------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents Sue Six In Teen's Drinking Death ('The Associated Press' Says A Couple From Baker City, Oregon, Whose Teen-Age Son Died Of An Alcohol Overdose Ago Have Filed A $1.5 Million Lawsuit Accusing Former Major League Baseball Star Joe Rudi, His Wife, Teen-Age Son And Three Others Of Negligence) Associated Press found at: http://www.oregonlive.com/ feedback (letters to the editor): feedback@thewire.ap.org Parents sue six in teen's drinking death The Associated Press 8/22/98 4:45 PM PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A couple whose teen-age son died of an alcohol overdose have filed a $1.5 million lawsuit accusing former Major League Baseball star Joe Rudi, his wife and teen-age son and three others of negligence. The focus of the lawsuit, filed by Lee and Shirley Pearce of Baker City, is the death of Joshua Pearce, 17, almost three years ago. Pearce had gone on a Labor Day vacation with the Rudi family to Snake River Canyon, about 20 miles north of Huntington. Rudi, who played with the Oakland A's championship teams of the 1970s, now lives in Baker City. The lawsuit claims that Joshua Pearce went with Joe Rudi's son, Shawn, to a nearby cabin and drank with Matthew J. Bobbitt of Corvallis, Jeffrey A. Tubbin of Sandy and Aaron Johnson of Moscow, Idaho. According to the lawsuit: The three dared Pearce to drink a large quantity of vodka. When Pearce passed out, he was taken outside the cabin. When others from the cabin found him the next morning, he was not breathing. They tried to revive Pearce, but he died that day -- Sept. 4, 1995. Pearce had a blood-alcohol level of .44 percent, said Eugene Hallman, a Pendleton attorney representing the Pearces. Under Oregon law, a motorist with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or greater is deemed to be intoxicated. "I think the days of the so-called right of passage of kids getting liquor and dared to drink are over and should have been over a long time ago," Hallman said. The lawsuit filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court seeks more than $1.5 million for the Pearces' loss of companionship and their son's future earnings. As well as Rudi, his wife, Sharon, and son, Shawn, the lawsuit names Tubbin, Bobbitt and Johnson. The lawsuit claims the Rudis were negligent because they didn't properly supervise Pearce when he was with them. Joe Rudi did not return a telephone call Friday. Johnson and Bobbitt each were sentenced to 30 days house arrest after pleading guilty to one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. A judge dismissed the case against Tubbin. (c)1998 Oregon Live LLC Copyright 1997 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Cancer Patient Says He Had Legal Right To Grow Marijuana (An 'Associated Press' Story In 'The Fresno Bee' Suggests San Bernardino County, California, Is Refusing To Comply With Proposition 215 In Prosecuting Timothy Weltz For Growing More Than 20 Plants) Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 11:07:48 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US CA: Cancer Patient Says He Had Legal Right to Grow Marijuana Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: compassion23@geocities.com (Frank S. World) Source: Fresno Bee, The Contact: letters@fresnobee.com Website: http://www.fresnobee.com/ Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1988 CANCER PATIENT SAYS HE HAD LEGAL RIGHT TO GROW MARIJUANA RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) -- A man critically ill with cancer could face prison for growing marijuana he claims was legal under California's Proposition 215. Timothy Weltz, 38, was to face felony charges of cultivating marijuana at a scheduled Tuesday hearing in San Bernardino County Superior Court. "I did nothing criminally wrong," said Weltz, who has lymphatic cancer and may have only six months to live. "This is insane," he told The Press-Enterprise of Riverside for a story published Saturday. Sheriff's deputies found more than 20 marijuana plants growing in his yard last month when they answered a report of a domestic disturbance at his home. Weltz said he had an argument with his ex-wife, who was visiting. Weltz was not arrested but he later received a summons from the district attorney's office to appear in court to face the pot cultivation charge and a count of battery on his former wife. He contends the marijuana helps relieve some of the nausea from his cancer treatments, and that he legally grew it under Proposition 215, the state initiative that legalized the cultivation, use and possession of marijuana for medicinal purposes on a doctor's recommendation. Weltz said he won't plead guilty or accept a plea bargain. "I won't accept this," he said. "I would rather take my chances with serious jail time than make a deal for probation ... I'm fighting for my life here." Assistant District Attorney Dan Lough said Weltz was unable to produce evidence for the deputies of his illness or his doctor's endorsement for using marijuana. Weltz said he will bring a letter from his doctor to court. Dr. Linda D. Bosserman, a Rancho Cucamonga cancer specialist, wrote that Weltz has used "inhaled THC" from privately grown plants, free of pesticides, and found this effective in controlling his severe nausea, vomiting and anxiety caused by his treatments and the overall stress of his disease.
------------------------------------------------------------------- New Government Survey Shows No Increase In Marijuana Use In California Since Proposition 215 - Teen Drug Use Below National Average - Attorney General Lungren's Claims Refuted (A Press Release From California NORML Responds To Statistics In The New National Household Survey On Drug Abuse) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 23:18:24 -0800 To: dpfca@drugsense.org, aro@drugsense.org, works@igc.org From: canorml@igc.apc.org (Dale Gieringer) Subject: DPFCA: No Increase in Cal MJ Use Post-215 Sender: owner-dpfca@drugsense.org Reply-To: dpfca@drugsense.org Organization: DrugSense http://www.drugsense.org/dpfca/ - California NORML PRESS RELEASE Aug. 22, 1998 - New Government Survey Shows No Increase in Marijuana Use in California Since Prop. 215; Teen Drug Use Below National Average; Attorney General Lungren's Claims Refuted Use of marijuana and other drugs has not increased in California since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, according to newly released data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The latest government data belie claims of Proposition 215 opponents, led by Attorney General Dan Lungren, that approval of medical marijuana has led to an explosion in teen drug abuse in California. To the contrary, the NIDA survey found that teenage use of marijuana and other drugs is actually significantly lower in California than in others states, though adult use is higher. Among youth age 12-17, 6.6% of Californians used marijuana in the past month, versus 9.9% nationwide, while 9.1% of California youth used illicit drugs, versus 11.9% nationwide. Among adults, 8.2% of Californians used illicit drugs, versus 5.4% nationwide. "The data clearly show that California drug users are more mature than in other states," comments California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer, "This may be why Californians are so supportive of medical marijuana - they know their kids understand that drugs are for sick people and adults." The new NIDA data, the first to cover the post-1996 period, flatly contradict claims by Attorney General Dan Lungren that Proposition 215 sent a "damaging signal" to both adults and children. In an article in the Sacramento Bee (Feb. 3, 1998), Lungren was quoted as saying, "As a result, here in California our young people are using marijuana more than at any other time during the last 10 years," Lungren's office failed to offer any data to support his claim. In fact, according to the NIDA survey: * "There was no upward trend in marijuana use between 1996 and 1997 in California, either for adults or for youth age 12-17. Rates have been stable since 1994 (4.9 to 5.8 percent for adults and 7.3 to 6.8 percent for youth)." * "Among California youths age 12-17, the perceived risk of marijuana use did not change significantly between 1996 and 1997." * "Californians were more likely to perceive great risk in smoking cigarettes than the remainder of the nation. Californians and Arizonans were less likely to perceive great risk in using marijuana than residents of the remainder of the U.S. " This year's NIDA survey included special close-up data for California and Arizona because both passed drug reform initiatives in 1996. Unlike California, Arizona has no data from earlier years to tell whether drug use has changed. Unlike California, Arizona teens showed a higher than average rate of marijuana use (13.1%) in 1997, despite the fact that marijuana penalties are substantially harsher in Arizona, one of the few states where possession is still a felony. "The NIDA survey completely discredits the idea that harsher laws are needed to control marijuana," concludes Gieringer. "Arizona has proven that harsh penalties don't deter drug use; California has proven that legalization of medical marijuana does not aggravate teen drug abuse." Results of the NIDA survey are posted at http://www.samhsa.gov/ oas/nhsda/nhsda97/httoc.htm. *** Dale Gieringer (415) 563-5858 // canorml@igc.apc.org 2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114
------------------------------------------------------------------- Re - Atascadero Eyes Ban On Pot Clubs (A Letter Sent To The Editor Of 'The San Luis Obsispo County Telegram-Tribune' Rebuts The Contention Of Deputy District Attorney Dennis Schloss That Proposition 215 Applies Only To Possession Of Marijuana, Not Cultivation, Sale Or Distribution) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 23:18:08 -0800 To: dpfca@drugsense.org From: canorml@igc.apc.org (Dale Gieringer) Subject: DPFCA: Letter to Editor - Medical MJ Sender: owner-dpfca@drugsense.org Reply-To: dpfca@drugsense.org Organization: DrugSense http://www.drugsense.org/dpfca/ Aug 22, 1998 Letters to the Editor San Luis Obsispo County Telegram-Tribune Deputy District Attorney Dennis Schloss is woefully ignorant of the law if he thinks that Proposition 215 applies only to possession of marijuana, not cultivation, sale or distribution ("Atascadero eyes ban on pot clubs, Aug 21). In fact, the cultivation of medical marijuana by patients and their caregivers is quite explicitly legalized under Proposition 215, a fact universally recognized in court decisions. As for transportation and distribution, these too are legal among patients and their caregivers, according to the state appellate court Trippett decision. What is not legal is the sale, distribution, transportation, cultivation, or possession by persons who are not medical patients or caregivers. On this basis, it has been ruled that commercial-size medical marijuana "clubs" are illegal in the appellate court Peron decision. However, the legality of smaller, patient-run medical cannabis cooperatives has not yet been adjudicated by the courts. In the absence of a federally approved distribution system, those of us who authored Prop. 215 intended it to protect the right of patients to organize their own collectives to supply medicine for themselves. Atascadero may reasonably seek to regulate such cooperatives to assure their safe and legitimate operation, but not to ban them entirely. Dale Gieringer Friends of Prop. 215 3514 Dwight Way Berkeley CA 94704 (510) 540-1066 *** Dale Gieringer (415) 563-5858 // canorml@igc.apc.org 2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114
------------------------------------------------------------------- Pot Bust Worth At Least $20 Million ('The Modesto Bee' Says Two Mexican Nationals Were Busted And Six Other Suspected Cultivators Got Away Friday When State And County Prohibition Agents In Calaveras County, California, Swooped Down On More Than 10,000 Plants At A Sierra Hillside Plantation About Three Miles Outside Of San Andreas - Agents Valued The Crop At $2,000 To $3,000 Per Plant, Or $20 Million To $30 Million, Nearly Triple The Previous Biggest Pot Bust In Calaveras County, And The Biggest In The State This Year) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 14:39:08 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US CA: Pot Bust Worth At Least $20 Million Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: compassion23@geocities.com (Frank S. World) Source: Modesto Bee (CA) Contact: http://www.modbee.com/man/help/contact.html Website: http://www.modbee.com/ Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 Author: Ron DeLacy, Bee staff writer POT BUST WORTH AT LEAST $20 MILLION SAN ANDREAS -- Calaveras County and state narcotics forces swooped down on a veritable Mother Lode of marijuana Friday, chopping and pulling more than 10,000 plants from a Sierra hillside plantation about three miles outside of San Andreas. They were all female sinsemilla, the eye-watering, seedless cream of the marijuana crop, and ranged between 3 feet and 8 feet tall. Lush and green, they still had at least two months of growth and flowering to do, but some already had begun to bloom. Estimated street value: Between $20 million and $30 million, based on narcotics officers' calculations of $2,000 to $3,000 for a fully mature plant. It nearly tripled the previous biggest pot bust in Calaveras County's history, and it was the biggest in the state this year, said officers from the state Campaign Against Marijuana Planting. "We knew it was big," said Lt. Mike Walker, who supervises the Calaveras County Narcotics Enforcement unit, "but we didn't know it was this big." Two men camping and working at the site were arrested and booked into Calaveras County Jail on suspicion of felony marijuana cultivation. At least six others fled into the tree- and brush-covered countryside. "It was like flushing a covey of quail," said Calaveras County sheriff's Sgt. Dan Johnson, who plotted the sunrise surprise. "I just wish we could have caught a few more suspects." The two suspects who were arrested were Gerardo Mora, 33, who gave an Atwater address, and Lorenso Gudino, 38, who did not give an address. Both men were from Mexico, and Calaveras County Undersheriff Randy Grasmuck said he didn't know whether they were undocumented workers. Officers said Gudino, Mora and the people who got away all seemed to be workers at the plantation, not owners of it. There were no guesses on whether any bigger fish might be caught. According to Walker, the county's narcotics team spotted the plantation -- or at least part of it -- on a routine pot reconnaissance flight about six weeks ago. The marijuana had been planted in two quarter-acre groves near an abandoned cement plant off Poole Station Road, southwest of San Andreas. It had been irrigated through drip systems and manual hoses fed from a nearby spring. Several weapons, including loaded sawed-off shotguns and a Russian military rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine clip, were found in two campsites. Part of the plantation was on private wildland -- Walker said he didn't know whether the owners were involved -- and part was on land managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. For Friday morning's raid, about 50 officers, most of them in camouflage fatigues, gathered at a 3 a.m. briefing. There was one Special Weapons and Tactics team from Calaveras County, another from neighboring Amador County, the Calaveras "Bad Frogs" narcotics unit and 15 CAMP officers. The two SWAT teams followed a railroad grade, crossed the Calaveras River and sneaked up on the plantation at about 6 a.m. Workers were already tending the gardens, and when they spotted officers they ran in different directions. Two were tackled, and SWAT team members and a CAMP helicopter searched for nearly three hours for the others before giving up and getting on with the job of dismantling the garden. For that task, the SWAT team members hiked to the hillside plantations, uprooted some of the plants, cut most of them at the base and bundled them with duct tape in clumps of 10. Then they put them in nets, and the helicopter hauled them to a 21/2-ton military truck at the old cement plant. By the end of the day, the pot totaled 10,152 plants and looked like a shipment of Christmas trees filling the truck bed. It was covered with a tarp -- "We don't care to have anybody know what's being transported," said sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Maxwell -- and driven away for disposal. Never mind where.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Judge Dismisses Most Of Lawsuit Against Contractor ('The Associated Press' Says Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle On Friday Dismissed Most Of A Lawsuit Brought By George Joseph Phillips, Who Alleged That Police In Tacoma, Washington, Conspired With Furnace Installers To Illegally Search His Home For A Methamphetamine Lab, When All He Had Were Darkroom Chemicals For Developing Film - Phillips Will Be Allowed To Pursue Claims Of Defamation And Negligent Infliction Of Emotional Distress Against Washington Energy Services And Northwest Water Heater) From: "W.H.E.N. - Bob Owen" (when@olywa.net) To: "-Hemp Talk" (hemp-talk@hemp.net) Subject: HT: Tacoms drug search gets judicial support Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 18:48:25 -0700 Sender: owner-hemp-talk@hemp.net Judge dismisses most of lawsuit against contractor The Associated Press 08/22/98 8:12 PM Eastern TACOMA (AP) -- A judge has dismissed most of a lawsuit brought by a man who alleged that Tacoma police conspired with furnace installers to illegally search his home for a drug lab. But Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle ruled Friday that George Joseph Phillips could pursue claims of defamation and negligent infliction of emotional distress against Washington Energy Services and Northwest Water Heater. The two companies -- now merged -- were hired to install a furnace and water heater at Phillips' home in November 1995. During the job, workers alerted police they suspected Phillips of having a methamphetamine lab because of a strong chemical smell, glass bottles with chemicals, surgical tubing, a scale and glass vials. Police got a search warrant and sent in officers with helmets, gas masks and protective suits. Phillips was held handcuffed in the back of a police car for four hours. Police determined that the home contained only darkroom chemicals and released Phillips without arresting him. Phillips is an amateur photographer. On Friday, Felnagle granted in full the City of Tacoma's motion to dismiss all federal constitutional claims that Phillips made in his lawsuit against the city and its police officers. State tort claims against the city remain, but Assistant City Attorney Jean Homan said the city will ask the court to dismiss those as well. The judge also ruled that a tape recording of a conversation between Phillips and a Northwest employee did not unequivocally show that the workers looked for evidence at the request of police. He said the tape was hearsay would not be admissible as evidence when the case goes to trial Nov. 30. Felnagle also rejected Phillips' claim that police violated his rights when they detained him. "It was a complete victory for the city, and I think we're two-thirds of the way there on ours," said Stephanie Bloomfield, lawyer for the two companies. Both the city and the companies maintained Tacoma police never asked Northwest Water Heater employees to search Phillips' home. Phillips said he was "irritated, angry" with the rulings.
------------------------------------------------------------------- State Teen Drug Use Highest In US ('The Arizona Republic' Discusses The Latest Statistics In The National Household Survey On Drug Abuse, Which Found That 13.1 Percent Of Arizonans Ages 12 To 17 Said They Had Used Marijuana In The Past Month, And 16.8 Percent Said They Had Used 'Any Illicit Drug,' Including Cocaine, Inhalants Or Heroin, A Rate Nearly Double That In California And One-Third Higher Than The National Average) Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 15:51:47 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US AZ: State Teen Drug Use Highest In U.S. Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: Mark Greer Source: Arizona Republic (AZ) Contact: jeff.barker@pni.com Website: http://www.azcentral.com/news/ Pubdate: 22 August 1998 Author: Jeff Barker, Republic Washington Bureau STATE TEEN DRUG USE HIGHEST IN U.S. 'Study should cause alarm in every family' WASHINGTON - One out of six Arizona youths used illegal drugs in the past month -- especially marijuana -- a rate that is nearly double that of California and one-third higher than the national average. The numbers come from an annual nationwide federal study that honed in on Arizona and California this year because both states have approved so-called medical marijuana initiatives. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse released Friday found that 13.1 percent of Arizonans ages 12 to 17 said they had used marijuana in the past month. And 16.8 percent said they had used "any illicit drug," including cocaine, inhalants or heroin. Arizona's youth marijuana figure was more than one-third higher than the nation as a whole -- 9.6 percent -- and it was nearly double the rate of neighboring California -- 6.6 percent. "This study should cause alarm bells to go off in every family in Arizona," said Chuck Blanchard, chief counsel for Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the federal drug czar. McCaffrey released the report along with the Department of Health and Human Services. "This weekend, every Arizona parent should sit down and talk to their kids about drug use," said Blanchard, a former Arizona state senator. Analysts surprised The findings surprised government analysts, who have been compiling similar, nationwide surveys since 1971 but had never broken out Arizona figures individually until now. Arizona and California, which both passed medical marijuana initiatives in 1996, were selected as the first two states ever to undergo individual breakdowns as part of the national drug survey. The Clinton administration conceded that, with limited money available for individual state sampling, it intentionally picked the two states that passed drug-legalization measures that it opposed. Arizona's Proposition 200 was designed to allow physicians to prescribe marijuana or other controlled substances to seriously ill patients. This year, its backers moved to put the issue back on the ballot after the state Legislature, in effect, suspended it. McCaffrey has been lobbying against Proposition 200 and similar measures in other states, saying the propositions send a mixed message to youths. 'Looking at impact' However, the Clinton administration denied it was using its drug-use survey to try to make a case against medical use of marijuana. "This is not arguing for or against, it's just looking at what the potential impact is (of medical marijuana initiatives). It's to look at trends," said Mark Weber, a substance-abuse spokesman for Health and Human Services. At least publicly, the Clinton administration did not attempt to make a correlation between the survey's Arizona marijuana figures and Proposition 200. However, an internal document from the federal drug czar's office suggested that it believes there may be a link. The document highlights the survey and notes its finding that the perceived risk of smoking marijuana is lower for both Californians and Arizonans than for Americans generally. Results 'consistent' The document notes that this "is consistent with what would be expected, given the passage of the medical marijuana propositions in these two states." However, the document says there is simply too little evidence to reach any conclusion. The percentage of youth and adult Arizonans who perceived "great risk" in smoking marijuana once a month was 39.9 percent for Arizona, and 37.6 percent for California. The national figure, excluding those two states, was 43.5 percent. "The issue about whether the proposition would have any effect on youth attitudes is an open issue," Blanchard said. "The idea was, "These are two states and we might as well test to find out. But the evidence is inconclusive. California has lower marijuana use among youths than the national sample." The survey said that Arizona's general population, not just youths, also use drugs at a higher rate than the nation, but not by as alarming a margin as teens alone. In Arizona, 7.3 percent said they used an illegal drug in the past month, compared with 5.8 percent nationally. Overall use steady The overall use of illegal drugs in the country remained steady last year, the report said, while reporting a significant increase in drug use among youth 12-17 nationally -- to 11.4 percent in 1997 from 9 percent in 1996. The drug czar's office, as well as at least one private group, said the lesson was to spend more time trying to lessen drug demand by educating kids and parents. McCaffrey's office has been running television and radio ads in Arizona this year that target both parents and kids. The office has a telephone number (1-800-788-2800) for parents who want advice in talking to their kids about drugs. "Too many federal anti-drug dollars continue to be spent on efforts to reduce the supply of drugs, rather than to reduce demand," said a statement by Drug Strategies, a Washington-based research institute fighting the drug problem. *** Jeff Barker can be reached at jeff.barker@pni.com via e-mail or at 1-(202) 662-7264.
------------------------------------------------------------------- State Drug Arrests Figures Remained The Same Last Year ('The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel' Doesn't Break Down What Substances Were Involved In What Proportion Of Arrests, But Says There Were 21,527 People Busted For 'Drugs' In Wisconsin Last Year, About 115 More Than The Year Before, According To A Report Released Friday By The Office Of Justice Assistance - The Increase Was Far Less Than In Previous Years, When Arrests Increased By The Thousands) Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 21:57:30 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US WI: State Drug Arrests Figures Remained The Same Last Year Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: compassion23@geocities.com (Frank S. World) Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Contact: jsedit@onwis.com Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Pubdate: 22 August 1998 STATE: DRUG ARRESTS FIGURES REMAINED THE SAME LAST YEAR MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The number of drug arrests in Wisconsin stayed about the same in 1997, after years of increases, a state agency said. There were 21,527 drug arrests in the state last year, about 115 more than the year before, the Office of Justice Assistance said in a report released Friday. That increase was far less than in previous years, which went up by the thousands, the report said. The number of drug arrests might have remained the same either because the number of users went down or law enforcement might not have been concentrating on drug violations as much, said Tom Everson, a spokesman for the office. "Maybe we reached a plateau," Everson said. In 1995, there were 20,044 drug arrests, up from 16,815 in 1994, according to the report.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Cop Dies Week After Being Shot On Stakeout ('The Chicago Tribune' Says Chicago Police Officer Michael Ceriale Died Friday Night, A Week After He Was Shot While Watching 'Drug' Deals - Three Unnamed People Are Now Charged)Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 17:18:20 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US IL: Cop Dies Week After Being Shot On Stakeout Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: Steve Young (theyoungfamily@worldnet.att.net) Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Section: Metro Chicago Contact: tribletter@aol.com Website: http://chicago.tribune.com Author: Amanda Beeler and Doug Irving COP DIES WEEK AFTER BEING SHOT ON STAKEOUT A week after he was shot while on drug-surveillance duty, Chicago Police Officer Michael Ceriale died Friday night in Cook County Hospital. Ceriale had been in critical condition since he was shot just below his bulletproof vest last Saturday while watching drug deals at a high-rise at 4101 S. Federal St. During attempts to save him, doctors used more than 200 pints of blood during five surgeries--or about 20 times the amount circulating in an average adult. Friends and police officers donated blood for Ceriale. They also took turns visiting his family or spending the night at the hospital. That vigil ended at about 8:15 p.m., when Ceriale's father called those who were present into a tight circle to let them know the 26-year-old officer had died. Afterward, some clustered near the entrance to the emergency room. Others quietly got in their cars and drove away while dabbing at tears. Ceriale, who had been with the force for 15 months, became the first Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty this year. He was not removed from life support systems, Police Department spokesman Pat Camden said. Police Supt. Terry Hillard issued a bulletin over police radios at about 8:30 p.m. "It is with a very saddened heart that I must inform you that Officer Michael A. Ceriale has lost his fight for life," Camden read from Hillard's statement. Ceriale will be buried early next week with full honors, Camden said. Officers at the Wentworth District, where Ceriale worked, heard the news from officers who had been assigned to his family, District Sgt. Tim Smith said. "They're devastated, to say the least, to lose one of their own," Smith said. "It's pretty quiet over here. . . . Work will go on; it has to go on. But he's in all our thoughts right now." Three people have been charged with attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors have said those charges will almost certainly be upgraded to murder following Ceriale's death.
------------------------------------------------------------------- State Officials Are Skeptical Of Numbers ('The Arizona Republic' Says Some Arizona Officials Don't Believe The Latest Statistics From The New National Household Survey On Drug Abuse Showing That One In Six Arizona Teenagers Used Illicit Drugs In The Past Month Compared To About One In 10 Nationwide - Joe Gfroerer, Director Of Population Surveys At The Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, Acknowledged There Were Differences In The Arizona Poll Because A Larger Sample Was Needed To Obtain Statistically Significant Numbers - One-Third Of The Total Survey Was Done In Just Two States, Arizona And California, And Arizona, Which Accounts For About 2 Percent Of The US Population, Provided One-Sixth Of The Responses) Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 15:23:15 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: State Officials Are Skeptical Of Numbers Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: Mark Greer Source: Arizona Republic (AZ) Website: http://www.azcentral.com/news/0822kidsreax.shtml Pubdate: 22 Aug 1998 Author: Dennis Wagner STATE OFFICIALS ARE SKEPTICAL OF NUMBERS If Arizona has more kids smoking dope and dropping acid than the rest of America, it's news to some skeptical government officials. "I question the validity of the numbers," said Gov. Jane Hull, responding to a federal survey that shows ghastly drug abuse rates among Arizona youth. "It makes no sense," agreed Rick Romley, the Maricopa County attorney. "I would look at all those figures very carefully," added Rex Holgerson, executive director of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission. Those officials, and others, said they knew drug use was rising among Arizona kids, but had no inkling that the rate is out of kilter with other states. Yet that's exactly what was revealed Friday in a National Household Survey on Drug Abuse by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. According to that report, one in six Arizona teenagers used illicit drugs in the previous month compared to about one in 10 nationwide. Arizona youth ages 12 to 17 also were nearly twice as likely to have used cocaine, LSD, heroin or inhalants during the past year. At Valley high schools, the statistics were hardly a revelation. "I'm not sure if drug use is increasing, but I know last year they got Izzy, the drug sniffing dog, into our school," said Kathleen Slahub, a 17-year-old at Paradise Valley High. "I go to a party and everyone is drinking and you go to another little room and they have these bad drugs all over the place and I don't know what they are." Roger Taylor, special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Phoenix, said he expected Arizona to exceed national drug abuse figures, but was stunned to learn that it surpasses California by a large margin. "I'm sure they were at least trying to make their best attempt at doing some kind of plausible survey," Taylor added, "but it does surprise me." Most officials said they cannot think of anything about Arizona that would explain such a glaring discrepancy in drug use. Joe Gfroerer, director of population surveys at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, insisted the survey data are correct. "It was done the same in Arizona as everywhere else," he said. "It's a random sample." Gfroerer later acknowledged that there were differences in the Arizona poll because a larger sample was needed to obtain statistically significant numbers. Surveyors spoke to 24,505 adults and kids at homes nationwide. California and Arizona were the only states listed separately in the annual survey. They were isolated because of government interest in marijuana initiatives adopted by voters in the two states during 1996. Thus 4,415 subjects were interviewed in Arizona, and 4,360 people were surveyed in California. It is unclear why researchers would poll roughly the same number of people in those states when California has seven times the population. What is clear is that one-third of the total survey was done in just two states. And Arizona, which accounts for about 2 percent of the U.S. population, provided one-sixth of the responses. Sam Vagenas, a drug-legalization proponent in Arizona, said he suspects the survey was a botched attempt to smear marijuana legalization efforts. "What this shows is that drug use has nothing to do with the medical marijuana initiatives," Vagenas said. Noting that Californians recorded below-average drug abuse even after years of pot promotions, he added, "I think it's a shame that the government is spending millions of dollars to promote their propaganda." Among state leaders, only Attorney General Grant Woods seemed to accept the federal survey results without question. He said that it's one more example of how Arizona fares "extremely poorly in virtually every category relating to children." Woods said the state typically ranks among the worst in juvenile suicides, delinquency, pregnancies, deaths and funding. "I don't think it should be a surprise when you look at another negative category and we're where we don't want to be," he added. The assistant director of -TERROS -- an alcohol, drug and mental health agency -- agreed that Friday's drug figures are supported by street experience. "Our adolescent groups are quite full," Cathy Torrez-Paddack said. "I know one thing that accounts for large numbers of teen drug users is the many homeless kids who are in Arizona." Torrez-Paddack said the state is a magnet for homeless children. "I suppose the mild weather draws them," she said. "They are hurting and they use drugs to medicate those feelings, to numb themselves." Torrez-Paddack said another factor involved in the high drug use among Arizona teenagers is the proximity to the border with Mexico and the subsequent high level of narcotics trafficking. "The availability here is very great; most drugs are quite easy to get," she said. In fact, the survey also showed that Arizona youth are less likely to perceive risks in taking drugs, and more likely to have access. Teenagers interviewed Friday seemed to confirm that finding. Sam Garcia, a Camelback High senior, said it's part of the scene. "Drugs are all over and easy if people want them . . . which I don't. A lot of kids do it because they want to be accepted in a certain group," he said. "Some get involved, of course to make money. I know a 16-year-old girl who sells crystal speed and gets a lot of customers." Slahub, the Paradise Valley High student, added: "The big dopers at our school mostly keep to themselves, hang out at lunch at the back tables in the cafeteria. The meth freaks are rail-skinny and people say, "those kids are tweakers.' "There's a park close to school and you can see high schoolers exchanging bags. If you know who to talk to, it's easy. Those of us who don't do drugs, we're the nerds." Authorities said they know of no national drug surveys that contain state-by-state comparisons. Arizona's Criminal Justice Commission conducts a biannual poll of substance abuse among students, and those surveys suggest an even higher rate of use than the federal report. But that data is not comparable because it covers a different age range and methodology. For instance, the 1997 Arizona survey shows that one in four high school students interviewed last year had smoked dope in the previous month. Six years earlier, one in eight had answered "yes." Holgerson, the executive director, said classroom surveys are more accurate than federal polls in homes where juveniles might be nervous about admitting drug use in the presence of parents. What makes that really scary, he added, is that the school survey doesn't even count dropouts who are much more likely to use drugs. *** Dennis Wagner can be reached at dennis.wagner@pni.com via e-mail or at 1-602-444-8874. Republic writer William Hermann contributed to this article. Copyright 1998, The Arizona Republic
------------------------------------------------------------------- State Says Jail Population Increases Again (According To 'The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,' A Report From The Wisconsin Office Of Justice Assistance Says More Than A Third Of County Jails Were Full Or Overcrowded As The Inmate Population Increased To 11,000 Last Year - The Newspaper Omits A Percentage For The Increase But Barron County Sheriff Jerry Johnson Said, 'I Can Tell You That It's A Trend That Isn't Going To Go Away') Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 07:32:55 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US WI: State Says Jail Population Increases Again Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: compassion23@geocities.com (Frank S. World) Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Contact: jsedit@onwis.com Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Pubdate: 22 Aug 1998 Fax: (414) 224-8280 STATE SAYS JAIL POPULATION INCREASES AGAIN MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- More than a third of Wisconsin's county jails were full or overcrowded as the inmate population increased to 11,000 last year, a state agency said Friday. Reasons for the increase include more crimes that require a mandatory jail sentence, more arrests, and more people having their parole or probation revoked, according to a report from the state Office of Justice Assistance. Judges are sending more serious criminals to jails rather than state prisons, because the prisons also are overcrowded, said Tom Everson, a spokesman for the office. "The days of jails holding shoplifters and town drunks are pretty much over," Everson said. State law allows the Department of Corrections to use jails temporarily for probation and parole violators. The increase continues a trend of larger jail populations since the office began keeping records in 1988. Last year, the average population was 10,038, about double the 1988 figure, according to the report, which was compiled from surveys sent to Wisconsin sheriffs. The report also said 29 out of 71 county jails are full or have more inmates than what they were designed to hold. Some of those counties include Brown, Dodge, Eau Claire, Juneau, Milwaukee, Racine, and Sheboygan, according to the report. Marty Ordinans, who heads the county jail inspection office at the state Department of Corrections, says about 40 counties are building or planning to build more jail space. Wisconsin's county jails will be able to hold between 4,000 and 6,000 more prisoners within two to four years, Ordinans said. However, Barron County Sheriff Jerry Johnson said he expects the numbers to increase more in the future and doubts if new jail space will be ready in time. "I can tell you that it's a trend that isn't going to go away," Johnson said. Up to 80 inmates are in the Barron County jail that is designed to hold 52, Johnson said. That means inmates have to be paired up in cells, which can become tricky because jail officials don't want to put hardened criminals together with first-time offenders, Johnson said. "It's kind of a nightmare in figuring out how to house these folks at times," Johnson said. Often, Johnson said he and his deputies have to ship inmates to jails in other counties, costing taxpayers $50 to $65 a day for each inmate. In Milwaukee County, jail officials also are doubling up inmates in cells designed for one, and there is even a waiting list for people trying to get in a jail work-release program, said Inspector Mark Warichak, who runs the jail. The crowding also is a burden to people who work at the jail because of increased tensions, Warichak said. "It's loud, it's crowded, and its more difficult to deal with the inmates," Warichak said. "It makes our jobs harder to do."
------------------------------------------------------------------- Two People Charged With Growing Marijuana Near Police Station (A Cautionary Tale From 'The Associated Press' Says Deborah J. Bouchez And Jason J. Heacock Were Arrested Friday After A Snitch Telephoned Police About Three Small Marijuana Plants On Their Back Porch, Less Than 100 Yards From The Police Headquarters In Winsted, Connecticut) From: "W.H.E.N. - Bob Owen" (when@olywa.net) To: "-News" (when@hemp.net) Subject: Two charged with growing MJ near police station Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 19:01:36 -0700 Sender: owner-when@hemp.net Two people charged with growing marijuana near police station Associated Press, 08/22/98 13:04 WINSTED, Conn. (AP) - Police who arrested two suspected marijuana growers did not have to go far. Deborah J. Bouchez and Jason J. Heacock were arrested Friday on charges they grew three, 3-foot-high marijuana plants on their back porch, less than 100 yards from the town's police headquarters. Police seized the plants, eight ounces of marijuana, almost an ounce of packaged marijuana, pipes and potting soil. Sgt. Paul Campi said he was about to sit down to his lunch when he got a tip from a telephone caller. ``The voice at the other end of the line just said, 'Go outside to your parking lot and look at the building next door,''' Campi said. ``So that's what I did, and I couldn't believe what I saw.'' Bouchez, 44, and Heacock, 19, were charged with growing marijuana, possessing more than four ounces of marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia. They were released on $1,500 bond each and were scheduled to appear Aug. 31 in Bantam Superior Court.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Drug Use Among Teens Rose In 1997, Study Says (A Slightly Different Version Of Yesterday's 'Associated Press' Story In 'The Seattle Times' About New 1997 Statistics From The National Household Survey On Drug Abuse) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 15:36:39 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US: Drug Use Among Teens Rose In '97, Study Says Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: John Smith Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 Source: Seattle-Times (WA) Contact: opinion@seatimes.com Website: http://seattletimes.com/ Author: Eun-Kyung Kim, The Associated Press Note: The same article was also published the same date as above in: Standard-Times (MA), Contact: YourView@S-T.com; Website: http://www.s-t.com/ DRUG USE AMONG TEENS ROSE IN '97, STUDY SAYS WASHINGTON - Drug use by young people increased last year, led by rising marijuana smoking among teenagers who view it as a low-risk "soft drug," according to a government survey released yesterday. Among those ages 12 to 17, 11.4 percent reported using some illicit drug within the past month when they were surveyed last year, compared with 9 percent in 1996. The drug of choice among the group was marijuana, with 9.4 percent using it, compared to 7.1 percent the year before. The annual National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that the number of teens using heroin held steady last year. Among 12- to 17-year-olds, only 0.2 percent said they had used heroin within the past month of being surveyed, the same number as in 1996. Marijuana is popular because many teens don't see it as dangerous, said Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. Shalala traced the relaxed attitude to parents. "How many have known parents who actually are relieved when they find out that their children are using marijuana as opposed to heroin or cocaine?" Shalala said. "The perception of this country is that marijuana is safe." Parents need to inform their children that marijuana is dangerous - that it can impair learning and memory, she said. They must also be more aware of the attitude they send to their kids about drugs. The survey, an annual snapshot of illegal drug use in the nation, was conducted throughout last year by interviews with 24,500 people in their homes. Despite the increase in teen drug use, the overall use of illegal drugs in the country remained steady last year. About 6.4 percent of the population said they used drugs last year. The overall drug use rate in 1996 was 6.1 percent. Other findings from the survey: -- Teens are more likely to use illegal drugs if they already use cigarettes and alcohol. -- About 4.5 million young people ages 12 to 17 had used cigarettes within the past month. There was a significant increase among 12- to 13-year-olds, growing from 7.3 percent in 1996 to 9.7 percent last year. -- The number of teens who currently consume alcohol has remained stable since the 21 percent reported in 1992. In 1979, the rate was 50 percent. -- Marijuana continues to be the most frequently used illegal drug in the country, with about 11.1 million people, or 5.1 percent of the population, saying they had used it in the past month. -- Overall heroin use continues to increase. In 1997, there were 325,000 people who used it in the past month, or 0.2 percent of the population.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Drug Use Among Teens Rose In 1997, Survey Finds (Another Slightly Different 'Associated Press' Version In 'The Chicago Tribune') Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 14:28:20 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US: WA: Wire: Drug Use Among Teens Rose In '97, Survey Finds Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: Steve Young (theyoungfamily@worldnet.att.net) Pubdate: 22 Aug 1998 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Contact: tribletter@aol.com Website: http://www.chicago.tribune.com/ Author: Associated Press DRUG USE AMONG TEENS ROSE IN '97, SURVEY FINDS WASHINGTON -- Drug use by young people increased last year, led by rising marijuana smoking among teenagers who view it as a low-risk "soft drug," according to a government survey Friday. Among those ages 12 to 17, 11.4 percent reported using some illicit drug within the last month when they were surveyed last year, compared with 9 percent in 1996. The drug of choice among the group was marijuana, with 9.4 percent using it last year. In 1996, 7.1 percent had reported using marijuana. The annual National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that the number of teens using heroin held steady last year. Among 12- to 17-year-olds, only 0.2 percent said they had used heroin within the last month of being surveyed, the same number as in 1996. The number of first-time heroin users, however, was at an all-time high in the last year for which numbers were available, 1996. Preliminary numbers indicate 171,000 teens used heroin for the first time in 1996, up from the 117,000 who tried it in 1995. The number of first-time users of marijuana was estimated at 2.54 million in 1996, up from 2.41 million in 1995. Marijuana is popular because many teens don't see it as dangerous, said Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. Shalala traced the relaxed attitude to parents. "How many have known parents who actually are relieved when they find out that their children are using marijuana as opposed to heroin or cocaine?" Shalala asked. "The perception of this country is that marijuana safe, that it's a soft drug." Parents need to inform their children that marijuana is dangerous, that it can impair learning and memory, she said. They also must be more aware of the attitude they send to their kids about drugs. "How can we expect young people in this country to resist the lure of marijuana if the parent is transmitting messages that marijuana is OK?" she asked. The survey, an annual snapshot of illegal drug use in the nation, was conducted throughout last year by interviews with 24,500 people in their homes. Despite the increase in teen drug use, the overall use of illegal drugs in the country remained steady last year. About 14 million people, 6.4 percent of the population, said they used drugs last year. The overall rate of drug use in 1996 was 6.1 percent. Drug use among adults has been stable for years, and last year's figure is slightly more than half the peak year in 1979, when there were 25 million users.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Teen-Age Drug Use On The Rise, New Government Survey Reports ('The New York Times' Version Of Yesterday's News About The National Household Survey On Drug Abuse) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 18:00:31 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US: Teen-Age Drug Use On The Rise, New Government Survey Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: emr@javanet.com (Dick Evans) Source: New York Times (NY) Contact: letters@nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 Author: AP TEEN-AGE DRUG USE ON THE RISE, NEW GOVERNMENT SURVEY REPORTS WASHINGTON -- Drug use by young people increased last year, led by a rise in marijuana smoking among teen-agers who view it as a "soft drug," a Government survey reported Friday. Among those from age 12 to 17, 11.4 percent reported using some illicit drug within the past month when they were surveyed last year, compared with 9 percent in 1996. Their drug of choice was marijuana, with 9.4 percent saying they had used it last year, up from 7.1 percent in 1996. The annual study, the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, reported that the number of teen-agers using heroin held steady last year. Among those from 12 to 17, only 0.2 percent said they had used heroin within a month of being surveyed, the same percentage as the year before. The number of first-time heroin users, however, was at an all-time high in 1996, the last year for which numbers were available. Preliminary numbers indicated that 171,000 teen-agers used heroin for the first time in 1996, up from the 117,000 who tried it in 1995. The number of first-time users of marijuana was estimated at 2.54 million in 1996, up from 2.41 million in 1995. Marijuana is popular because many teen-agers do not see it as dangerous, said the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna E. Shalala. Dr. Shalala attributed the relaxed attitude to parents. "How many have known parents who actually are relieved when they find out that their children are using marijuana as opposed to heroin or cocaine?" she asked. "The perception of this country is that marijuana's safe, that it's a soft drug." The survey was conducted throughout 1997. Some 24,500 people were interviewed in their homes. Despite the increase in drug use by teen-agers, the overall use of illegal drugs remained steady. About 14 million people, or 6.4 percent of the population, said they had used illegal drugs last year, up only slightly from 6.1 percent in 1996. Drug use among adults has been stable for years. Last year's figure is slightly more than half what it was in the peak year of 1979, when there were 25 million users.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Teen Drug Use Continued To Increase In 1997 ('The Orange County Register' Version) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 15:41:39 -0700 From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) To: mapnews@mapinc.org Subject: MN: US: Teen Drug Use Continued To Increase In '97 Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/ Newshawk: John W.Black Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Contact: letters@link.freedom.com Website: http://www.ocregister.com/ Author:Lee Bowman-Scripps Howard News-Service TEEN DRUG USE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN '97 Social Issues:The upward trend among youth is seen in all ethnic groups and across the nation. Washington-nearly 10 percent of teen-agers smoked marijuana at least once a month last year,according to the latest federal survey of household drug use released Friday. While drug use among the overall population remained basically the same as in 1996, the survey found that 2.5 million Americans started smoking pot that year, most of them in the 12 to 17-year-old age bracket. Marijuana use in that age group rose from 7.1 percent to 9.4 percent last year, continuing a trend that started in 1992. Overall use of illicit drugs among teens rose from 9 percent in 1996 to 11.4 percent in 1997. The survey, which involves an annual canvass of 25,000 households each year, indicates that marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug, with about 60 percent of users reporting they used only pot, and an additional 20 percent saying they used it along with other drugs. "We've got children who smoke marijuana almost every day," said Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office on Drug Control Policy. "If you go back to '92 and forward to '97, it went up 275 percent." Pot use increased among all 12 to 17-year-olds, regardless of race, sex or region of the country. "None of us should think that this problem can be marginalized as being related to some community other than our own. It affects all of us," McCaffrey said. And the survey found that the percentage of teens who felt smoking marijuana once or twice a week was risky declined from 57 percent to 54 percent in a year. "As the perception of risk goes down, the rate of use goes up," said Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. "Young people choose marijuana because they don't believe it is dangerous." But, she said, "Marijuana is not safe. Our research increasingly proves that marijuana is dangerous, it impairs learning and it impairs memory." The surveys also show that overall drug use and marijuana use are still only a bit more than half the peak levels of illicit drug use reported in 1979, when there were 25 million illegal drug users, vs. an estimated 13.9 million last year.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Twist Seen In Pot Trial ('The Calgary Sun' Notes Alberta Judge Bob Davie Has Delayed Sentencing Multiple Sclerosis Patient Grant Krieger Of Saskatchewan Until October 19 To Allow His Attorney, Adriano Iovinelli, To Gather Information About The Medical Benefits Of Cannabis - Krieger Was Arrested Over A Year Ago For Sparking Up A Joint In A Protest Outside A Calgary Courthouse, But Faces Trafficking Charges Because He Admitted Giving Another Man Marijuana)From: creator@islandnet.com (Matt Elrod) To: mattalk@listserv.islandnet.com Subject: Canada: Twist Seen In Pot Trial Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 09:15:00 -0700 Lines: 38 Newshawk: creator@mapinc.org Source: Calgary Sun Contact: callet@sunpub.com Pubdate: August 22, 1998 Author: KEVIN MARTIN -- Calgary Sun TWIST SEEN IN POT TRIAL The sentencing of marijuana crusader Grant Krieger will have national -- if not international -- significance, his lawyer said yesterday. As a result, Adriano Iovinelli has been given additional time to gather evidence about the illegal narcotic's medicinal benefits. Provincial court Judge Bob Davie adjourned Krieger's sentencing until Oct. 19 to allow Iovinelli to get information. Krieger, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, is to be sentenced for possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was arrested June 26, 1997, after announcing he was going to give some of his miracle cure to a wheelchair-bound Calgary man who was about to go on trial on a drug charge. Iovinelli said outside court that Davie wants more information because of the im-pact his decision will have. "It's either going to propel the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, or it's going to stamp it out," the defence lawyer said. "This has national, if not international significance." Iovinelli is seeking a fine for his client -- a rare sentence in drug-trafficking cases. Krieger is free pending his sentencing. Copyright (c) 1998, Canoe Limited Partnership.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Judge Wants More Data On Marijuana As Medicine ('The Calgary Herald' Version) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 11:13:23 -0700 Subject: Canada: Judge wants more data on marijuana as medicine From: "Debra Harper" (daystar@shaw.wave.ca) To: mattalk (mattalk@listserv.islandnet.com) Newshawk: daystar@shaw.wave.ca Source: Calgary Herald Contact : letters@theherald.southam.ca Pubdate: Aug.22/98 Author: Daryl Slade Judge wants more data on marijuana as medicine A judge wants to hear more evidence on the medical use of marijuana before sentencing a 44-year -old man for trafficking the drug last year. ³Given the importance of a number of issues in the sentencing matter, I want to give the defence an opportunity to put everything they can before the court,² said Judge Robert Davie before adjourning Grant Kriegerıs case to Oct.19. It was the second time in the past week the case has been delayed in provincial court. Krieger, of Preeceville, Sask., who has been smoking marijuana for four years and says it moderates his multiple sclerosis symptoms, is fighting to have the drug legalized for medical purposes. He was arrested and charged in July 1997 after he lit up a joint in front of a Calgary court house. At the time he told reporters and police he planned to give some marijuana to another man in an intentional effort to bring the issue before the public eye. Krieger, who was supported in court by his daughter Lindsay and son Grant and other friends, said that before he started smoking pot he was bedridden and once attempted suicide. He is now able to walk without canes, jogs and does many other activities he previously was unable to do. Adriano Iovinelli, Kriegerıs lawyer, said outside court the judge made it clear the case has national, if not international significance. But, he added, he could not say specifically what new information will be presented at the next hearing. ³All I can say is this case goes way beyond Mr. Krieger,² said Iovinelli. ³It affects people who suffer from MS and want to use marijuana, and people who have never even considered using marijuana. It has become a national issue and there are a lot of eyes on it.² Iovinelli said there is difficulty obtaining evidence of the drugıs medicinal benefits, and hinted an expert may be brought in to testify. He has found papers written on the subject and knows of some doctors who have advised patients to use marijuana for their pain, but said there is a great difficulty in getting any medical professional to testify in court since the drug is illegal. Iovinelli earlier argued that his client should be fined and not be jailed, while Crown prosecutor Stephanie Torske argued for a ³short, sharp² sentence of 14 to 30 days. Torske said a deterrent message must be sent to the public that Krieger is not a medical practitioner and should not be distributing marijuana as medicine. Krieger said a jail sentence does not scare him and he will continue to use the drug to assist his health. But he declined to say whether he would continue to distribute it to others with health problems in the interim. ³It has provided me a much better quality of life. I got the public interested in this, because I feel itıs a valuable medicine,² said Krieger. ³Itıs a very important issue that must be addressed and Iım in it for the long term. I already have a life sentence over my head because of my illness, so itıs well worth it.² Krieger also stressed he does not plan to use any chemical forms of the drug, such as Marinol, because the chemicals in his body are already out of balance and it would throw them further out of whack. Federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan has said the issue merits a close look and officials from her department and Health Canada have formed a committee to examine what might be done to accommodate those using pot for medical reasons.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Judge Holds Off ('The Lethbridge Herald' Version) Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 12:55:03 To: Mattalk@islandnet.com From: Kathy galbraith (drkate1@telusplanet.net) Subject: Leth Herald:Judge holds off.. The Lethbridge Herald Saturday, Aug.22 Calgary - An Alberta judge has again delalyed sentencing a Saskatchewan man convicted of trafficking marijuana, saying he wants more information on the medical use of the drug. Grant Kreiger, who has multiple sclerosis, wants marijuana legalized because he says it moderates some of his symptoms. Krieger, 44, was arrested over a year ago for sparking up a joint in a protest outside a Calgary courthouse over the issue. The former salesman from Preeceville, Sask., also admitted giving another man marijuana, which brought about the trafficking charge. Krieger's lawyer, Adriano Iovinelli, said Friday that provincial court Judge Robert Davie wanted to hear more expert testimony on the case- one of several now smoldering in the courts across Canada. "The court needs some more information and more time before deciding this," said Iovinelli. "The court was very clear that this case has national, if not international, significance." Krieger claims marijuana has radically improved his quality of life since he began smoking it in 1994. Before puffing pot, he attempted suicide because he was largely crippled by MS, he said. He now walks without canes, jogs and enjoys many other activities once denied to him. Krieger wants to see a safe supply of marijuana distributed by the federal government to those who need it for medical purposes. Despite Krieger's claims, the National Institute of Health in the United States says there is only lilmited anecdotal evidence that marijuana helps relieve spasticity produced by MS. Crown prosecutor Stefne Torske has asked for a "short, sharp" sentence of between 14 and 30 days for Krieger, a first-time offender. Krieger will be back in court on Oct. 19, at which time Iovinelli said more information about the medical uses for marijuana will be presented. "If it's a light sentence, it could propel the cause or a harsher sentence could stomp it out," said Iovinelli. "It's obvious the federal Department of Justice has some big concerns about the case." An Ontario man, Terry Parker, was granted a constitutional exemption last year allowing him to smoke marijuana tohelp control his epileptic seizures. That ruling is now being appealed. Jim Wakeford, an Ontario man who has AIDS, is seeking a similar exemption. "I'm in this for the long term; I'm hoping for the best," said Krieger, who has pledged to continue smoking pot no matter what the court rules. "This issue has become bigger than me and that's what I intended." Federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan has said the issue merits a close look.
------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian Media Addresses (A List Subscriber Posts A Collection Of E-Mail Addresses For Major Canadian Newspapers, Who Want To Hear Your Thoughts About The Grant Krieger Case) From: creator@islandnet.com (Matt Elrod) To: mattalk@listserv.islandnet.com Subject: Canadian Media Addresses Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 18:11:12 -0700 Lines: 57 Here's an updated list of most of the major papers in Canada, and a few smaller ones, suitable for pasting into a Bcc: field. Thanks to Alan Randell for finding a few bad addresses in the previous version. buzz@isn.net (BuzzON), letters@theherald.southam.ca (Calgary Herald), callet@sunpub.com (Calgary Sun), cp@canpress.ca (Canadian Press), siteseer@cwconnect.ca (Chatham Daily News), Joanne.Burghardt@durhamnews.net (Durham News), letters@thejournal.southam.ca (Edmonton Journal Extra), sun.letters@ccinet.ab.ca (Edmonton Sun), letters@finpost.com (Financial Post), letters@globeandmail.ca (Globe and Mail), bowes@telusplanet.net (Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune), letterstoeditor@hfxnews.southam.ca (Halifax Daily News), newsroom@herald.ns.ca (Halifax Herald), letters@spectator.southam.ca (Hamilton Spectator), kamnews@wkpowerlink.com (Kamloops Daily News), recordletters@southam.ca (Ketchener-Waterloo Record), Kinwhig@southam.ca (Kingston Whig-Standard), lherald@lis.ab.ca (Lethbridge Herald), letters@lfpress.com (London Free Press), letters@macleans.ca (Maclean's Magazine), judyh@io.org (Mississagua News), letters@thegazette.southam.ca (Montreal Gazette), tjetg@nbnet.nb.ca (New Brunswick Telegraph Journal), letters@eveningtelegram.com (Newfoundland Evening Telegram), review@niagara.com (Niagara Falls Review), editor@nsnews.com (North Shore News), xasore@ssimicro.com (Northern News), cybered@ok.bc.ca (The Okanagan), letters@thecitizen.southam.ca (Ottawa Citizen), hilltimes@achilles.net (Ottawa Hill Times), editor@sunpub.com (Ottawa Sun), citizen@netbistro.com (Prince George Citizen), leadpt@sk.sympatico.ca (Regina Leader-Post), dan.carr@leader-post.sk.ca (Saskatchewan Leader-Post), doug.lcombe@saskstar.sk.ca (Saskatchewan Star Phoenix), ssmstar@southam.ca (The Sault Star), scarmir@metrodiv.com (Scarborough Mirror), tbeditor@mail.procom.net (Thunder Bay Post), LetterToEd@thestar.com (Toronto Star), editor@sunpub.com (Toronto Sun), rshore@vanecho.com (Vancouver Echo), provedpg@pacpress.southam.ca (Vancouver Province), sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca (Vancouver Sun), vicstar@atcon.com (Victoria Standard), timesc@interlink.bc.ca (Victoria Times Colonist), letters@win.southam.ca (Windsor Star), letters@freepress.mb.ca (Winnipeg Free Press), steverob@yknet.yk.ca (Yukon News) -------------------------------------------------------------------
[End]
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