A three-day summit on how to combat drug abuse in Hawai'i has resulted in several recommendations that include toughening laws to make it easier to prosecute drug dealers, expanding treatment and coordinating efforts through a centralized bureaucracy or drug czar. Particularly compelling is the suggestion that people seeking substance-abuse treatment receive the same insurance coverage as they would for other health problems. Whether it's of one's own making or not, addiction is a disease that requires counseling and, in some cases, medical intervention. [continues 311 words]
The "Ice Storm" series was excellent (Star-Bulletin, Sept. 7-14). The more people educated about this scourge on the people of Hawaii, the better our chances of ridding our islands of ice. I am a juvenile probation officer and I work on the front lines with our youth addicted to ice. Lack of appropriate treatment and resources is our problem at this time. These addicted children are doomed, as our state ignored this problem for years. I hope the state's drug summit is more than just a meeting of minds and that the powers that be will implement what we need, and not just talk story. The ice problem is a people problem that needs to be solved by the very people who run for political office stating that they are "for the people." Well, let's see if that campaign rhetoric was just shibai. Melissa Moniz Hilo, Hawaii [end]
Boy! The headlines in The Times Wednesday sure tell you a lot about Seattleites. They turn down a 10-cent tax on lattes, which would go for education for low-income children but they passed a pro-marijuana initiative. Shame, shame on you Seattle!! Don and Gloria Bjorkman, Mill Creek [end]
The British government's glacially-paced reclassification of cannabis from a Class B to a Class C drug, now expected to take place in January, will allow police officers to make arrests for possession in some circumstances. According to guidelines for the new regime developed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (http://www.acpo.police.uk), marijuana possession "will not ordinarily be an arrestable offense," but there are significant exceptions: Smoking in public Smoking near schools and playgrounds Repeat offenses "Creating fear of a public disorder" "The new guidance recommends that there should be a presumption against arrest," said Andy Hayman, Chief Constable for the Norfolk Police, who drafted the guidelines. "In practice, this means that in the majority of cases officers will issue a warning and confiscate the drug. That said, despite reclassification, it remains illegal to possess cannabis." The guidelines follow Home Secretary David Blunkett's decision, replete with much wailing and moaning and gnashing of teeth, last year to reclassify cannabis. [continues 625 words]
The White House Lectures Seattle On Pot Initiative President Bush's drug czar, John Walters, is leading a new systematic nationwide effort to quash citizens' initiatives on pot reform. The trend was established last year when Walters successfully campaigned to defeat initiatives in Nevada, Ohio, and Missouri. Last week, his campaign arrived in Seattle for an afternoon press conference, just six days before the primary election, to challenge Initiative 75--a measure to deprioritize Seattle's pot laws. [After this story went to print, I-75 held a comfortable lead at 58.62%. --Eds.] [continues 1161 words]
Holy cannabis. This stuff is everywhere, so what's the big dilemma? Oh yeah it's not legal. There are still a lot of bureaucrats and bored politicians who still honestly believe that marijuana is dangerous. Usually, their only arguments pertain something to the likes of it's harmful effects on the body or how it hurts the nation's youth. Moreover, the main beef is that the supposed addictive nature of the substance will get you to experiment with more extreme drugs. I'll wait until you're done laughing before I continue. [continues 413 words]
While Data Shows Drop, New Dangers Arise When Cathy Ransom was drugged and brutally raped at the age of 17 during a college fraternity party, she became one of the nearly 250,000 American women who are sexually assaulted each year. On dates, at parties and in clubs, the threat of sexual assault has taken on a new face in the form of date rapes and rapes that use predatory drugs to keep the victim from ever even knowing a rape has occurred. [continues 707 words]
THE DEPARTMENT of Customs and Excise will be cracking down on the illegal smuggling of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and other products into the country with a new 'electronic eye' system. The integrated customs information system, codenamed 'THESEAS', will inspect all the containers and merchandise that arrive in Cyprus as well as goods being transported across the island. Panos Hartsiodes from the Department of Customs and Excise told the Cyprus Mail yesterday the department had an important role to play in the process of accession the EU. " The system is intended as a tool which will be used in restructuring and modernising the Department of Customs and Excise as well as in providing the required support to achieve the required harmonisation of the legislation and procedures," Hartsiodes said. "It will be the first complete web enabled system in Europe." [continues 321 words]
Many involved in the fight against drugs on Kaua'i agree there are gaps in the process from law enforcement to treatment and follow-up care. Those who need drug treatment have some options on the island, "intensive outpatient treatment" being the most common plan. Kaua'i's three centers offer outpatient services, which consist of group sessions and counseling, check-ins and meetings. A detox center is available at Mahelona for alcohol and "street drugs" like crystal methamphetamine, the drug of choice these days. [continues 1086 words]
During the Super Bowl there were a couple of great examples of the recent wave of anti-marijuana ads that have been flooding television, magazines and movie previews. Most of the arguments given against marijuana use were dubious at best, quoting such statistics as "one-third of all reckless drivers tested for drugs test positive for marijuana" making no reference to the small number of reckless drivers actually tested for drugs, nor to the numbers of those that were also heavily under the influence of alcohol (singularly the most destructive legal substance known to man). [continues 272 words]
He Says Drugs In South Congaree Can't Be Blamed On Neighboring County Don't blame Orangeburg County for any drug problems in South Congaree, Orangeburg Sheriff Larry Williams said Tuesday. At a South Congaree Town Council meeting Monday night, state Sen. Jake Knotts said the town needs a strong police presence because of problems from neighboring Orangeburg County. Lawbreakers -- especially those with drugs -- are driving through small towns in Lexington County to avoid recent tougher law enforcement in Orangeburg and along I-26, he said. [continues 446 words]
Some 200 Franklin Countians braved cold temperatures and northerly winds to pack into the Winchester Pavilion Saturday to listen to federal and local investigators speak on the dangers of methamphetamines. Among the speakers were Vince Margona, Special Agent in charge over the state of Tennessee; Ben Scott, resident agent; Special DEA Agent David Shelton; Cindy Kilpartrick of the Department of Human Services, and her supervisor Mary Earp; Winchester Police Drug Agent Danny Mantooth and Billy Anderson; Winchester Public Safety Director Dennis Young; and Franklin County Sheriff's Drug Investigator Mike Bell and other law enforcement officers. [continues 470 words]
Editor: The idea that we are able and need to do whatever it takes to rid our city of drug-related criminal activity or we die as a community is here. I do not need to speak English to interpret a spray of ricocheting bullets. Barbara Elia Spring Township [end]
Three teen-agers just graduated from a year-long program at the Youth Service Bureau. The program stopped their drug abuse, dropped their drug charges and gave them the skills, resources and support of a system they'll need to stay clean. They are the first drug court graduates at the Youth Service Bureau, and program Director Marie Smith said more are on the way. The Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program is one of several operated by the bureau. The kids who are coming through this program had been abusing marijuana, crack, Xanax, Ecstasy, methamphetamine, alcohol, cocaine, opioids, Valium, gasoline, Special K, Freon, cold pills and whip cream canisters. [continues 554 words]
Jam-packed with participants, Teen Challenge hopes to get more funds to "help more people." Two months ago, Dedtra was sitting in a county jail in Arkansas, facing her 12th felony conviction and 15 years in prison. Today, she is learning how to start a new life based on biblical principles and faith in God. The 25-year-old woman's light blue eyes spilled tears as she talked about searching for love and power in a world of drugs. She started smoking pot when she was 12 and ended up a meth addict with a rap sheet that made her a habitual offender when she was arrested in August. [continues 534 words]
To the editor: The Legislature could easily convert an economic loss leader into a winner: quit incarcerating non violent drug offenders. Indiana has over 34,000 inmates, over 20 percent of whom are in jail for non violent drug offenses. According to the U.S. Justice Department, the true annual cost of incarceration is over $78,000 per year - this includes over $26,000 on corrections, about $17,000 on judicial and legal costs and another $35,000 on police expense. [continues 178 words]
Legalizing marijuana has been an issue for some time now. Let me tell you why it shouldn't be legalized. Marijuana is as good as the company it keeps. Most generally, whoever smokes it, does other mind- altering drugs as well. There would be no dividing line of a legal age to smoke it and even if there was, how could you enforce it? It would be a barrier between the parents and the child. Rutland [end]
When coping with a stuffy nose, Fenton residents won't be able to pick up their decongestant from the shelf anymore. They'll have to get it from the pharmacist. The Fenton Board of Aldermen voted Wednesday to pull certain products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine from store shelves and place them behind the counter. Any business that does not comply with the ordinance by Feb. 1 could be fined up to $1,000 or its owner imprisoned for up to 90 days. [continues 264 words]
To the editor: Re: "Drug cop says fighting marijuana battle futile," Jan. 22. Drug Cop Sgt. Rollie Woods appears to be coming to the conclusion drug policy scholars came to 60 years ago. Except for the fact he adds an "if" to his declaration. More resources spent on law enforcement will make no difference but worsen the illicit drugs problem. In the United States, there are estimated to be two million growers of marijuana, despite the $80 billion spent per year enforcing the marijuana prohibition laws. Canada can choose to invest its resources where they can help people, such as hospitals and schools, or they can keep chasing their tails trying to punish marijuana consumers. Matthew Hulett, Short Hills, N.J. [end]
City Joins Fight Against Illegal Drug Laboratories As the problem of illegal methamphetamine laboratories has moved from outstate Missouri toward the St. Louis area, so are restrictions on the sale of products containing ephedrine, which are increasingly ending up as components in the illegal production of methamphetamine. Fenton has restricted the sale of legal products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to a controlled area and away from merchandise displays. The products, often cold remedies, are frequently the targets of shoplifters. State law already restricts sales to three packages at a time; forcing the products away from publicly accessible shelves is considered another form of control. [continues 321 words]
