U.S.
The office of the US "anti-drugs czar", Gen. Barry McCaffrey, has prepared a report on the anti-drugs activities in Mexico. The report will affect next year's "certification" of that country. The document is quite optimistic, and underlines Mexico's efforts against corruption. The report does not satisfy all members of the US Senate.
(IHT, 23/09)
MEXICO
One of the most rich narco-dealer, Amado Carrillo, continues to raise interest among people even after his death last July. Former Chief of Anti-drug corps, Gen. Jesus Gutierrez, has recently said that six months before dying, Mr. Carrillo tried to corrupt the army in order to block his trial. A very shocking sermon was delivered last month in Guadalupe, the local priest praised both Mr. Carrillo and another super-dealer, for their generous donation to his church. The Government is now investigating if the Church received any money coming from drug-traffickers.
(IHT, 22/09 EL PAIS, 23/09 CORSERA 26/09)
ITALY
National Anti-mafia prosecutor, Pier Luigi Vigna, has stated that Albanian criminality has invaded Italy with an enormous quantity of drugs. Police confiscations are around 5-6% of the quantity imported. Among other activities, Mr. Vigna says that there is weapon trafficking, an activity that facilitates the contacts with Italian mobs.
(CORSERA, 22/09)
UNITED KINGDOM
A study issued by the Home Office on 11,000 youths between 16 and 19 years of age, shows that the use of drugs in England and Wales is almost stable. There are differences between the Center-North of the country, where there has been an increase, and the South, where there has been a drop. In Northern England the percentage of drug users is now higher than in the London area, a complete different situation if compared to three years ago. Cannabis is the most used substance followed by Amphetamines and LSD.
(THE TIMES 19/09)
UNITED KINGDOM
The Minister of Transportation is experimenting some new anti-drugs tests for drivers. Experimental test will regard: cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine and opium, and will be voluntary; positive drivers will not be prosecuted, unless the police will demonstrate that their driving changed under the influence of drugs.
(THE TIMES, 19/09)
ITALY
Former MP and Radical leader, Marco Pannella, has been condemned to 4 months in jail after having distributed hashish in Rome in August 1995 during a demonstration in support of the legalization of cannabis. "Fair sentence" has commented Mr. Pannella, who will not be incarcerated but will be under police surveillance "I have tried to affirm the principle that the law is the same for everybody".
(CORSERA; IL GIORNALE; IL MESSAGGERO, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA 12/09)
ITALY
The administrative tribunal of Lazio region has rejected a petition against the Health Ministry filed by CODACONS, an association of consumers. The petition complained on the exclusion of nicotine from the listing of substances that provoke physical and psychological addiction. If CODACONS' proposal was accepted, cigarettes would have been sold in pharmacies under medical prescription.
(CORSERA, 23/09 IL MESSAGGERO 25/09)
BOLIVIA
Coca farmers have started to destroy their crops. The agreement with the Government sets a reimbursement of $2,000 for hectare plus further help for the conversion of cultivations. The U.S. and Bolivia have decided to eradicate at least 7,000 hectares.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 18/09)
U.S.
Los Angeles "Freaks" have found a nice name for MDMA : "Tina" Methamphetamine is used among young homosexuals for sex purposes. The coordinator of the agency for AIDS-related problems has said that "There is no drugs closer to death than MDMA".
(DER SPIEGEL, 22/09)
SWITZERLAND
A case-study on rehabilitation programs in cities, has shown that in the 12 communities that were monitored, dialogue among parties is the best approach.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 19/09)
SWITZERLAND
An increase of crime will be a probable outcome of a yes vote for the "youth without drugs"'s proposal. Losanna University Professor, Martin Killias, says that the project of heroin distribution has dropped drug-related crime.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 18/09)
SWITZERLAND
"Youth Without Drugs"'s statement on the isolate position of Swiss policies on drugs among the international community ones is false. A research commissioned by WHO congratulates the project of heroin distribution for "its high standards of professionalism, for the rigorous scientific quality of the clinical aspects of the initiative and for overall level of the research".
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 18/09)
SWITZERLAND
Zurich - At the Psychiatric Clinic the effectiveness of the rehabilitation projects in hospitals has been studied. The researcher shows that rarely these projects lead to abstinence. The experience demonstrates that only through more treatments is possible to reach the objective.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 23/09)
VENEZUELA
Some weeks before Clinton's visit, the Government has criticized US anti-drugs policy. Minister for Boarder, Mr. Pompey Marquez, has said that Washington, with the pretext of fighting Narco-Mafias, wants to convert Latin American armies into US policemen.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 25/09)
FRANCE
Minister of Environment, Ms. Dominique Voynet's position in favor of the legalization of cannabis has reopened the debate on depenalization. The Minister of Justice says that the item is not in the Government's agenda. With the exception of Ms. Voynet French politicians remain hostile to depenalization.
(LE FIGARO, 24/09, LE MONDE, 24-25/09, LIBERATION, 25/09)
GREAT BRITAIN
Hyde Park, London - Three hundred people held a demonstration for the depenalization of personal use, smoking marijuana. Demonstrators were ready to be incarcerated, but the police ignored them.
(CORSERA, LA STAMPA, 27/09)
WORLD
The 1995-1996 report of the Geopolitical Observatory on Drugs highlights the transformation of criminal organizations (particularly the industrialization of hashish network in Marocco) as well as the increase of consumption and production.
(LE FIGARO, LIBERATION 26/09, EL PAIS, 26-28)
THE NETHERLANDS
The Parliament has approved a plan for the distribution of heroin to long-time drug addicts. The experiment will start in March and will go on for three months. It will involve 50 drug-addicts with the aim of improving their general health conditions and of fighting drug-related crime.
(IHT, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 26/09)
EUROPE
Paris - At a convention on road security, some experts stated that the main reason for car accidents is alcohol or drugs intoxication.
Bristol - A study on road security was presented during a conference, the document points out that drugs have replaced alcohol as the principal cause of lethal car accidents.
(LE FIGARO, 29/09)
BRAZIL
The cover of TIME has a marijuana field burning. Among the people escaping the flames there is the Minister of Agricultural Reforms, Raul Jungmann. Marijuana was cultivated in fields expropriated by the Government and assigned to farmers without land. Nobody was hurt during the event.
(TIME, 06/09)
GERMANY
Bayern - A study on juvenile behavior shows that heroin diffusion is now higher in the countryside than in cities, and that the first contact with substances happens at a younger age than it used to be. After alcohol the most used substances hare: cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines, LSD, cocaine and heroin. The majority of the consumer is between 14 and 20.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUN, 29/09)
SWITZERLAND
Sunday, September 28, with 70.6% of NOs, the referendum proposed by "youth without drugs" was rejected. The proposition would have stopped the experimental distribution of heroin and methadone under medical prescription started in 1994. All the Cantons have rejected the idea of a more restrictive policy, In Geneva NOs reached 82%.
(DER SPIEGEL, 22/09, DIE PRESSE, 24/09, DIE ZEIT, 26/09, FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 27,29,39/09, CORSERA, EL PAIS, IHT, IL GIORNALE, IL MESSAGGERO, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA, LE FIGARO, LIBERATION, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 29/09)
GERMANY
Former Minster of Justice and member of FDP, Ms. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, has expressed her position in favor of the controlled distribution of heroin to serious cases of drug-addiction. The Swiss vote should be a input for the German Government.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 30/09)
COLOMBIA-RUSSIA
According to the Washington Post Colombian drug-dealers have struck an alliance with some Russian mobs in order to intensify the dealing towards Europe. The Russian Mafia provides arms to the Colombians. Money laundering activities take place in the Caribbean.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 30/09)
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