Annual Ride Is The Only Source Of Funds For County's Drug-Awareness Program. Greene County's DARE program is kept afloat by the rev of motorcycle engines. On Sunday, a caravan about 400 strong is expected to roar out of town for the fifth annual DARE to Ride. "When everyone fires up to leave, it's just awesome," said Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt, who started the ride his first year in office. The county's program is completely funded by the fundraiser. Since 2002, riders have raised $20,686 for the Greene County Drug Abuse Resistance Education program and Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. [continues 298 words]
Human-Rights Case Has Wound Its Way Through The Courts For Seven Years EDMONTON - A northern Alberta Metis settlement breached the province's human-rights laws when it fired two staff who refused to take drug and alcohol tests, a human-rights panel has ruled. The Elizabeth Metis settlement erred by enforcing universal drug testing even in administrative positions, an Alberta human-rights panel found. It is the latest ruling in a legal challenge that has been winding its way through the system for seven years. Observers say it is in line with other court decisions that should make employers cautious about when and who they test for drugs. [continues 845 words]
Recent Court Settlement Could Impact School Policies On Searches Searches of student lockers and drug sniffing dogs have become commonplace at high schools throughout the state. At Chelsea High School, canine searches are typically conducted at least once a year with coordination with local police agencies. But last month, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and Detroit Public Schools agreed to settle a lawsuit that was filed after the school district performed schoolwide searches of students. The lawsuit was filed in response to Detroit Public Schools policy that allows periodic police "sweeps" without notice in intermediate and high schools. As a result of the settlement, the school district's policy has been changed. [continues 650 words]
Why It Is Hard To Stop Moroccans Growing A Lucrative Crop ONCE you leave the tarmac road, the hillside hamlet of Mechkralla can be reached only after an arduous three-hour trek up a mule track, itself partly paid for by the European Union to encourage tourism in Morocco's northern mountain range, the Rif. Almost as soon as the main roads and towns are out of sight, the wild, rocky landscape turns into a patchwork of verdant cannabis fields interspersed with golden wheat and hot-pink oleander bushes. Along the way, women with bright striped sashes and straw hats are harvesting the tall seven-leafed plants. [continues 432 words]
Don't Do The Crime If You Can't Do The Time - Or Afford To Pay Up As Well Don't do the crime if you can't do the time - or in the case of Canada's proceeds-of-crime legislation - pay through the nose. An Ontario court ruling has concluded there is nothing unconstitutional in the law requiring drug dealers to forfeit profits they've made from crime or to pay fines if those profits have disappeared. The judge said, that in his opinion, "reasonable, informed and fair-minded Canadians would not be offended by a cocaine trafficker being deprived through forfeiture of the cocaine, or the money obtained in payment for the cocaine." [continues 197 words]
EDITOR: In the "What happened 50 years ago" article July 5 was the following: July 9, 1956: "Congress today put sharp new teeth in the U.S. laws against dope peddling by passing a bill permitting juries to recommend the death penalty for anyone who sells or gives heroin to children under 18." Should we believe this crime is deserving of any less today? Let's bring back the "good old days." We have to strengthen our laws against illegal drugs Keith Thompson [end]
Millions of people come to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf each year for their fix of crab and sourdough. Now one Generation X businessman wants to open a medicinal marijuana dispensary in the Bay Area's most-visited tourist mecca. Many locals, however, are not too high on the concept. "It's all about fish, not pot," steams Chris Martin, owner of the Cannery, who says the wharf should be about history and for kids. A medical pot shop, he worries, would create "more of a carnival atmosphere and may increase crime." [continues 450 words]
McDowell may finally be getting a reprieve from all the bad meth publicity. A yearlong state grant will provide 300 to 400 drug addicts and their families with free treatment. McDowell has received funding to create a methamphetamine-specific treatment program working in conjunction with the county's Department of Social Services and ARP/Phoenix, a mental health and substance abuse treatment center. Officials say it's a welcome service in a county that's placed atop the state for the past two years in the number of meth lab busts. "(The program) is comprised of a team of agencies in McDowell County working to improve the sobriety, safety and stability of individuals and families involved in methamphetamine use," said a brochure about the program. "Any person(s) using or making methamphetamine and their families are eligible to receive services." [continues 102 words]
Victoria's aspirations for a safe-injection site will suffer a premature death if the federal government pulls the plug on Vancouver's safe injection facility, Mayor Alan Lowe said Thursday. Commenting on a proposal from city staff to install used needle drop boxes at various downtown locations, Lowe noted that the federal government has yet to extend the licence for Vancouver's safe injection site and said a decision to terminate the pilot project would stall momentum in Victoria toward a similar site. [continues 326 words]