-------------------------------------------------------------------

Stealing Newborn Children Due To Cannabis (D. Paul Stanford,
a chief petitioner for the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, explains how poor
expectant mothers who have to use the Oregon Health Plan for their primary
health insurance can avoid secret drug testing in the doctor's office and
hospital that would incite the state of Oregon to steal their children.)

Delivered-To: fixup-restore@crrh.org@fixme
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 11:34:18 -0800
To: (restore@crrh.org)
From: "D. Paul Stanford" (stanford@crrh.org)
From: "CRRH mailing list" (restore@crrh.org)
Subject: stealing newborn children due to cannabis

I am forwarding this e-mail I just received to the restore@crrh.org list
because this situation is an all too frequent occurrence these days, the
government comes and takes away a women's newborn child because she has
tested positive for cannabis. They give the new mother this urine test and
the mother doesn't even know she is being screened for cannabis use until a
positive comes in.

This is happening all over Oregon. I recall a newspaper article last year
about a state employee that quoted the state "social" worker about how she
had taken a child away from its mother. The state worker ridiculed the
mother in the pages of the newspaper when the poor mother said she had only
smoked cannabis once, the state worker told the newspaper, "Why only once?"
like this was not a mitigating factor.

This is reminiscent of the way Native Americans have had their children
forcibly stolen and forced into western culture boarding schools.

This message includes my comments to her. She now is subscribed to the list
so you may want to give her further suggestions. I have taken out her name
and other identifying information to protect her.

>Dear CRRH,
>
>I have a problem and was hoping you'd be able to provide me some
>information.
>
>I was president of XXXX and have been very active in petitioning. I have
also ran a small
>hemp goods retail business,XXXXX, for 5 years.
>
>I am currently pregnent, and have health insurance through OHP. The
>doctor's office that I was recommended to claims that they are required
>legally to give me a mandatory UA for marijuana consumption. They did
>this after I had given them my urine. They then stated if it is
>positive for marijana they will send me to Xan OregonX County Drug
>Enforcement agency. She also gave threats about what would happen if I
>tested positive at birth.

First, my condolences to you and I am sorry that the intrusive arm of our
drug war has intruded into your pregnancy. These kinds of things upset me a
great deal.

I recommend you drop that doctor right now. Change clinics, change health
plans and care providers. In making a change, you can pick another
physician. My wife and I had a child while we were on the OHP. We decided
to have a naturopathic physician help with a home birth, which worked very
well for us. OHP covered the naturopathic's fees. No cannabis testing UAs.

Actually, as I am sure you are aware, cannabis helps alleviate many of the
discomforts of pregnancy and childbirth. Cannabis has an ancient history as
a medicine for women's health problems.

>I am not against not smoking for the health of my baby, but neither the
>doctors office could give me negative effects, nor has my own research
>provided any major medical impacts.
>
>I feel as if I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you have any
>information on whether these are fair practices by this office in the
>state of Oregon, or have any ideas on where I could go for information
>it would be very helpful.
>
>Thank you,
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

***

In our case, we knew about this before the pregnancy and made plans so my
wife would not be tested for cannabis by the government. We planned in
advance to get off the health plan and get back on during the pregnancy, so
we could choose our own doctor.

If you would like to talk about this on our TV show, we would love to
interview you about this situation. We need to expose this to the public.
Let me know if you are interested in "going public" on this. Please let me
know if we can interview you.

Unfortunately, many women have faced this dilemma over the past decade, yet
very few are aware it is going on until something like this. Watch out.
They can steal your child over this. I recommend that you immediately seek
another doctor.

Yours truly,
D. Paul Stanford

***

We are working to regulate and tax adult marijuana sales, allow doctors to
prescribe cannabis and allow the unregulated production of industrial hemp!

***

To subscribe, unsubscribe or switch to immediate or digest mode, please send
your instructions to restore-owner@crrh.org.

***

Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp
CRRH ; P.O. Box 86741
Portland, OR 97286
Phone: (503) 235-4606
Fax: (503) 235-0120
Web: http://www.crrh.org/

***

From: DonldFitch@aol.com
From: "CRRH mailing list" (restore@crrh.org)
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 16:01:34 EST
To: stanford@crrh.org, restore@crrh.org
Subject: Re: stealing newborn children due to cannabis

Reminds me of the "Dirty War" in Argentina. In addition to all the
disappeared, taking children from their parents was one of the atrocities.
We have a Dirty War going here too, complete with atrocities.

Donald Fitch

***

Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 22:43:32 -0800
From: Oregonians for Personal Privacy (opp@efn.org)
From: "CRRH mailing list" (restore@crrh.org)
Reply-To: opp@efn.org
To: DonldFitch@aol.com
CC: stanford@crrh.org, restore@crrh.org
Subject: Re: stealing newborn children due to cannabis

The nazis took children in order to "raise the right in good homes"
How far are we away?

The War on Drugs is but an Excuse to Wage War for Societal Control

END PROHIBITION - RE-LEGALIZE

***

Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 11:42:08 EST
From: HSL123@aol.com
Subject: FWD stealing newborn children due to cannabis

This message is so disturbing that all I can say is that you Europeans
(and Canadians!) had best be sure your own drug warriors don't come for
your children.

Howard

-------------------------------------------------------------------

CRRH e-mail list, TV show and more (D. Paul Stanford of the Campaign
for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp invites people interested in
cannabis-related issues to join the CRRH e-mail list. Plus, find out about
CRRH's weekly 30-minute cable television show in Oregon called "Cannabis
Common Sense," and the online video library maintained by CRRH.)

Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 17:23:36 -0800
To: (cp@telelists.com)
From: "D. Paul Stanford" (stanford@crrh.org)
Subject: [cp] CRRH e-mail list, TV show and more.

Dear list subscribers,

You may be interested in joining our restore@crrh.org e-mail list. Our list
now stands at 730 subscribers. The list is moderated to ensure less spam and
list administrative requests. The recent posts to this list also appear on our
Usenet newsgroup: alt.hemp.octa.

If you would like to get each post to the restore list sent as a separate
e-mail as soon as it is posted to the list, send a message to
restore-owner@crrh.org with the word immediate in the subject or message. If
you would prefer the digest, a once-a-day compilation of posts to the list,
send your digest instructions to restore-owner@crrh.org.

CRRH has a weekly 30 minute TV show here in Oregon on cable TV called "Cannabis
Common Sense." In Portland, CCS runs primarily at 10:30 PM on Sunday nights on
cable channel 11, but each show runs 3 times each week in Portland. The local
schedule can be seen at http://www.pcatv.org/programming/tac.htm#m1038_.

Our TV show CCS plays in other communities periodically, when local activists
want to take it in and get it scheduled. We've been doing it weekly for two
years now. Portland attorney Paul Loney and I are co-hosts. We have guests and
read news stories concerning cannabis and the drug war. The show currently
generates about 20-30 new potential activist phone calls to our office per
week.

CRRH has 20 of the older CCS shows currently available for viewing on the web
at http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_ccs.html. I have a backlog of about 40
more CCS shows to encode now, and I will be updating the page above with more
CCS shows soon.

If anyone is interested in getting CCS on the public access cable channels in
your area, drop us an e-mail and we can do it. If you are going to be in
Portland and would like to be a guest, let us know.

We need your support. If you can help our campaign, please fill out our
volunteer form at http://www.crrh.org/volunteer/form.html. Please make a
credit card donation to CRRH at our secure web server
https://astro.ssl-servers.com/pantless/octa.htm, or send your check or money
order to the P.O. Box below.

Thank you and together we will restore hemp and cannabis to our economy.

Yours truly,
D. Paul Stanford

***

We are working to regulate and tax adult marijuana sales, allow doctors to
prescribe cannabis and allow the unregulated production of industrial hemp!

Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp
CRRH
P.O. Box 86741
Portland, OR 97286
Phone: (503) 235-4606
Fax: (503) 235-0120
Web: http://www.crrh.org/

***

To subscribe to the Constitutional Cannabis Patriots
send a blank message to join-cp@telelists.com

Posting:To post to the Constitutional Cannabis Patriots
send e-mail to cp@telelists.com

Constitutional Cannabis Patriots
http://www.teleport.com/~nepal/canpat.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------

$20 million damages against drug company upheld (The Associated Press says
the Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld the punitive damages assessed
by a jury after Douglas Axen of Multnomah County went blind from taking
amiodarone, manufactured by American Home Products' pharmaceutical division,
Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, under the brand name Cordarone.)

Associated Press
found at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/
feedback (letters to the editor):
feedback@thewire.ap.org

The Associated Press
2/10/99 7:45 PM

By CHARLES E. BEGGS

Associated Press Writer

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld $20
million in punitive damages against a pharmaceutical company because a man
went blind after taking the firm's heart drug.

In the case from Multnomah County, Douglas Axen claimed that American Home
Products failed to give adequate warnings about known vision risks linked to
the medicine.

The drug amiodarone was manufactured by American Home's pharmaceutical
division, Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, under the brand name Cordarone.

Repeated telephone calls to lawyers for the company about possibly appealing
the ruling were not returned Wednesday.

Axen began taking the drug in August 1994 and the following month started
noticing vision changes.

At the time, written material furnished with the drug said an optic nerve
inflammation called neuritis was a potential but rare adverse reaction to
the medicine.

But the material didn't mention optic neuropathy, which afflicted Axen, or
that loss of vision was a possible side effect of the drug.

Problems were discovered in both of Axen's eyes, and he stopped taking the
drug. But his sight continued deteriorating and he eventually was diagnosed
as legally blind due to neuropathy, which severely damages the optic nerve.

There was sufficient evidence, a three-member appeals court panel
unanimously ruled, for the jury to find that American Home knew of the link
between Cordarone and the serious eye problem and "made a conscious choice
not to warn of optic neuropathy."

The court went on to say there was evidence to show that the company's
"choice not to warn of optic neuropathy was driven, at least in part, by
financial concerns related to its ability to market the product."

The jury awarded the damages in 1997 in a Multnomah County Circuit Court trial.

Among the evidence admitted in the trial was what company lawyers called a
"vitriolic" news release against the company that was issued by U.S. Sen. Edward
Kennedy in 1990.

Kennedy criticized Wyeth-Ayerst's marketing of Cordarone "beyond approved
indications for the drug" and possibly putting patients at risk. The drug
went on the market in 1985.

The company tried to prevent use of the news release in the trial on grounds
it was prejudicial and hearsay but was overruled by the low court.

The appeals court also rejected the firm's argument that the punitive damage
award was unconstitutionally excessive.

The damages weren't out of line, the court said, "given the gravity of (the
company's) conduct, the extent of the economic and noneconomic damages
suffered by plaintiffs and the seriousness with which actions such as those
by the company) are viewed."

(c)1999 Oregon Live LLC

Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Police want to pull plug on live broadcasts (The Oregonian version)

The Oregonian
Contact: letters@news.oregonian.com
1320 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
Fax: 503-294-4193
Website: http://www.oregonlive.com/
Forum: http://forums.oregonlive.com/

Police want to pull plug on live broadcasts

* Union representatives lobby the Legislature for a ban on live television
coverage of tactical operations

Wednesday February 10, 1999

By James Mayer
of The Oregonian staff

SALEM -- Tom Mack was one of the first Portland police officers to crawl
into the KOIN Tower after a gunman holed up in the building in January 1996.

Mack hid behind a wall -- and noticed a TV camera pointed right at him.
Later, watching the videotape, he realized he easily could have been shot if
the scene had been broadcast live and the gunman was watching.

KOIN chose not to broadcast live, but Mack worries that a TV news director
directing coverage of some future police drama might put the story ahead of
officer safety.

"My fear is someone would not choose to take the high road," he said Tuesday
at the Capitol. "I want to go home to my family."

Mack, secretary-treasurer of the Portland Police Association, joined other
police union representatives Tuesday to lobby the Oregon Legislature for a
bill outlawing live TV broadcasts of police tactical operations.

The proposed measure, which proponents said would be the first of its kind
in the nation, also would ban aircraft from flying within 1,000 feet of such
an operation.

"We have situations where a suspect is barricaded inside a home and could
easily be watching a broadcast of live operations on a television, thus
revealing the location of officers and the public to the suspect," said Liz
Cruthers, president of the Oregon Council of Police Associations.

"My position behind a wall or a tree does me no good," Cruthers said.
"Bullets go right through it."

Portland television stations worked out a deal with the city after the fatal
shooting of Officer Colleen Waibel last year during a drug raid. The intense
coverage from news helicopters drew an angry tongue-lashing from Police
Chief Charles Moose. After lengthy negotiations, the stations agreed to
avoid live broadcasts of tactical police operations and to keep helicopters
one mile away.

Although no stations signed the agreement, broadcasters said it provides
enough protection.

"Clearly, legislation is not needed and may well do more harm than good,"
said Bill Johnstone, executive director of the Oregon Association of
Broadcasters. "Legislation would encroach unnecessarily on constitutional
protections for freedom of the press."

But Cruthers said officers don't want to rely on voluntary agreements.
"Officers don't feel comfortable trusting the media," she said.

Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, chairman of the House Judiciary Criminal Law
Committee, said he would hold hearings on the bill after it is introduced.

The measure will include a $10,000 fine for violators and immunity from
civil lawsuits for stations that obey. "We have a carrot and a stick for the
media," Mannix said.

But John Sears, news director of KPTV (12) in Portland, would have none of
it. Sears attended the Capitol news conference held by the union and tried
to engage Mannix in a debate about the issue, demanding to know why he
thought voluntary agreements wouldn't work.

Mannix deflected many of Sears' questions, saying that all the issues would
be examined in public hearings and that lawmakers might conclude that
voluntary agreements are the way to go. But he said some statewide standard
is needed.

Sears pointed out that only Portland stations have helicopters, and they
have all agreed to stay a mile away from tactical police operations, no
matter where in Oregon the operations occur.

Cruthers said police officers also are concerned about broadcasting taped
coverage of their activities. "If you educate the crooks about exactly what
your tactics are, that puts us in danger," she said.

But Brian DeLashmutt, a lobbyist for the police associations, said the bill
was being rewritten to take out language dealing with taping.

"We are primarily concerned about live broadcasts," DeLashmutt said.

Larry Campbell, a lobbyist for the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police,
said the association does not have a position on the issue yet, but he noted
that the voluntarily agreements appear to be working.

David Fidanque, director of the Oregon chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union, said the proposal amounts to prior restraint of free speech
and probably wouldn't pass constitutional muster.

"I certainly understand the concern of the police," Fidanque said. "I think
there are a lot of people who would like to ban (news) helicopters, period,
as a blight on society, and frankly, I'm probably one of them. I just don't
think you can do that under our system."

You can reach reporter James Mayer at 221-8234 or by e-mail at
jamesmayer@news.oregonian.com.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

DEA Employee Kills Himself in Field Office (The Los Angeles Times says
Charles Carlon, a civilian employee of the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration, suspected of using his computer to download child
pornography, shot himself to death Sunday at the agency's Los Angeles
field office.)

From: "Bob Owen@W.H.E.N." (when@olywa.net)
To: "_Drug Policy --" (when@hemp.net)
Subject: DEA Employee Kills Himself in Field Office
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 18:56:41 -0800
Sender: owner-when@hemp.net

Wednesday, February 10, 1999
LA Times

DEA Employee Kills Himself in Field

LOS ANGELES--A civilian employee of the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration, suspected of using his computer to download child
pornography, shot himself to death Sunday at the agency's Los Angeles field
office.

DEA officials said Tuesday that Charles Carlon, 41, fired a bullet into
his head while alone in a room waiting to be interrogated.

He apparently died instantly.

Federal law makes it a felony punishable by five years or more in
prison to download child pornography from the Internet.

A spokesman said investigators from the DEA's Office of Professional
Responsibility and the head of the agency's Los Angeles office, Michele
Leonhart, discovered Carlon's body shortly after 11 a.m. in a training room
on the 20th floor of the Roybal federal building.

A 45-caliber weapon was found beside him. The gun was Carlon's personal
property and registered in his name, the DEA spokesman said. Civilian
employees are not authorized to carry weapons.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office listed his death as a suicide.

Carlon, who lived in Long Beach, had been employed by the DEA since
1992, most recently as a computer technician.

The DEA would not comment on the investigation that preceded his
suicide, except to say that it is continuing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Legalize, Then Tax Drugs (A letter to the editor of the Austin
American-Statesman, in Texas, says that in order to understand what happened
to the unkept promises of progress for racial minorities in the 1960s, one
has to consider the history of prohibition and today's illicit drug trade,
which was spawned in the '60s. Prohibition is a recipe for disaster, which is
what we have. If you want to start healing the damage, by all means teach
personal responsibility, but teach by example, by first legalizing, taxing
and regulating all drugs, gambling and other vices, so that users, not the
purveyor or the state, are solely responsible for the consequences of their
behavior.)

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 08:54:18 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US TX: PUB LTE: Legalize, Then Tax Drugs
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 1999 Cox Interactive Media, Inc.
Contact: letters@statesman.com
Website: http://www.Austin360.com/
Author: Carrol J. Wallace

LEGALIZE, THEN TAX DRUGS

Like the governor, I, too, wondered why the promise of the '60s wasn't
fulfilled for minorities. It didn't make any sense until I asked
myself what was so different about that time. Then, I remembered my
own fierce anger with a government that was sending kids off to die
for no good reason, which in turn prompted a rejection of old values,
and experimentation with illicit drugs. Now I could start to
understand what happened.

The illicit drug trade as we know it today, was spawned in the '60s.
Now, after 30 years of government intervention which has only made it
stronger, that vicious trade lives in the poorest neighborhoods,
driven there by more prosperous folks who don't want it in their
backyard, and like the worst kind of attractive nuisance, it pulls in
young kids who are vulnerable to the lure of easy money and prestige.

Add to the mix insane seizure laws and a legion of zealous cops who
know where the easiest busts are, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Which, with 50 percent of all young black men and more than 30 percent
of young Hispanic men either incarcerated or carrying police records
for drug offenses, is just what we have; a disaster that will impact
the neighborhoods of these young men, not just now, but for
generations to come.

So if you want to start healing the damage, by all means teach
personal responsibility, but teach by example, by first legalizing,
taxing and regulating all drugs, gambling and other assorted vices, so
that users, not the purveyor or the state, are solely responsible for
the consequences of their behavior.

CARROL J. WALLACE

Belton

-------------------------------------------------------------------

DEA Bust Leads To School Bus Crash (According to UPI, the Drug Enforcement
Administration says a car containing 50 kilograms of cocaine and a special
agent's unmarked car both hit a school bus in Yonkers, New York, during a
chase, sending 28 children and the driver to the hospital.)

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 23:11:49 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US NY: Wire: DEA Bust Leads To School Bus Crash
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: United Press International
Copyright: 1999 United Press International

DEA BUST LEADS TO SCHOOL BUS CRASH

NEW YORK, - The Drug Enforcement Agency says a car
containing 50 kilograms of cocaine and a special agent's unmarked car
both hit a school bus in Yonkers during a chase, sending 28 children
and the driver to the hospital.

A DEA spokeswoman says the children suffered bumps, bruises and minor
scrapes, and 24 of them were released on Thursday evening.

She says the driver was fleeing from a bust that occurred at 262nd
Street and Broadway in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

One suspect was arrested at the scene, and the other fled up Broadway
in his car, hitting a Yonkers police sergeant in the leg. The sergeant
fired three shots.

The spokeswoman says the two cars crashed into the school bus at
Southport Way and Cayrl Avenue in Yonkers.

Both suspects will be arraigned in Manhattan federal court
Thursday.

The sergeant's leg is bruised and possibly sprained.

The bus driver was taken to the hospital with a sore neck.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Lemmy Motorhead Frontman Lemmy Wants Drugs Legalised (According to World
Entertainment News Network, the hard rock icon said, "I can't understand why
people are so stupid as to put kids in jail for smoking a few joints."
However, Lemmy draws the line at decriminalising heroin.)

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 08:17:25 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US: Lemmy Motorhead Frontman Lemmy Wants Drugs Legalised
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: World Entertainment News Network
Copyright: 1999 The World Entertainment News Network.

LEMMY MOTORHEAD FRONTMAN LEMMY WANTS DRUGS LEGALISED

The outspoken rocker says people will always want to take drugs and
legalising them will prevent youngsters going to prison for what he
sees as minor offences.

Lemmy says, "If you put a kid in jail for smoking dope, he's gonna
learn how to be a real criminal 'cos prison's a school for crime.

"I can't understand why people are so stupid as to put kids in jail
for smoking a few joints. They come out as fully-fledged safe- breakers."

However, Lemmy draws the line at decriminalising heroin. He says, "It
should be like it was when you could get it on prescription if you
really needed it."

He adds, "People should stop persisting with this terrible bogeyman of
drugs in the public eye, 'cos if every they wanted to legalise it the
public outcry would stop them. It's very, very foolish. Even the
generation who are making all these laws did drugs.

"Yeah, right. BILL CLINTON didn't inhale and he had a bw job and
didn't come. He's got a good record for not doing things."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Woman Tests D.C.'S Ban On Medicinal Use Of Marijuana (An Associated Press
article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer notes multiple sclerosis patient
Renee Emry Wolfe is being prosecuted for lighting up a joint in the office
of Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla.)

Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 18:07:28 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US DC: Woman Tests D.C.'S Ban
On Medicinal Use Of Marijuana
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project
http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: John Smith
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)
Copyright: 1999 Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Contact: editpage@seattle-pi.com
Website: http://www.seattle-pi.com/
Author: Catherine Strong, The Associated Press

WOMAN TESTS D.C.'S BAN ON MEDICINAL USE OF MARIJUANA

Washington - The government's ban on using marijuana for medicinal
purposes will be tested in the nation's capital as a woman suffering
from multiple sclerosis stands trial for lighting a joint in a
congressman's office.

Renee Emry Wolfe said taking a few puffs of marijuana is the only way
she gets relief when her muscles go into spasm from the disease she
has had for two decades.

For Wolfe, "having a joint is like an asthmatic having a bronchial
inhaler," said her attorney, Jeff Orchard.

Last Sept. 15, Wolfe lighted a marijuana cigarette in the office of
Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., to bring attention to the issue of medical
marijuana.

"This patient has run out of patience," Wolfe, a 38-year-old mother of
three from Ann Arbor, Mich., said in an interview.

"It's an uphill battle that I'm fighting," she said after Superior
Court Judge Anita Josey-Herring set an April 26 trial date. "I feel
that if I have to talk to every judge in this country to get things
changed, I will."

Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office here,
said prosecutors are pushing the case because "possession of marijuana
is against the law" in the District of Columbia.

There is a growing national debate over the use of marijuana for
medical reasons.

Voters in six states -- California, Arizona, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada
and Washington -- have approved measures in the last few years
allowing use of marijuana for medical reasons. Congress barred the
District of Columbia from counting of voting results from a similar
ballot initiative last fall.

The New England Journal of Medicine has editorialized in favor of
medical marijuana and the American Medical Association, altering its
policy, voted to urge the National Institutes of Health to support
more research on the subject.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Medical Marijuana: Movement Finds Unexpected Ally (The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS
Report says this week's National Journal, published by Kaiser, reports that
former Reagan administration aide Lyn Nofziger has penned a laudatory
foreword to the new book "Marijuana Rx: The Patients' Fight for Medical Pot."
Nofziger writes that he obtained "marijuana illegally to help his daughter
ease the effects of the chemotherapy used to treat her lymph cancer.")

From: Mireille Jacobson (MJacobson@sorosny.org)
To: TLC_CANNABIS (TLCCANNABIS@sorosny.org)
Subject: A few words from Kaiser on medical marijuana and
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 10:59:07 -0500
Sender: owner-tlc-cannabis@mailhost.soros.org

KAISER DAILY HIV/AIDS REPORT
A news service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
http://report.kff.org/aidshiv/

Wednesday, February 10, 1999


#2 MEDICAL MARIJUANA: MOVEMENT FINDS UNEXPECTED ALLY

This week's National Journal reports that medical marijuana
activists are "buoyant" over an unexpected and newfound ally:
former Reagan administration aide and self-described "right-wing"
GOPer Lyn Nofziger has penned a laudatory foreword to the new
book "Marijuana Rx: The Patients' Fight for Medical Pot."
Nofziger writes that he obtained "marijuana illegally to help his
daughter ease the effects of the chemotherapy used to treat her
lymph cancer." The National Journal writes that a "clearly
happy" Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said Nofziger's
move was "a surprise to most of us" (National Journal, 2/6
issue).

***

The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report is published for The Henry J.
Kaiser Family Foundation by National Journal Group Inc.
Copyright 1999 by National Journal Group Inc., 1501 M St., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20005. All rights reserved.
Phone: 202-672-5990, Fax: 202-672-5767
E-mail: report@kff.org
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Patricia Miller
EDITOR: Amy Paulson
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Rosalee Sanchez
STAFF WRITERS: Kathleen Donohue, Jeff Dufour, Rachel Kennedy,
Allison Morgan, Adam Pasick

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Schools To Get Tough On Drugs (The Daily Courier, in Kelowna, British
Columbia, says that in response to more students showing up stoned and drunk
in local classrooms, the school district will unveil an innovative anti-drug
program tonight that promises to help teenage drug users kick their habit,
curtail distribution and educate students before they start experimenting.
The new, improved program is based on an existing anti-drug initiative in
schools, but will have a lot more money behind it. Of the 1,300 suspensions
of up to 10 days handed to students last year, about 50 were due to drug use
or trafficking in school. Of the 68 students suspended for 10 days or more
last year, a dozen were drug-related and another dozen showed up drunk.)

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 09:56:06 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Canada: Schools To Get Tough On Drugs
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: The Daily Courier (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada)
Copyright: 1999 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Page: Front Page
Website: http://www.ok.bc.ca/dc/
Contact: Ross.Freake@ok.bc.ca
Author: Don Plant

SCHOOLS TO GET TOUGH ON DRUGS

More Showing Up Stoned And Drunk In The Classroom

Life won't be the same for high-school druggies starting tomorrow.

The school district will unveil an innovative anti-drug program tonight
that promises to help teenage drug users kick their habit, curtail
distribution and educate students before they start experimenting.

The new, improved program is based on an existing anti-drug initiative in
schools, but will have a lot more money behind it.

"We've taken the one-dollar version and made it the five-dollar version.
It's the full meal deal," said Dave Carter, director of instruction for
Student Support services. "We've been working on this for five months.
I've got a few grey hairs from it."

No one is releasing details about the program, but the Rotary Club of
Kelowna has promised a chunk of financial support. The RCMP and
CrimeStoppers are also involved.

The drug and alcohol problem in area schools is no greater than other
districts in the province, said Carter. But the problems associated with
drug use in a small city are here, "and we've got to deal with it," he said.

OUC professor Marvin Krank will open tonight's meeting at Martin Education
Centre with results of research study he conducted into drug-use patterns
of local children. He surveyed 1,500 students in Grades 7 to 12 in
1997-98, asking them detailed questions about the drugs they used and how
often they used them. The students weren't required to reveal their names,
ensuring more accuracy in their answers.

Their drugs of choice are marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin, magic
mushrooms and acid, said Carter, but Krank won't announce results of his
survey until tonight.

The drug problem in area schools is growing. Marijuana is now cheaper than
alcohol, and more students are showing up stoned in class than ever. Their
behaviour is costing them class time, principals are handling out more
suspensions because of drug use.

Of the 1,300 suspensions of up to 10 days handed to students last year,
about 50 were due to drug use or trafficking in school. Of the 68 students
suspended for 10 days or more last year a dozen were drug-related and
another dozen showed up drunk, said Carter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Clinton Faces Thorny Issues In Mexico Visit (Reuters says U.S. President
Clinton is set to visit Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo this weekend to
discuss the thorny issues of drug trafficking, illegal immigration and border
pollution.)

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 23:11:48 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US: Wire: Clinton Faces Thorny Issues In Mexico Visit
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: Reuters
Copyright: 1999 Reuters Limited.
Author: Richard Jacobsen

CLINTON FACES THORNY ISSUES IN MEXICO VISIT

MEXICO CITY, - U.S. President Bill Clinton is set to travel this weekend to
Mexico after his expected acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial to face
the thorny issues of drug trafficking, illegal immigration and border
pollution.

Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, are due to arrive late
on Sunday in the Yucatan city of Merida, not far from famous Mayan
pyramids at Chichen Itza and the popular Caribbean beach getaway of
Cancun.

Clinton's visit with Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, scheduled to
last about 24 hours, is not expected to produce major bilateral
agreements. But it may help smooth Mexican ire over U.S. criticism of
Mexico's anti-drugs efforts and the flow of undocumented workers
across the two countries' 2,000-mile (3,300 km) border.

"I assume this meeting is just another way of showing interest in what
happens in Mexico on the part of the U.S.," said Sidney Weintraub, a
Washington-based economist at the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies. "For the Mexicans, to have that interest being
shown I assume is their main concern."

The Mexican press has been filled in recent days with indignation over
the annual U.S. debate on whether to certify that Mexico is doing its
part to stem the flow of Mexican marijuana and amphetamines and
Colombian cocaine across the border.

Clinton has until March 1 to report to Congress on whether Mexico and
other countries are worthy of receiving U.S. aid in fighting drug
trafficking. Clinton has granted Mexico such certification in the face
of strong opposition from some members of Congress every year since
taking office in 1993.

Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Labastida was in Washington on
Wednesday to give U.S. officials details of a Mexican programme
unveiled last week for a "total war" on drug trafficking. The $500
million programme includes X-ray searches at border checkpoints for
hidden drug stashes.

The programme is expected to be highlighted in the Merida meeting
among other signs of joint U.S.-Mexico anti-drugs cooperation, helping
Clinton sell certification to Congress and Zedillo stress his
government's active role in the war on drugs, analysts said.

"It will work for President Zedillo by helping him gain legitimacy
abroad as well as here in his country," said Joel Estudillo, an
analyst with the Mexican Institute for Political Studies. "And it
benefits Clinton by forwarding a policy he has defended: that Mexico
is doing its (anti-drugs) work."

Five years after Mexico joined Canada and the United States in the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), border trade, pollution
and immigration issues are expected to be addressed in Merida. But few
new initiatives are foreseen.

Mexico and human rights groups have raised increased concern over the
recent surge in deaths from dehydration, exposure and drowning of
Mexicans trying to enter the United States since Washington clamped
down on illegal immigration hot spots, prompting the migrants to take
more dangerous routes.

Human rights activists on Wednesday set up 360 white crosses in Mexico
City's main square, saying each represented a migrant who had died
since 1994 while trying to cross the border into California.

"Crossing the border illegally should not be a death sentence," said
Claudia Smith, border project director for the California Rural Legal
Assistance Foundation. "It is not a question of whether we have a
right to control the border. But we must do so in a manner that
minimizes, not maximizes, the threat to life."

Clinton originally was due to tour reconstruction efforts in Central
America following the devastation caused last October by Hurricane
Mitch before coming to Mexico. But that leg of the visit was postponed
to March 8-11 to allow Clinton to remain in Washington for Thursday's
expected Senate vote on the two articles of impeachment against him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Mexico Strains Drug Ally Status (The Washington Post says Mexico has produced
such dismal results in combating drug trafficking in the past year that
Mexican and U.S. officials say they are braced for an aggressive attempt by
the U.S. Congress to decertify its southern neighbor as an ally in the drug
war and add it to the "black list" of nations judged failures in the antidrug
effort.)

Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 15:58:57 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: US WP: Mexico Strains Drug Ally Status
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: rlake@mapinc.org
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 1999 The Washington Post Company
Page: A01 - Front Page
Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Mail: 1150 15th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20071
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Authors: John Ward Anderson and Douglas Farah, Washington Post Foreign Service
Note: Anderson reported from Mexico, Farah from Washington. Correspondent
Molly Moore in Mexico City also contributed.

MEXICO STRAINS DRUG ALLY STATUS

CONGRESS MAY LIFT CERTIFICATION

Mexico has produced such dismal results in combating drug trafficking in
the past year that Mexican and U.S. officials say they are braced for an
aggressive attempt by the U.S. Congress to decertify its southern neighbor
as an ally in the drug war and add it to the "black list" of nations judged
failures in the antidrug effort.

By almost any measure, Mexico made no significant progress in reducing drug
trafficking and corruption in 1998, and in many categories actually showed
poorer results than in the previous year, according to U.S. officials and a
review of U.S. performance expectations. Even some Mexican officials agreed.

"What grade do you give them if they have really done nothing?" said a U.S.
official involved in monitoring Mexico's anti-drug efforts. "You would have
to give them a D-minus or an F."

In Mexico last year, seizures of cocaine, marijuana and heroin fell
significantly. Drug arrests declined, and the number of drug investigations
either underway or completed dropped 14 percent from 1997. There was a drop
in the number of poppy fields destroyed and clandestine drug laboratories
that were found and dismantled. Confiscations of drug-carrying cars, trucks
and boats also declined. Seizures of ephedrine, the key ingredient in
methamphetamine -- commonly known as speed -- and of opium gum, a poppy
residue used to make heroin, were just over half the number of 1997.

Even worse, in the view of many U.S. officials, was Mexico's failure to
show progress in several critical measures that are considered the true
gauge of its resolve to combat the illegal drug trade: No major
Mexican-born drug kingpin has ever been extradited to the United States;
the country's new money-laundering laws have yielded only one conviction;
and corruption continues to pervade the government, including within elite
units specially trained or vetted by the U.S. military, CIA and law
enforcement agencies.

The country's two main illegal drug organizations -- the Tijuana and Juarez
cartels -- still operate with few restraints. A third, the once dismantled
Gulf cartel, is back in business. And even when kingpins were arrested,
they often evaded justice. In one recent case, sources said, a top
lieutenant in the Juarez cartel allegedly paid millions in bribes to
Mexican army officials to be released from jail.

Today, drug and money-laundering charges filed against three alleged
methamphetamine kingpins who were captured by Mexican police -- the Amezcua
brothers of Guadalajara -- were dismissed. One of the brothers is in jail
on a weapons conviction; the other two are being held largely on the
strength of extradition requests from the United States. On Monday, a
federal judge in Mexico City ruled against the extradition of one of the
brothers.

One of the year's biggest law enforcement disappointments stemmed from a
U.S. sting operation that Mexico said was conducted without its knowledge.
After U.S. Customs charged 26 Mexican bankers with money-laundering
following an undercover operation called the Casablanca sting, some Mexican
officials threatened to indict and seek the extradition of the U.S. agents
involved on charges that they violated Mexican sovereignty while working
undercover in Mexico. On Sunday, Mexico denied a U.S. request to extradite
five Mexican bankers charged in the case.

Mexican officials said they interpret the record differently. They said,
for example, that as a consequence of tougher law enforcement, large plane
loads of cocaine no longer traverse Mexico because drug traffickers have
switched to safer routes through Caribbean Sea lanes -- a shift that could
explain the reduction in Mexican cocaine seizures last year.

Mexican officials noted that of the 10 people on Mexico's list of
most-wanted kingpins when President Ernesto Zedillo took office, six are in
prison and another is dead. Only the three Arellano Felix brothers --
leaders of the Tijuana cartel -- remain at large.

"Of course we cannot destroy all the cartels in one day, but we are working
in a clean, honest, loyal and especially in a very intensive way, risking
our lives, risking everything and working very hard to fight organized
crime," said Eduardo Ibarrola, a top official in the Mexican attorney
general's office.

How well Mexico has done in the drug war is more than an academic debate.
Under U.S. law, the president must certify by March 1 of every year whether
countries that are major drug producers or transshipment areas are "fully
cooperating" in the drug war. If not, those nations lose a host of economic
and trade benefits. The White House also has the option of decertifying a
country while waiving the sanctions in the national interest.

President Clinton, who plans to visit Mexico for meetings with Zedillo on
Feb. 14 and 15, is expected to approve Mexico's certification. But
administration officials are concerned that Mexico's weak 1998 record will
prompt a concerted effort by some members of Congress to overturn that
decision. Last year, the list of decertified countries included Iran,
Nigeria, Afghanistan and Burma.

Members of Congress point to the administration's 12-point checklist for
certifying Mexico and say that almost none of the objectives -- such as
extraditing Mexican drug traffickers, curbing corruption and prosecuting
more drug kingpins -- have been met.

Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Criminal
Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, has said there would be strong
support this year to overturn Mexico's certification. Short of that, he
said, Congress might "look very specifically at international trade issues
to get leverage to ensure action" by Mexico. "Mexico has made only minimal
progress," Mica said. "They have been heavy on the rhetoric and light on
the action."

Senior administration officials said they know they are facing a hard sell
on Capitol Hill. "Opponents of certification require more than good faith
efforts from Mexico -- they want results, including extraditions of Mexican
nationals, more prosecutions of corrupt officials and more than paper
agreements about cooperative law enforcement arrangements," said an
internal White House document obtained by The Washington Post.

"Without strong statistical evidence, our supporters [in Congress who back
certification] may very well become opponents," the document warned. "They
have made it known to us that they . . . need more and better evidence of
cooperative efforts. By this, they mean evidence of outcomes."

That could come soon, following a well-established pattern in which Mexico
delivers a sensational arrest around the time of certification. According
to another White House document, the Mexican government is "reportedly
working out final details before taking action against Quintana Roo Gov.
Mario Villanueva for drug-related crimes."

Villanueva, a member of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, is
the focus of a joint U.S.-Mexico drug investigation for his alleged role as
the chief protector of the Juarez cartel on the Yucatan Peninsula, which
has become one of the principal transit points for shipment of Colombian
cocaine to the United States.

Mexican newspapers have reported that investigators found millions of
dollars in overseas bank accounts tied to Villanueva. Some U.S. officials
say acting against a governor would offer a sign that Mexico is willing to
tackle high-level drug corruption in the ruling party. Villanueva has
repeatedly denied any connection with drug trafficking.

Reflecting the same frustration felt by his U.S. counterparts, one Mexican
government official said that if the certification decision were based
solely on concrete results, even he would have to vote to decertify his
country. But, he continued, the decision also should weigh the effort and
progress Mexico is making and the potentially disastrous political and
economic ramifications for both countries if the United States were to make
an international pariah of its southern neighbor and second-biggest trading
partner.

Barry R. McCaffrey, the Clinton administration's drug-policy director, said
he "substantively disagreed" with critics of Mexico's anti-drug efforts,
asserting that the country's senior leadership is committed to rooting out
corruption and fighting drug trafficking. "They are struggling to deal with
the problem," he said. "The struggle can be interpreted as either evidence
of the sorry state of affairs or evidence that some people are trying to do
the right thing."

Not all the news from Mexico was bad last year. It spent about $770 million
on counter-drug programs and more than 26,000 soldiers and government
employees were involved in the drug battle. The number of acres of
marijuana fields destroyed by the army grew by 1.8 percent. More guns and
airplanes were seized than in 1997. The amount of drug money confiscated
more than doubled. Methamphetamine seizures grew by 72 pounds.

Juan Rebolledo, undersecretary for North America and Europe in Mexico's
Foreign Ministry, said certification is a "political process" with no
"clear criteria." But if Mexico were judged qualitatively, he said, critics
would see that it has added reforms and strategies to increase its
drug-fighting capacity dramatically. Last week, for instance, Mexico
unveiled a three-year, $400 million plan to beef up drug interdiction
efforts with new high technology equipment to track the flow of cocaine and
heroin and improved vetting and training programs. About two-thirds of the
cocaine sold in the United States comes through Mexico.

A recent incident demonstrates why U.S. officials sometimes question
whether significant progress is really being made. About three months ago,
Gilberto Garza Garcia, 39, a top lieutenant in the Juarez cartel, was
arrested on drug charges but was then allowed to escape after allegedly
paying what sources said was a multimillion-dollar bribe to Mexican army
officials. Garza Garcia was apprehended a few weeks ago on an island off
the coast of Venezuela and has been returned to Mexican custody, sources said.

"We believe we have a narco-state just across the border," said a
Republican congressional aide. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich "always
bought the Wall Street line that decertifying was bad for business. This
year we won't have to worry about that crowd or the NAFTA crowd," he said.
He was referring to concerns among some analysts about the impact of
threatened economic sanctions on the U.S.-Mexican partnership in the North
American Free Trade Agreement.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I Won't Budge On Heroin: PM (The Age, in Melbourne, Australia, says drug
experts denounced Prime Minister John Howard last night after he refused to
drop his opposition to heroin-maintenance trials despite new statistics
showing a sharp increase in drug-related deaths.)

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 23:53:35 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Australia: I Won't Budge On Heroin: PM
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: kenbo01@ozemail.com.au (Ken Russell)
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Contact: letters@theage.fairfax.com.au
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Copyright: 1999 David Syme & Co Ltd
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Author: Darren Gray and Adrian Rollins

I WON'T BUDGE ON HEROIN: PM

Drug experts denounced the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, last night after
he refused to drop his opposition to heroin trials despite new statistics
showing a sharp increase in drug-related deaths.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Mr Howard condemned proposals such as
heroin trials as glib and simplistic, and claimed the Government's Tough on
Drugs strategy had been a success.

A leading researcher later accused Mr Howard of hypocrisy and attacked him
for persisting with failed strategies. "I think Mr Howard is hugely
ill-informed," said Dr Nick Crofts, deputy director of the Macfarlane
Burnet Centre for Medical Research.

He said immense scientific research had gone into the heroin trial
proposals. "Calling the heroin trial a simplistic solution ... in the face
of putting more money into failed strategies strikes me as the height of
hypocrisy," he said.

Dr Crofts said the community needed to move away from a prohibition stance.
He also challenged the Prime Minister to demonstrate that recent
well-publicised drug hauls had had an impact on the availability and prices
of drugs on the streets.

Dr Crofts and other researchers have called for more drug and alcohol
workers, more detoxification beds, a broader range of treatment options for
addicts and more rehabilitation programs.

Mr Geoff Munro, the director of the Centre for Youth Drug Studies, said the
spiralling heroin overdose figures represented a major health crisis.

"I don't think anyone can claim that the drug strategy is working when the
death rate from illegal drug use is climbing," Mr Munro said.

The statements follow the release yesterday of a report by the National
Drug and Alcohol Research Centre revealing that Australia's heroin death
toll has leapt by 73 per cent over the past decade.

Mr Howard told Parliament yesterday that governments needed to tackle the
"continuing menace" of drugs in three ways: improved law enforcement,
education and effective rehabilitation and detoxification programs.

He said the Government had already committed almost $215 million to its
Tough on Drugs strategy, including $110 million on customs controls and
enforcement, $95 million for treatment programs and $8 million for education.
He said record drug seizures in recent months had shown the effectiveness
of the Government's approach to the problem.

But the success of the seizures in stemming the flow of drugs into
Australia has been called into doubt by the Justice Minister, Senator
Amanda Vanstone. In an answer to a question on notice to be tabled in
Parliament today, she admits "it is not possible to precisely determine the
effect of seizures on the prices of street heroin or ecstasy".

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Myanmar Raps Britain, U.S. Over Drug Talks (According to Reuters, Myanmar's
military government said Wednesday it greatly regretted decisions by the
United States and Britain to boycott an Interpol conference on heroin
production and trafficking to be held later this month. Yangon said Britain
and the United States, as two of the largest markets for heroin, had a
"special responsibility" to take part. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway
have also said they will not attend.)

Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 21:13:23 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: Myanmar: Wire: Myanmar Raps Britain, U.S. Over Drug Talks
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: 10 Feb 1999
Source: Reuters
Copyright: 1999 Reuters Limited.

MYANMAR RAPS BRITAIN, U.S. OVER DRUG TALKS BOYCOTT

YANGON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Wednesday
it greatly regretted decisions by the United States and Britain to boycott
an Interpol conference on heroin production and trafficking to be held
later this month.

The plan to hold the conference in Myanmar, one of the world's leading
heroin producers, raised eyebrows among many diplomats and provoked
condemnation by critics of the Yangon government. The Netherlands, Denmark
and Norway have also said they will not attend.

Yangon said Britain and the United States, as two of the largest markets
for heroin in the world, had a "special responsibility" to take part.

"The Government of Myanmar greatly regrets the British and American refusal
to participate in this important conference and urges them to put politics
aside, for the sake of the millions of people around the world whose lives
are theatened by the drug trade," it said in a statement.

"Their huge markets fuel a global narcotics trade which threatens to infect
many countries in the developing world, including Myanmar," it said.

On Wednesday a Sydney-based non-governmental organisation criticised
Australia's planned participation, saying it would merely serve the
propaganda interests of a "brutal, incompetent and corrupt" government.

The Australia Burma Council said in a statement seen in Bangkok that most
of the heroin sold in Australia orginated in Myanmar.

"Australia's attendance and support of this conference will be an obnoxious
admission of a softening of national policy and will bring no good to the
people or Burma, nor will it aid us in our bid to have a drug-free
society," it said.

In October last year Australian authorities seized 400 kg (880 lb) of
heroin that came from refineries in northern Myanmar. It was one of the
biggest hauls ever made.

Myanmar has published a slew of rosy drug suppression statistics in recent
weeks, but overseas officials working to stem a flood of narcotics from its
refineries have expressed doubts about its commitment to eradicating the
menace.

On Wednesday, newspapers said authorities had destroyed 6,182 acres (2,472
hectares) of opium fields since November.

According to official statistics, Myanmar seized 404 kg (890 lb) of heroin,
5,394 kg (12,086 lb) of opium, 381 kg (838 lb) of marijuana and more than
16 million stimulant tablets in 1998.

The government says a 1998 survey showed 151,201 acres (60,480 hectares) of
poppy plantations produced 665.28 tonnes of opium from which 66.52 tonnes
of heroin could be produced.

U.S. estimates put production about four times higher.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Scientist's Knife Trick Leaves Testing In Chaos (The Daily Mail, in Britain,
says Dr David Brown, a physical chemist, believes he has proved what athletes
have long claimed - that the security packs in which their urine samples are
transported to laboratories for testing can be opened and resealed without
detection. The implications are enormous. In three minutes, with just a
kettle of boiling water and a small knife, Dr Brown has so drastically
damaged the credibility of drugs testing that sports federations worldwide
could be left facing huge claims for compensation from athletes whose careers
have been shattered.)

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 23:11:24 -0800
From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
To: mapnews@mapinc.org
Subject: MN: UK: Scientist's Knife Trick Leaves Testing In Chaos
Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org
Organization: Media Awareness Project http://www.mapinc.org/lists/
Newshawk: General Pulaski
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 1999
Source: Daily Mail (UK)
Contact: letters@dailymail.co.uk
Website: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Copyright: 1999 Associated Newspapers Ltd

SCIENTIST'S KNIFE TRICK LEAVES TESTING IN CHAOS

A SCIENTIST has caused meltdown in the credibility of drugs testing
with just a kettle of boiling water and a small knife.

He has so drastically damaged the authenticity of the system that
sports federations worldwide could be left facing huge claims for
compensation from athletes whose careers have been shattered.

Dr David Brown, a physical chemist, believes he has proved what
athletes have long claimed - that the security packs in which their
urine samples are transported to laboratories for testing can be
opened and resealed without detection.

Last night a spokesman for Versapak, the British company which made
the security containers, admitted to Sportsmail that one of its
products used until the middle of last year could be opened 'given the
right tools and the window of opportunity'.

The implications are enormous.

Paul Edwards, the British Olympic shot-putter banned for life, wants
to present his findings to a new hearing of his case which his
solicitor yesterday began negotiating with UK Athletics, the sport's
new governing body.

The news was greeted with jubilation by Peter Lennon, the lawyer of
Ireland's triple Olympic swimming champion Michelle de Bruin, who was
banned for four years for allegedly tampering with a sample.

Edwards and de Bruin are challenging their bans but others whose
appeals have been thrown out may claim compensation for lost earnings
and damage to reputation.

The case of Scottish sprinter Dougie Walker, who has failed a drug
test but has not been suspended pending a hearing, is different
because the UK Sports Council has since switched to a different product.

Urine samples given by Edwards and de Bruin were both transported in
containers manufactured by Versapak using the model now alleged to be
flawed.

Both claim that because the so-called 'chain of custody' documents
detailing who was in charge of the container are incomplete, a window
of opportunity for tampering was present.

Dr Brown, who was an official at Edwards' first club, said that when
he realised that the caps on the containers were made of high-density
polyethylene of the sort used in washing-up bowls he realised the
potential insecurity. 'It didn't take much time at all,' he said.
'With the minimum of practise and the most rudimentary equipment I
opened a security seal and resealed it without anybody being able to
detect it.' Edwards' solicitor, Dennis Cooper, was shown how it was
done in his office using his secretary's electric kettle, a piece of
string with which to suspend the container in water and a small knife
to raise the lid.

The whole exercise took only three minutes and a video of the
procedure has been made to use as evidence. Dr Brown said: 'It pops
off because it has expanded with the heat without interfering with the
ring pulls which are the security device.' He claimed that a secondary
security device inside the container which should change in
composition if it comes into contact with water or steam failed to
detect the intrusion.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[End]