ITALY
Offering a joint to a friend is drug-trafficking, the Supreme Court of Appeal said. Conversely to what decided since January 1997, the court has ceased a non-punitive attitude towards soft drug users. The decision introduces the concept of "co-detention" which will be considered indispensable for the indictment of individuals smoking in group.
(CORRIERE DELLA SERA, IL GIORNALE, IL MESSAGGERO, IL SOLE 24 ORE, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA 17/06)
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam - European pro-liberalization of soft drugs militants want to raise their voice during the governmental Eurosummit. Among other activities, they will distribute joints in front of the seat of the meeting.
(LA STAMPA 16/06)
ITALY
A recent research by the Spallanzani Hospital in Rome points out that the use of methadone on HIV positive drug-addicts slows down and delays full blown AIDS. Methadone related habits are less risky than other drugs'.
(LA STAMPA 16/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
Drug abuse, bad discipline and violence are increasingly common in the Army. Even among the Life Guard, the body guard of the Queen, the use of psychedelic drugs is increasing. In total, the number of soldiers convicted for drug related crimes has increased up to 289, 36%.
(THE TIMES 15/06)
SPAIN
Madrid - the police is constantly monitoring the drug dealing locations, making the trade impossible. The tough line adopted by the City Council has determined a dangerous situation with violent incidents among drug-addicts in abstinence. The leftist opposition to this City policy has severely commented on this strategy.
(EL PAIS, LA REPUBBLICA 15/06)
FRANCE
The Left that has won the elections, whose position on drugs is flexible, will have a hard cohabitation with President Chirac. Mr. Jospin favors the Dutch policy on soft drugs, while Mr. Chirac opposes any possible form of legalization.
(LE FIGARO 16/06)
WORLD
Giorgio Giacomelli, Director of the UN program for drugs control, has outlined the situation of the "drug phenomenon" in the world. The drug economy is becoming a global economy, and the solution to the problem can only be universal. The UN must become the tool for international coordination.
(LE MONDE 17/06)
SWITZERLAND
A report by the Department of Social Affairs of Zurich on the controlled distribution of heroin expresses a positive response of the 1994-1996 experiment. The sanitary condition of the patients have increased, many of them have stabilized their condition and have started a new life in the society. Further decisions on the matter will be taken by the national government.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 13/06)
GERMANY
The Foreign Office of Bonn has warned German Tourists about drug-related crimes in foreign countries. A document from the Ministry lists the penalties of many Arabic, Eastern and South American countries.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 13/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
In the country with the highest number of drug consumers, the Football Association has established anti-drug tests (including cocaine) for all its members, starting from 9 years of age. FA has presented the new policy during a police national conference on narcotics.
(THE TIMES 18/06)
EUROPEAN UNION
Amsterdam - The Council of Europe has adopted a common strategy on "information exchange, evaluation of risks and control of new synthetic drugs". The agreement, a combination between the police and the sanitary, will allow governments to have more information on new products more rapidly.
(LE MONDE 19/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
A recent University study points out the risks of the use of XTC. A pill taken during the weekend has effects that can last for 3 or 4 days: irritation, weakness and a depression.
(THE TIMES 19/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
A book by Mariam Stoppard, a "family guru", has provoked the protests of numerous journalists of teenage magazine. In her "Questions Children Ask", Ms. Stoppard invites parents to tell their children that marijuana is not "too harmful, unless smoked regularly".
(THE TIMES 19/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
A research has underlined the tragic increase positive victims of the anti-drug test in car accidents. The new Government's plan will request anti-drug tests along with those anti-alcohol.
(THE TIMES 22/06)
GREAT BRITAIN
A new bibliography of Sigmund Freud by Paul Ferris, reveals that the scientist was obsessed by cocaine for at least 40 years, and that he used to prescribe it to his patients.
(THE TIMES 22/06)
GERMANY
The regional government of Slesien wants to oppose the denial of its project of selling hashish in pharmacies. The representative of the local Department of Health says that the justifications of the federal Institute of Pharmacy are "arbitrary and fallacious from a juridical point of view".
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 19/06)
EUROPE
The real damage that XTC can provoke will only be known in the next years. All over Europe, among the 1,400 institutions (psychiatric clinics, consultants, therapeutic communities) there is an increase in the demand of information about XTC; results will be available in the next few years.
(DER SPIEGEL 23/06)
GERMANY
The young Liberals are for the legalization of hashish and marijuana. Although the spokesman of the Liberal Party (FDP) officially rejected this position, the FDP favors the controlled distribution of heroin for serious cases of drug-addiction; Social-Christians (CDU) are against because they say that the Swiss experiment of distribution cannot be taken as an example of therapy for ceasing addiction.
CHINA
Last Thursday, in a football stadium with 10,000 people in Beijing, 14 people have been executed for drug trafficking, other 24 traffickers were killed in Chengdu.
(EL PAIS, FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 20/06)
GERMANY
Hamburg - In order to present a clean city to its visitors, the mayor of Hamburg transferred drug-addicts from the central station to a suburb neighborhood. The habitants of the hood, whether radical or conservative, are very upset and are proposing unanimously the controlled distribution and the liberalization of all drugs.
FRANCE
As for the past two years, the Prefect of Paris has prohibited the demonstration "18 joint" that asked the cancellation of marijuana from the list of narcotics. Thanks to the mobilization of the Greens and other associations, Sunday 22 June, at Parc the la Villette, 2,000 people will gather asking the depenalization for the use of marijuana. The police did not intervene.
(LIBERATION 18/06; LE FIGARO 19/06; LE MONDE 24/06)
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