U.S.
By the end of February, President Clinton will certify - or not - all those countries that are good allies in the war on drugs. Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico and other Caribbean islands are at risk. There should be a better way to fight drugs, starting from the "Certification" policy that should be handled by the Organization of American States, and not by the U.S., as many Latin American countries are asking.
(THE ECONOMIST 21/2)
WORLD
According to the British "New Scientist", the World Health Organization (WHO) censored a scientific report that confirmed how marihuana is less harming than alcohol and tobacco. The study was abandoned at the last minute because it could have been used as an argument in favor of the legalization.
(EL PAIS, LIBERATION 19/2)
THE NETHERLANDS
In order to regulate the buying of marihuana in coffee-shops without any medical control, the Minister of Health has decided, starting from March, to commercialize a new medicine with the active principle of marijuana. "Marinol" will be sold to people with AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and cancers only with medical prescription.
(CORSERA, EL PAIS 19/2)
FRANCE
The French Observatory on Drugs and Addiction has published two researches on ecstasy consumers. In recent months, there has been an increase in the use of this drug no longer related to the disco environment. MDMA Consumers are healthy and socially well assimilated subjects, but they often take ecstasy with other substances encountering sanitary, physical and psychological problems. Pills rarely contains pure MDMA.
(LE FIGARO 16/2, LE MONDE, LIBERATION 17/2)
MEXICO
Mexico, the principal drug route to the U.S., is at risk for its 'certification'. According to DEA, Mexican cartels have established a 'narcofederation' operating in the U.S. handling the trafficking and the political corruption. A former director of the Mexican anti-drug agency is said to have created his own cartel in the States.
(EL PAIS 15-20/2)
U.S.
Before the end of 1998, experiments of the vaccine against cocaine on humans will start. The medicine will nullify the effects of the drug. According to tests carried on guinea pigs, after a three-month immunization period, cocaine does not penetrate the brain and is destroyed without provoking damages. It will take years for the Food and Drug Administration to approve the vaccine, while doubts on the possibility of its legal use are arising.
(CORSERA, IL GIORNALE, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA 16/2)
ITALY
The Supreme Court of Appeal has recently ruled that being unemployed can lead authorities to reduce charges to drug dealers; also selling small amounts of heroin does not hinder possible mitigations of the case. The decision has open a debate.
(CORSERA, IL GIORNALE, IL MESSAGGERO, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA 19/2)
GREAT BRITAIN
According to 'The Observer' the British American Tobacco (BAT) has decided to make cigarettes with tobacco and marijuana. The project took into account the numerous positions in favor of legalization - among politicians as well as physicians. Premier Blair firmly opposes this option and has blocked BAT's project.
(LA REPUBBLICA, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 23/2)
SWITZERLAND
Bern - The Canton will explore new strategies to prevent the consumption of ecstasy. A mobile device, capable of analyzing the quality of the pills, will be put in front of discos. Those who will agree to such procedure should agree to meet with some social assistants.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 11/2)
GERMANY
Turingia - In 1997, criminal activities were down 7.1%; those for drugs were 1729 - 492 more than the previous year - a relatively low figure if compared to the overall population of 2.5 million people. The police read these data as the proof of the taking root of drugs in society.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG 12/2)
NORTH KOREA
North Korea, always in need of money, is more and more involved in international drug trafficking. Thai officials have recently confiscated 2.5 tons of ephedrine directed to that country. Contrarily to what affirmed by the Korean Government the substance would have been used to prepare amphetamines rather than medicines. In the meantime, Russian intelligence agents have intercepted many times North Korean immigrates trying to smuggle opium and heroin to Europe via Siberia.
(DER SPIEGEL 16/2)
GERMANY
Rhine-Palitinat - According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the inhabitants of the region, 4 million people, live in one of the safest areas of Germany. Nevertheless, in 1997, there has been a general increase of 2.9%; drug-related offenses are up 9%.
(FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG 17/2)
SWITZERLAND
Some 200 heroin addicts should wait another month or two, before they can be enrolled in programs of controlled distribution of heroin. The 'Ethical Committee', which opinion was due on Feb. 19, will render public its decision only in a couple of months. The delay is due to the importance of the enlargement of the project.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 18/2)
SWITZERLAND
The Federal Council has submitted to the Parliament an urgent resolution to improve the juridical basis of the heroin distribution project. This transitory norm should cease in 2004, when the new law on narcotics - if adopted by the legislative - will allow the medical prescription of heroin as a common praxis.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 19/2)
IRAN
Kerman - According to what the newspaper "kahyban" has recently published, some police officers recently killed some 35 presumed drug dealers. Iran is a very important crossroad for drug traffickers coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 20/2)
COLOMBIA
President Samper is very happy: the incarceration of Jose Nelson Urrego is a lethal coup against the Cali cartel and a guarantee that the U.S. will certify Colombia. The U.S. police do not question the efficiency of their Colombian counterpart, the problem remains the President himself. Mr. Samper has not been able to discredit voices about the alleged illicit funding of his electoral campaign.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 21/2)
GERMANY
Green MP, Gila Altmann, has invited the members of the Transportation Committee of the Bundestag to experiment on themselves the effects of hashish and marihuana. The provocation served to highlight how in Germany the abuse of alcohol is underestimated while there is a holy war against soft drugs. In 1997, alcohol-related car accidents were 4,000, against only 16 caused by soft drugs abuse.
(SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 23/2)
WORLD
According to the International Narcotic Control Bureau (INCB), Rock singers, models, as well as ad people, newspapers and the International Olympic Committee do not have any problem with the use of drugs, moreover, they also consider it fashionable. INCB President, Iranian Hamid Ghodse, says that too may songs incite the use of joints, and that the legalization, advocated by some Governments, follows the wrong path.
(LE FIGARO, LIBERATION 24/2, FINANCIAL TIMES, FRANKFURTER ZEITUNG, IL MESSAGGERO, INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, LE MONDE, SUDDEUTSCHE ZIETUNG 25/2)
FRANCE
In a preliminary report, the Accounts Court, denounces the bad administration of funds against drug addiction. There is no structure for the control and coordination of funding; some Ministries spend the money for completely different objectives.
(LE MONDE 24/2)
FRANCE
The Mentor Foundation, a privately funded independent nonpolitical organization, has launched a drug prevention campaign. Programmed for free in movie theatres, it invites teenagers to solidarity.
(LE FIGARO 24/2)
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