VENEZUELA
In his brief visit to Caracas, President Clinton has set an anti-drug cooperation treaty. The document declares the Venezuelan judiciary incompetent on drug-related crimes happening in Venezuela, but offers the enlargement of NAFTA to other Latin American Countries, starting from Venezuela.
(LIBERATION 15/10)
POLAND
In order to stop the increase of drug consumers, the law that prohibits production, selling and possession of drugs has been embittered. The new law defines trafficking and possession setting the "personal use" quantity.
(EL PAIS, 19/10)
GERMANY
The league of Municipalities and Cities has expressed a favorable position on the medical distribution of narcotics to serious cases of addiction. The League opposed the liberalization of the selling and consumption of drugs.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, 17-18/10, SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 17/10)
THE NETHERLANDS
Some dangerous MDMA pills have been discovered. According to some Medical Institute they contain atropin, a substance that provokes hallucinations and serious cardiac and respiratory problems. Three pills have lethal effects.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 20/10, LIBERATION 21/10)
GERMANY
The Minister of Health has cut the amount for rehabilitation programs for alcohol and drug addiction. The per person quantum will be 17 German Marks instead of 25 in western regions and 14 Marks instead of 20 in the East. The public contribution will be delivered only for the first two weeks of the treatment.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, DUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 22/10)
COLOMBIA
Frankfurt, Minister of Finance. Mr. Jose' Antonio Ocampo has declared to the local newspaper that: "There is no doubt that the struggle against narcotrafficking has affected the economic development of Colombia. I am confidant that in the long term it will pay back."
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 22/10)
ITALY
Rome, two policemen have discovered a half-hectare field of cannabis in the suburbs of the Capital. According to the owner of the field the crop is monitored by the Minister of Agriculture. The plant is Kenafe, from the same botanic family of cannabis but without narcotic effects. The judiciary has confiscated the field.
(IL GIORNALE, 20/10)
FRANCE
According to the result of a poll by the Association of Prevention "Grande Route", $7 Million of French people have tried cannabis, and other $2 Million use it regularly. The figures, if confronted to those of 1992, indicates that in the last 5 years cannabis consumption has doubled.
(LE MONDE, 25/10)
GREAT BRITAIN
Right after his appointment, the first "Anti-czar" has spoken about the dangers linked to the proposals of legalization of cannabis. The chief of the West Yorkshire police, Mr. Keith Hellawell, has said that the war on drugs will target pop stars, and all the campaigns in support of the legalization, like the one launched by the "Independent on Sunday".
(THE TIMES, 15/10)
GREAT BRITAIN
The Tories have criticized Tony Blair, who, during the Edinburgh Summit of Commonwealth leaders, have allowed the screening of a videoclip of the Oasis and some scenes from the movie "Trainspotting". The Oasis favor the use of hard drugs while the movie was about a group of heroin addicts. Tony Blair recently invited the singer of the Oasis to a party for artists at Downing Street.
(THE TIMES, 26/10, CORRIERE DELLA SERA, 27/10)
WORLD
UNDCP Chief, Mr. Pino Arlacchi, has struck a deal with the Talibans for the eradication of opium crop in Afghanistan. Talibans in return will receive $40 M per year. According to the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Ms. Emma Bonino it is a serious mistake that the UN is making "deals like this have never worked, anywhere around the world."
(CORREIERE DELLA SERA, 26-27/10)
COLOMBIA
The US government has ceased the 2-year quarantine with Colombia. The anti-drugs czar has met President Samper in order to discus the "war on drugs". The meeting took place after Clinton's visit in Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. No declaration was issued after the meeting.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, 22/10, LE MONDE 24/10)
SPAGNA
Dozens of Spaniards that cultivate cannabis for personal use have participated in a contest for the "best crop". The first edition of the "Madrid Marijuana Prize" has been organized by the Association for the study of cannabis. In Spain cultivation, consumption and selling of marijuana are illegal, but as regards the personal use, Spanish laws are among the most indulgent.
(CORRIERE DELLA SERA, 26/10, SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG. 27/10)
US
Tests on mice have confirmed that marijuana has strong analgesic and anti-phlogistic powers and that, unlike derivatives of opium, it is not addictive. The results of these studies have been presented in New Orleans at a Convention on Neuroscience.
(IL MESSAGGERO, 28/10)
ITALY
Rome - Radical Leader Marco Pannella, and other antiprohibitionist militants have been arrested after having distributed hashish for free during an antiprohibitionist demonstration. Despite Mr. Pannella was under indictment for having previously violated the Italian laws on drugs, he, as well as the other members of the Antiprohibitionist group have been released. The event has reopened the debate in Italy among political groups on the legalization. Mr. Pannella has said that the objective of the antiprohibitionist struggle is a parliamentary bill.
(ALL MAJOR ITALIAN NEWSPAPERS 26-29/10)
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