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==========
CORA NEWS
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VIIIth CORA congress
BRUSSELS December 5/7 1996
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if you have the intention to participate in our works, you can let us know:
FAX +32-2-230.36.70 / 284.91.98
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>>> NEWS FROM THE WORLD
U.S. *The "Marijuana Buying Club" from San Francisco has been closed down. It was one of the places where people with AIDS or cancer could buy marijuana to relieve their pains. The situation has always been tolerated in the name of comprehension. This reopened the discussion concerning the legalization of marijuana with a medical and curative purpose. The central seat of the movement that asked this legalization was located on the club's first floor. The Californian legislators have, for the last couple of years, been allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but the governor has always put his veto. This initiative was considered a political action. The DEA had been asking since 1992 that marijuana be considered as a painkiller.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE, 15/8)
GERMANY * In seven months, 917 people died of drugs. The consumption increased with 10,2% (7574 cases were registered). There are 1652 ecstasy users, with an increase of 76,5% Measures are tried to be found to improve the situation of the drug addicts: although there is opposition to legalization, automatic crimination of the addicts is contested.
(SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 17/08)
SWITZERLAND * The SAJV, an organization of young workers, supports the initiative of the governmental commission's expert for the revision of the law on narcotics, concerning the fact that consumption is not punishable. A controlled production and distribution by the State for different types of substances, from heroine to soft drugs, is considered to be an excellent hypothesis. The criteria concerning the distinction between legal and illegal drugs are also considered to be the best.
(NEUE ZURCHER ZEITUNG, 19/08)
AUSTRIA * Ecstasy is invading the European market. Young people buy it in discos and kill themselves. The substance is actually consumed with alcohol, cocaine and other drugs. The reason of such distribution is due to the fact that it is easily, quickly and cheaply produced. The profits are thus enormous. Ecstasy appeared in Great-Britain in 1994. It works for about half an hour/one hour and affects the emotional sphere and the communication faculties of the individual. Episodes of schizophrenia can manifest. The prevention is even more difficult here, because the users belong to a more elevated social class, and the parties at which ecstasy is used are like simple meetings between young people from the better class.
(DIE PRESSE, 19/08)
SOUTH AFRICA * The initiatives of the anti-traffickers security groups, very expanded in different cities in the country, against the progress of crime, are presenting to president Mandela the problem of an eventual change of the laws concerning the public order. The "People Against Gangsterism and Drugs" groups, in the suburbs of the Cape, now counts 2000 people, who are confronted, according to the calculations by the police, with 80.000 young people who are organized in 120 gangs. But, as we could foresee, many of these PAGAD groups also fight against the police. The support of the PAGAD by the Jewish Congregation was unexpected.
(NEWSWEEK, 26/08, IL GIORNALE, 18/08)
ITALY * The situation in the Italian capital is tragic. Thirty people died during the last months of drugs. Can we attribute this to the impurity of drugs? The alarm went of to the Police Prefecture, but we have to wait for the results. We believe that the new generations of addicts prefer to address themselves to the free market instead of to the Sert, the public services charged with their assistance.
(LA REPUBBLICA, 19/08)
PERU * According to the trafficker Demetrio Chavez, alias Vaticano, who deposed last August 16th in the Supreme Court of Lima, the main counsellor of president Fujimori, Vladimiro Montesinos, would have received 500 thousand dollars per month to inform the drug traffickers on the anti-drug operations programmed by the police in certain bases of the Hualaga region. In 1992 Montesinos would have asked 100 thousand dollars, what Vaticano would have refused to give, following, his private airport would have been set on fire, obligating him to flee to Colombia.
(LE MONDE, 20/08)
COLOMBIA * The situation, after the cocaleros' strike of the last weeks, stabilized thanks to president Samper's initiative. He appropriated 300 million dollars for the years 1995-1998, for technical help to the farmers who decide to change the cultivation and to destruct their coca plantations. The coca leave market nevertheless continues to be the most expanded and the one that brings in the most for the millions of farmers who devote themselves to it.
(THE ECONOMIST, 17/08)
ITALY * The objection of conscience can not be refused for the only reason that its author is an addict This is confirmed by the fourth section of the State Council, that rejected an interjection of appeal to the Minister of Defence. The decision put an end to a case in which the minister had refused the demand of a young guy, drug addict, who was called up and who did objection of conscience.
(CORSERA, LA STAMPA, IL SOLE 24ORE, 21/08)
U.S. * An editorial of the New York Times on the drug policy of different Administrations, since George Bush, seven years ago, declared the war against drugs. The last investments decided by the Clinton Administration, with an increase of 67% compared to the preceding engagements, have absolutely not changed the situation in the Latin American countries, where the production and the traffic continue normally. The disturbing fact is that the money, meant for the fight against drugs, has been collected from the UNICEF funds and from the United Nations' development program. The funds for development programs for families and for child assistance in the Third World were thus reduced with 28 million dollars.
(INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, 21/08)
COLOMBIA * The Colombian government came to an agreement with the nearly fifty thousand cocaleros who have been demonstrating for three weeks in the Putumayo district, in the South of the country. This agreement is not bringing up for discussion the decision of the Government to suppress the coca and poppy plantations. Although sixty thousand farmers continue to demonstrate in the Guaviare and Caqueta districts, also using violent methods.
(LIBERATION, 21/08, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 22-24/08, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 26/08)
U.S. * Clinton's anti-tobacco crusade registers a new episode, also linked with the electoral campaign in progress. The president plans to add tobacco to the drugs, and to treat them consequently, without making them illegal of course, but strongly limiting their sale, especially to minors, and by interfering in the advertising.
(DIVERS JOURNAUX A DIFFERENTES DATES)
U.S. * From an information letter to the Health Department: drug use increased with 105% among young people from 12 to 17 years old in 1990-1995. A high increase of marijuana consumption has been registered, even if cocaine defends itself (+166% in the period 1994-1995). The change of the consumer's type has not been registered. The question becomes, evidently, one of the electoral campaign subjects.
(EL PAIS, 22/08, INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, 22-26-28/08, LA REPUBBLICA, 22/08, LIBERATION, 22/08)
GREAT-BRITAIN * A chronic sick person to whom the use of marijuana was allowed for therapeutic reasons - with the approbation of the Home Office - was put on trial for illegal detention of drugs. The doctors who are treating his case presented a defensive memory to the court that is judging it. The accusation is founded on the fact that although morphine and heroine are legal in hospitals, this is not the case for marijuana, of which the use is forbidden since 1971.
(THE TIMES, 25/08)
U.S. * Cacao like hashish. This is claimed by the scientific magazine Nature, that publishes an article by Daniele Piomelli, from the Neuroscientific Institute of San Diego in California. Cacao contains three kinds of unsaturated fats that reproduce the effects of substances active in hashish. If we consequently consider the ingredients of caffeine, generally added to the cacao, then is this an opening to new possibilities of behavioral interpretation.
(LA REPUBBLICA, EL PAIS, LA STAMPA, THE TIMES, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 22/08, IL GIORNALE 23/08)
SWITZERLAND * The attempt to legally furnish drugs to 800 addicts had positive results. Following the daily spectacle of young people who drug themselves in the streets of Zurich and other cities, an aid program was established, which also includes the drug distribution. The results were excellent: the health and the social situation of addicts is improving (according to the doctors) and crime is decreasing. This way, 18 projects started with a financing of 6 million shilling. The addicts will have to participate in the expenses with 130 shillings per day. They will have to "shoot" three times a day in a determined and visible place. The U.N. criticized this initiative. The experiment will be concluded by the end of 1996, but the government prolonged the terms in view of the excellent results. Certain religious groups also oppose to the project, wishing different solutions, like the group "Young People against Drugs". Nevertheless, a big number of Swiss people accept the legalization of drugs.
(DIE PRESSE, 21/08)
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