Police and military, and broadening the uses said aid can be utilized for are facing some glimmerings of doubt from Democrats wary of boosting what appears to so far be a failed policy.

US Military Recon Photo of Ground Zero WTC (March 21, 2002) Editor's note: Drugwar.com has received two letters in the last two days alerting us to the fact this photo is not a military photo at all.
"Please make sure you give proper credit to 'NOAA,' in the story that you have listed in your archive section. It's not a military photo. The photograph was taken Sept. 23, 2001, by NOAA's Citation aircraft from 3,300 feet. You can see the story at the following Web site. Thanks. http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s798b.htm"
Original drugwar.com caption-
This is a photo posted here simply to bring home the length some will go to disavow their humanity. This truly was an act of the sheerest brutality, no ifs, and or buts about it. (Large photo, may take a moment to load for slower computers and connections.) For those interested, also see these photos taken by the editor of drugwar.com from his rooftop the morning of September 11, 2001, and a few shots of how the World Trade Center towers used to look.

Sister Somayah Kambui Wins Medical Pot Case (March 20, 2002)
This couragous and outspoken long term proponent of medical marijuana use founding the Crescent Alliance Self Help for Sickle Cell medical marijuana club 20 years ago, has been acquitted on 5 charges relating to the admittedly large amounts of marijuana and hash oil found by police during a raid on her Los Angeles home last year.

Annual Determination of Average Cost of Incarceration (March 20, 2002)
Want to know about how much it costs taxpayers to keep and care for each federal prisoner these days? Read here to find out.

Web Exposes Data on CIA Networks (March 20, 2002)
The main gist of this articles seems to be "there's just too much public information available to the public through the internet" which raises speculation in the drugwar.com editor's mind that this could be but a scare tactic to justify the US government further clamping down on the public's access to information. The article also points out in the wide ranging presense of the CIA on the internet in one capacity or another, information the CIA might prefer not be public knowledge. See also this report on how the CIA's online Reading Room had been placing cookies on unsuspecting visitors' computers, at least until March 18, 2002.

Thai Army Thugs and Forced Relocations (March 20, 2002)
Matt McDaniel paints a picture of the Akha people's plight in Thailand along the Thai-Burmese border that gets darker by the day. These villagers are caught in a vicious cross fire between troops and traffickers, as well as having their very culture itself under seige by unscrupulous missionaries and greedy land-grabbers.

Uncle Sam's Lucky Finds (March 20, 2002)
The writer of this editorial for the Guardian UK raises some very interesting questions pertaining to the amazing series of coincidences post-September 11, concerning all the evidence as-yet-uncaught terrorists keep leaving lying about for US intelligence to come across. Before you dismiss this as the ravings of a conspiratorialist, as the writer of this piece expects, it would behove you dear reader to ponder these valid points before making up your mind.

Cuba Proposes Joint US Drug Fight (March 19, 2002)
Calling for more cooperation between US and Cuban anti-drug warriors, the Cuban government says it is holding a wanted Colombian cartel leader and wants to US government to sign an agreement promising that cooperation.

New Talks on Tobacco Treaty Begin (March 19, 2002)
“It is these lives and lost years which provide us the answers to those who will speak to you of profits and marketing gains, of special concessions and 'reasonable' campaigns,” said Gro Harlem Brundtland, the UN's World Health Organization Director-General, to delegates from 190 countries taking part in treaty negotiations, as quoted in this Associated Press report. She was refering to the approximately 4 million tobacco-related deaths each year world-wide.

FDA Suspends Child-Drug Testing Rule (March 19, 2002)
Due to a lawsuit challenging a new law, first put in place in 1998, then reauthorized and expanded in January 2002's Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, requiring specific testing of medicines by pharmaceutical companies to gauge their effects on children, the FDA has suspended the rule for 2 years. The most often heard reason stated by rabid Congressional and other drug warriors for continuing the War on Drugs is that it's for the sake of children, to protect and save kids. Unless of course it is from the pharmaceutical industry that contributes so expansively to both government and private anti-illicit-drug efforts that kids need saving.

US Justice Department Rips FBI on McVeigh Records (March 19, 2002)
Despite finding that agents from up to three quarters of the 56 FBI's US field offices "disregarded their superiors," and neglected to hand over documents to McVeigh's defense attorneys, a report from the Inspector General of the US Justice Department finds there was no criminal wrongdoing, just simple human error, helped along by the FBI's so-called "antiquated" computer system. It is recommending "disciplinary action" against two agents for their handling of investigation reports, but they're the only ones who receive this specuil attention from the Justice Department.

Burma- Wa Drug Cartel in US Sights (March 19, 2002)
If the Burmese government does not take action against a major drug cartel operating within their country, US government officials are threatening to intervene with force.

ONDCP's Anti-Drug Website Wins Award (March 19, 2002)
TheAntiDrug.com has won PR Week's Best New Media Website of the Year award. Never mind that its website is not exactly "new", the ONDCP Media Campaign has been rocked, but not sunk, by repeated disclosures that they and their contractors fudge their books, give misleading and false information about drugs, and may even be leading more American youth to experiment with drug use by inundating the airwaves and every other place kids might be or have access to with a constant barrage of "Drugs Are Everywhere" messages. But it sure is a snazzy website.

Guatemala- Slain Rebel's Wife to Plea Case Before US Supreme Court (March 19, 2002)
Here's one for the " we want to pay them, not try them" file on US foreign policies. Jennifer K. Harbury appeared before the US Supreme Court on Monday, March 18, seeking justice for the death of her husband, who was tortured to death after being captured by Guatemalan military forces in 1991. One of those "involved" in the torture, a Guatemalan Colonel, was a paid CIA-informant. Harbury charges that US officials mislead her to their knowledge of her husband's fate.

Colombian Town Caught in the Cross Fire (March 19, 2002)
According to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times, employees of two US companies, Air Scan and Occidental Petroleum were conducting training and support of Colombian military forces in actions against FARC rebels as far back as December 1998. This article details specifically an operation that resulted in 18 Colombian civilian deaths, violations of US law governing how US aid to Colombia is utilized, and cover-up by Colombian and US officials of the circumstances surrounding the massacre in little Santo Domingo.

Those Secret Snatches- Render Unto Caesar (March 18, 2002)
The rule of law is dead, writes Chris Floyd in this piece for Counter Punch. Detailing some recent moves and actions by US Attorney General John Ashcroft and his Department of Justice, Floyd is not optimistic about the high ideals that make the US what it is, or at least the ideals that some would have the public believe the US stands for.

Real Deal News vs. Fake News (March 18, 2002)
Want to stop those who keep feeding the populace fake and distorted news? There's no need for violence, just stop giving them your time and money. This and many other points are made by Catherine Austin Fitts here, points that after reading leave one feeling perhaps that this is only common sense. So why is it so uncommon? Because the populace allows themselves to be fed programming and imprinting by the mainstream Fake News folk, the same folk who own the war machines, the political machines, the corporate machines, by voluntarily giving them our time and money. It's a vicious cycle that goes round and round, and will continue to do so until each individual makes the choice to change cycles.

Opportunities to Support Members of the Solari Action Network (March 18, 2002)
Catherine Austin Fitts offers suggestions on various ways to help those she feels are doing their all to bring to the public uncensored, unauthorized, non-officially sanctioned views on the current financial, political, criminal, and corporate systems, and methods to affect change in those systems. Also find links, contacts, and an appendix outlining state by state (15 states so far listed) how much US citizens are loosing to government contractors who cook their books.

UK- Face it, the Drugs War is Lost (March 17, 2002)
This editorial bluntly addresses the need for a dramatic shift in the way governments deal with drug use and abuse, sales, production, well, the whole kit and kaboodle.

Zero Tolerance in Time of War (March 17, 2002)
Labeling a cartoonist's apparent bad taste as "pornography", and an "unpatriotic" undermining of the national will to wage war, Alan Keyes goes on to praise the "precision of the theologian's doctrine," and the "sophistication of the statesman's subtle reasoning", over most of the bumbling, unsophisticated peasants. Keyes supports freedom and the American way, saying that to engage in "Serious debate about the war and its purpose is crucial," except in those cases where he deems an action "was an assault on the decent national sensibilities crucial to the war effort." To think this guy was treated as a serious candidate for the Presidency of the United States and now has a job with MSNBC spewing moralistic platitudes should alert the more perceptive as to the state of US national politics and the mainstream media.

Anti-Obesity Drug Dangers Probed (March 17, 2002)
This chemical drug designed to combat obesity causes at least 2 deaths per one hundred thousand users each year, if not more, since 1997. Marijuana on the other hand has never ever been known to directly cause a death in all its thousands of years of human use. The one is legal to manufacture and sell to unsuspecting people with weight problems, yet if you would like to produce and sell pot in most, (but not all), countries around the world, you risk prison time or worse. Go figure. (See also Merck pulls application for new drug for another drug maker's surprising problem trying to foist a dangerous concoction upon the public.)

Running Battles Conclude EU Summit (March 17, 2002)
This is how the BBC ran their coverage of the protests in Barcelona. It is encouraging to note that this report does specifically note that most protesters were not involved in the violence, though this headline might give a different impression.

EU- Manifesto Read at Summit Protest (March 17, 2002)
Another articulate statement from the view of the protesters which was read to the massed crowds, who despite having numbered in the hundreds of thousands are being pretty much ignored by the mainstream press today, or at least given very short shrift.

Barcelona- EU Protester Estimates Put Protesters Numbers at 500-600,000 (March 17, 2002)
A look at the protests in Barcelona from the exact opposite view of the prior CNN mainstream piece. Wraps up the issues concerning many protesters quite succinctly.

Protesters, Police Clash After EU Summit (March 17, 2002)
This CNN piece starts right off with a blurb on the limited but colorful violence at the very end of the protests, then moves on to inform the readers that 250,000 people mainly peaceful protesters marched in Barcelona during the European Union Summit held March 15-16, 2002, then reports what the summit was about.

Mexican Authorities Turn Focus to Traffickers (March 17, 2002)
Fearing that cutthroat traffickers of the slightly lower tiers might take advantage of new openings in the top tiers of the Mexican trade in illicit drugs, openings resulting from arrests and murders, the authorities in Mexico are on a high state of alert.

The Dark Side of China (March 16, 2002)
Reading this report brings to mind certain moves on the part of US government and law enforcement types to centralize information databases containing information on US citizens. Isn't this anathema to US sensibilities, to emulate the Communist Chinese system?

Killing Pablo (March 16, 2002)
Here's a blast from the recent past- author Mark Bowden, (Black Hawk Down), has chapters 1 through 37 of his book "Killing Pablo" now online at Philly.com. His book details how Pablo Escobar, the Colombian cocaine kingpin, was tracked down and assassinated with covert US military help.

Help is Out There- Treatment for Young Drug Addicts (March 16, 2002)
"One unique aspect of the program, which Marsch says is so far yielding 'very promising' treatment data, is that every child involved has sought treatment on their own," says this report. Could it be this is a key to successful drug treatment, the voluntary nature of this particular program? These kids were not mandated into treatment by police or courts, they simply wanted to change their ways and sought the help they felt they needed. As noted by the main youthful subject of this article, drugs are everywhere and easily available to American youth, even after decades of waging war on our own fellow citizens. Perhaps compassionate tactics as described here rather than all out war on users might actually reduce much of the destruction current anti-drug policies engender.

Afghanistan- That's Not Cricket (March 16, 2002)
While this article has nothing really to do with drugs, the editor here at drugwar.com thinks he'd need a hit or two or some heavy duty hard narcotic drugs to sit through an exhibition of this sport, and he doesn't do such heavy duty drugs any more.

Colombia- Going Back to War (March 16, 2002)
Threatening to drag the US along with them, the combatants in Colombia ratchet up the war to all new levels. Or is it the US arms merchants who want a fired up war in Colombia? On Saturday, Colombian military sources reported killing more than 2 dozen rebels during fierce fighting.

IRA and the Colombia Connection (March 16, 2002)
Three men alleged to be IRA members were arrested in Colombia August of 2001, and still sit in Bogata jail cells, accused of helping train FARC rebels.

UK- Lennon Airport Statue Unveiled (March 16, 2002)
Not only has Liverpool renamed its airport for peacenik John Lennon, his widow Yoko Ono has bought his childhood home and donated it to the National Trust charity. She's quoted here talking of how the world needs peace. She still hasn't given up on the idea that there could be world peace. Gosh, imagine....

UK- Drug Use Rife Among Children (March 15, 2002)
Here's an article demonstrating quite clearly the utter failure of prohibitionist policies, and the insanity of continuing said policies.

Colombia- In the Pipeline (March 15, 2002)
Another report on how the US military is funding and training Colombian troops to specifically protect US oil investments and a major US-owned oil pipeline.

Groups Seek Huffing Awareness (March 15, 2002)
Ok, this article says, "Megan could be a poster child for huffing -- a practice that kills more than 100 people every year. Groups like the National Institutes of Health and the Partnership for a Drug Free America want to bring more awareness to the problem." Now, while huffing is a pretty cheap and nasty way to get high, killing "more than 100 people every year" just doesn't sound like it is that big of a problem, not to belittle anyone's dying. How many people die every year in car accidents, or from eating tainted meat?

Bush Plugs More Money for the Military (March 15, 2002)
Bush pitched his plan today to increase US military spending by $48 billion, for a grand total of $379 billion, to an audience sure to appreciate his words- US military troops at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

Bush's Second Stage of War Poses Risks of Conflict from Yemen to Uzbekistan (March 15, 2002)
The esteemed Prof. Peter Dale Scott has been studying and reporting on post-September 11 related actions around the world. Here's his latest report.

Denver Police Will Review Surveillance Policy on Peaceful Protesters (March 15, 2002)
The police in Denver have been keeping files on a huge assortment of individuals and organizations engaged in peaceful protest movements. But don't worry Denver, now that everyone knows about the policy, the Mayor assures the public that changes in the policy might be made.

Anthrax Attacks 'May be CIA Research Gone Wrong' (March 15, 2002)
Barbara Rosenberg, director of the Federation of American Scientists' Chemical and Biological Weapons Program, has been saying as loud as she can that the CIA not only had a biological warfare program ongoing for years, but that they actually commissioned a study of what would happen if Anthrax was sent through the US mail.

If You Don't Want to Go to Prison, Pay Attention (March 15, 2002)
Kay Lee of Making the Walls Transparent gives her views on the US criminal justice system, and warns how easy it is for innocent people to get caught up in its cages.

DOJ's Dot-Narc Rave Strategy (March 14, 2002)
One might think the US feds have better things to do with their time, like chasing the actual terrorists who planned the attacks of September 11, rather than focusing their attention on websites that offer counter-arguments to their brainless, destructive and insane anti-drug, pro-terrorist prohibitionist policies. But one would be wrong it appears.

UK Docs Say Pot Ain't So Bad (March 14, 2002)
Seems that some British docs are a bit ahead of many of their American counterparts.

Forced Village Relocations (March 14, 2002)
Matthew McDaniel reports from Thailand that Akha villagers must obtain official State ID cards, or face deportation by the end of this year.

Trials and Risks of Human Guinea Pigs (March 14, 2002)
A person stands to make a good bit of cash subjecting themselves to medical experimentation, but also risk some drastic side effects and unintended consequences.

Life From Centuries Old Seeds (March 14, 2002)
Seeds verifiably hundreds of years old found in a dry Chinese lake-bed have sprouted and become beautiful, if fragile, Lotus flowers.

White House to Press For More Aid to Colombia (March 14, 2002)
The Bush administration is planning on submitting requests for yet more US-taxmoney to go to the Colombians to help them fight their nearly 40-year long civil war.

Mandatory Minimums- Fair or Foul? (March 14, 2002)
Court TV showed a made-for-tv movie the evening of March 13 titled Guilt by Association, a hard-hitting indictment of mandatory minimum setencing drug laws in the US. This article is part of their on-line presentation covering this issue.

G.W. Bush- He Really is a Smoker (March 13, 2002)
Hear G.W. in his own words as he laughs and talks about smoking.

FBI- Ecstasy Dealer Supplied O.J. Simpson (March 13, 2002)
An FBI agent has testified in court that O.J. received small amounts of ecstasy from a dealer who was also supplying 5 other men with much larger amounts of the drug.

Mexico- Lawyer Who Advised Drug Gang Slain in Front of House (March 13, 2002)
Rodolfo Carrillo Barragan "59, was one of the lawyers who advised the powerful Arellano Felix drug organization, according to Notimex, the Tijuana newspaper La Frontera, and Mexican television stations," reports this article.

Peru- Turning the Clock Back to Chaos? (March 13, 2002)
The narcos and the Shining Path guerrillas are becoming a dire threat to the government and Peruvian stability, or so says this report. How long until there's an even larger increase in US military aid and support to Peru than what US taxpayers already pay now?

UK- Legalizing Cannabis 'Will Save Money' (March 13, 2002)
Some are estimating that the UK could save up to 38 Million British Pounds a year by legalizing cannabis, as well as improve police/community relations.

Iran Contra Alumni in Bush Government (March 13, 2002)
Though it may shock and amaze some readers, GW Bush has stocked his administration with a number of individuals tied to or implicated in the scandalous Iran Contra affair from the days of Reagan and Bush the First.

Colombia Seeks to Widen Drugs War (March 13, 2002)
The Colombian government would dearly love for the US to stop wasting time waging a war on drug producers, and allow the Colombian military to use US supplied military equipment to simply go after all the rebels.

Officials- Mexican Drug Gang on the Run (March 12, 2002)
IF these officials are to be believed, one of the biggest, allegedly most bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartels is falling apart. How many other bloodthirsty cartels and gangs are just itching to take their place? Plain and simple, prohibition creates criminal cartels. This is so utterly obvious it almost makes one think that official prohibition policies are designed to do so, thereby justifying continued outrageous expenditures on a War on Drugs that can never be won.

Cops Raid Michael Moore Book Signing in San Diego (March 12, 2002)
Michael has apparently been finding his book tour dates filled to capacity at each stop along the way, in small town and big cities alike. In San Diego, the police decided he'd had enough time to give his message about Stupid White Men, and shut down the event.

Dirty Tricks Inc.- The Dyncorp-Government Connection (March 12, 2002)
Here's a look at the many connections between the US Government and the Dyncorp military mercenary corporation, by Uri Dowbenko.

Politics of a Bumper Crop (March 12, 2002)
Although the new interim Afghan government has decreed poppy growing illegal, there's no sign whatsoever that anyone in Afghanistan is taking the ban seriously.

The Doomsday Doctrine (March 12, 2002)
There are some real homicidal maniacs in power in the US at the moment, thinking up ways to develope new nuclear weapons, and to target with our own nukes up to 7 countries our maniacal leaders have deemed threats, whether or not these mainly puny countries have their own nuclear capabilities or not. Of course, Colin Powell is testifying this morning, (March 12, 2002), to Congress that theres' nothing new about our President wanting to have a "full range of options available to him," apparently meaning this Bush Administration's love of nukes is simply a good and needed thing.

Dyncorp's Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit for Spraying Ecuadorians (March 10, 2002)
Read the reasons articulated by Dyncorp as to why the indians and victims of their poison spraying campaign's lawsuit should be dismissed. It is truly astounding to read this motion, in the sheer pompousness and arrogance.

Assistant Secretary of State Rand Beers Deposition Feb. 27, 2002, (March 9, 2002)
Read what US Assistant Secratary of State for Narcotics and Law Enforement Affairs Rand Beers has to say, or doesn't ahve to say a lot of the time, on US Plan Colombia spraying of toxic chemicals on the civilian populations of Colombia, and Ecuador. See also "When Did Poisoning Foreign Farmers Become US National Security Policy"

Recipe for Trouble (March 8, 2002)
A judge has ruled that this mother in California can continue to treat her 8 year old son with medical marijuana without fear the state will prosecute her for being an unfit mother.

New Study Shows Pot Smoking is Damaging (March 8, 2002)
Here's a new study that seems to show that pot can have long term delitrious effects on users. This is in direct opposition to conclusions reached by other fairly recent studies.

Florida Man Tells Georgia Judge Medical Pot Too Expensive (March 8, 2002)
This poor guy has been prescribed Marinol, which while derived from marijuana, and contains THC is NOT medical pot and is highly expensive. He has instructed his attorney to ask for the Death Penalty is he looses on his final appeal fighting pot possession (of quite a substantial amount), not wanting to face the pain he suffers from many accident without pot.

Bush Dismayed by Coca Production (March 8, 2002)
Even with the huge swaths of countryside sprayed with deadly and destructive herbicides, coca growing in Colombia covers more and more land, or so the Bush Administration is saying. There's yet more evidence of Enron-style accounting in how numbers are used by Drug Warriors laid out here.

Ninth Circuit Court Blocks DEA Hemp Rule (March 8, 2002)
Keep buying and eating hemp food products, as the 9th Circuit Court has blocked the DEA from banning outright hemp foods in the US. While waiting for that delicious hemp waffle to toast, write your Representative and Congressfolk, and tell them what you think about the DEA wasting time and money trying to ban hemp foods in the US.

Alex Jones Interviews Greg Palast (March 8, 2002)
The American journalist Greg Palast is interviewed here on just what the World Bank, the IMF, and most of the other globalist organizations want, and plan to have, with or without cooperation from the little people.

New Charges for Four Arrested in February San Fransisco Medical Marijuana Club Raids (March 4, 2002)
The feds have leveled yet more serious charges against the four men arrested in pot raids in San Fransisco last month, illustrating clearly that the US Government is serious about continuing its damaging, destructive War on Drugs.

Another Cannabis Drug Sans Buzz (March 4, 2002)
One of those interviewed in this article actually says that a new type of synthetic cannabinoid is "equivalent to ... the best-quality marijuana," but the stuff won't give users the buzz that smoking or eating natural pot does as it only affects one receptor in the brain. Isn't it possible that natural cannabinoids work on two kinds of receptors (CB1 and CB2) for a reason? This is a perfect example of the haughtiness of some humans, by declaring their synthetic invention is "better" than the original natural source.

$4 Million Worth of Pot Found in Yams (March 4, 2002)
Drug dogs alerted US Customs agents to the 2 tons of pot, hidden deep within this shipment of yams from Jamaca.

NM Gov. Johnson Hints that Drug Reform Will Be Career (March 4, 2002)
Gov. Gary Johnson hasn't come right out and said it, but he may make working for drug laws reform his after-office career.

Colombian Police Spray Drug Crops (March 4, 2002)
The Colombian police are spraying highly toxic poisons onto the region of Colombia formerly held by FARC in renewed anti-drug operations.

Everything You Know is Wrong- The Disinformation Guide to Secrets and Lies (March 3, 2002)
This is the first look at the new book from Disinformation, edited by Russ Kick. Writers include Arianna Huffington, Greg Palast, Cletus Nelson, David T. Hardy, drugwar.com's own editor Preston Peet, Paul Krassner, Robert Sterling, Gabe Kircheimer, Howard Zinn, and lots more. The book contains many articles on the drug war, as well as a variety of other articles detailing and dissecting social and political myths, lies, and distortions.

Scotland: End of "Just Say No" Drugs War (March 3, 2002)
Seeing no end of drugs nor abuse after years of strict anti-drug policies and efforts, Scotland's First Minister has divulged a new strategy for handling the situation, much to the horror of some prohibitionists.

Scotland: Addicts Consluted in War on Drug Abuse (March 3, 2002)
The Scottish are asking the ones who can tell them most about drug abuse and possiblities for lessening the harms associated with aubse.

Las Vegas Police Office Charge for Felony Drug Offense (March 3, 2002)
If this cop turns out to be guilty after a trial, he will prove to be the worst sort of prohibitionist: Not only a hypocrite, but one who used his position to supply himself the very substances he was locking others up for using.

Chavez: Troops Should Fight Poverty (March 3, 2002)
While Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his forces are working on defense, anti-drug, and anti-terror efforts, he stresses that troops can and should be used to alleviate the suffering of his country's poor.

DEA Heads Off Hemp at DEA Headquarters (March 2, 2002)
This covers a protest at DEA national headquaters conducted late last year whicdh didn't get a lot of attention. A small group of enterprising individuals handed out free hemp food samples to passers-by until an alleged "9-11 emergency" closed them down.

Drug Czar Outlines Plan at CSIS Forum (March 2, 2002)
US Drug Czar John Walters notes that there are two major economic redevelopment programs currently underway in Afghanistan- the smaller by the US and its allies, the larger by opium producers, reports this Feb. 25, 2002 article. The ONDCP may find itself with more power due to the Bush administration alleging links between drug trafficking and terrorists, which bodes not well for the reformers' side of the Drug War issue.

Beatings and Torture Continue- Akha Weekly Journal (March 2, 2002)
Matt McDaniel reports on more torture perpetrated by military units on local villagers.

UK- Tobacco Chief Admits Smoking 'Risk' (March 2, 2002)
The chairman of British American Tobacco, the world's second largest cigarette manufacturer, told the Times (UK) that he has decided not to personally smoke as there are health risks to smoking cigarettes.

Addictive Drugs Are Not Produced in Laos, Says UN Official (March 2, 2002)
A UN representative in Laos says that the Laotian government's 5 year plan to wipe out opium production in Laos has succeeded, so that it is "groundless to say addictive drugs are produced in Laos."

US- Results of Spraying Not Clear (March 2, 2002)
While the Colombian government is claiming a sharp decrease in coca growing for this year's UN Drug Control Strategy Report 200, the US is claiming they expect an increase when the CIA finally divulges their own figures.

US Omits Coca Figure From Drug Report (March 2, 2002)
The estimates by the CIA and the Colombian government will not match up, but it is unsure of exactly what US estimates are at this point, as the CIA neglected to turn over its numbers on Colombian coca destruction for the 2001 US Drug Control Strategy Report. Colombia allegedly supplies up to 80 percent of the world's cocaine, but the report contains only the letters TBD, (To Be Determined) where the Colombia figures are supposed to be.

Information Black Hole on Britain's Drug Gangs (March 2, 2002)
Rather than concentrate on their users, Britain is now planning to concentrate on smugglers coming into the country.