National Institutes of Health to Study “Party Drugs” in Brazil May 19, 2009
Posted by Ernesto in : Addcition, Drug Laws and Regulations, Narcotics, Recovery Centers, South America, Substance Abuse , add a comment
The National Institutes of Health recently awarded a $117 million dollar grant to the University of Delaware to conduct a study on “Party Drugs” in Brazil. The study would be the first of its kind in Brazil. The study will take place in Porte Alegre, Brazil and will be conducted with the aid of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).
The term “Party Drugs” is most commonly used to refer to drugs that are be used frequently in the club scene; more specifically, Ecstasy, Crystal Meth, LSD, GHB, etc. These Party Drugs are considered especially dangerous because they are often used to commit date rapes. 200 participants, between the ages of 18-39, will have their histories examined and their behaviors monitored as part of the study.
The proposal submitted to National Institutes of Health stated that the study aims to: “distribute ‘harm reduction’ literature at club events and that is positive.” Additionally, the immediate goal of the study is to produce literature on local treatment centers in the native Brazilian Portuguese.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Pushes to Make Drugs Illegal May 7, 2009
Posted by Ernesto in : Addcition, Drug Laws and Regulations, Recovery, South America, Substance Abuse, Worldwide , add a comment
Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, has introduced an amendment that aims to make drug possession illegal in Colombia. The Colombian congress already began discussing the illegality of drugs in Colombia earlier last week.
As it stands currently, Colombia citizens (of legal adult age 18+) are permitted to legally possess 20 grams of marijuana, 1 gram of cocaine and or 2 grams of synthetic drugs, ecstasy. Drugs current status was the result of a 1994 Constitutional court ruling.
In a recent speech, President Uribe stated that there was a contradiction in the fact that Colombia claims to be waging war on drugs (using billions of US dollars), while allowing domestic possession of drugs. During his 6 years of presidency, Uribe, has put forth various efforts to evoke this reform. However, he has always faced resistance from congress members, who believe the illegalization of drugs in Colombia would be a violation of Colombian’s freedoms.
The new amendment is less punitive than the ones previously introduced. However, if passed, drug possession would be considered a misdemeanor, not a felony, and would result in the intervention of a “therapeutic court”, involving judges, doctors, and psychologists.
Cocaine Production on the Rise Says Bolivian Anti-Drug Chief April 23, 2009
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Bolivian Anti-Drug police chief, Oscar Nina, recently warned that law enforcement has seen a spike in cocaine productions, mainly due to Colombian and Mexican cartels subcontracting local coca growers to process the leaf instead because it’s more efficient than shipping it out. “There is more interest and investment in purifying coca paste here and exporting it, rather than sending it to Colombia for purification” said Nina in the interview.
However, this pattern is not new. In the mid 90’s, Peruvian anti-drug authorities saw the same shift being made by the major cartels in Colombia, when local growers were paid more to process the cocaine, rather than exporting it to Colombia for the task. Still, much of the coca grown in Bolivia is done so by family farms and is legal under the country’s law, as it is intended for use in teas and herbal medicines. For exactly this reason, conditions are ideal in Bolivia for upping local processing of coca.
Last Month, Bolivian authorities busted three hidden processing-labs in the jungle, after a small plane aviated by two Colombians was seized carrying 660 pounds of cocaine and lead to the discovery. Thus far in 2009, nine tons of cocaine has been seized and 992 drug-related arrests made. Just last year, Bolivian authorities busted more than 3,000 local, coca-processing labs and seized a record breaking 27 tons of cocaine that mainly came from the small, clandestine operations.
Guerilla Group, Maoist Shining Path, Kills 13 Peruvian Troops in Ayacucho Province April 14, 2009
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Last Thursday, the Peruvian government reported that leftist, militia guerillas where responsible for the deaths of 13 Peruvian army troops while fighting against the cocaine traffickers in the remote mountainous regions of the Ayacucho province. The region is controlled by the military group that calls itself, the Maoist Shining Path, which in recent years has taken on cocaine growing and trafficking.
The Minister of Defense, Antero Flores, told the press that two separate ambushes were staged, in which grenades, heavy artillery, and even dynamite were used against the troops. This latest military attack from the Maoist Shining Path marks the eleventh since January of 2009.
According to government reports, the Maoist Shining Path has strayed quite far off the path from the socialist ideology it held for nearly two decades. Instead, the group now aims to control the coca-growing region by planting themselves firmly as the main drug trafficking entity in the Ayacucho province.
Even though Peruvian President Alan Garcia receives millions in aid from the US government to help fight the drug war in Peru, which is second biggest producer of cocaine in the world after Colombia, it just doesn’t seem like the situation is under control when attacks like those recently committed are prevalent.
Colombian Priest Takes on Drug Dilemma to Bring Kids Hope April 13, 2009
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These days, there is a new kind of war being waged in one Colombian city, but unlike the violent battles between the government and narco-traffickers for control, this fight involves a priest who uses knowledge to aid Colombia’s children.
As the drug wars continue and become more violent, they are beginning to spill over to new cities where the government and drug traffickers, alike, battle for power of these strategic zones. One such place is the seaport town of Buenaventura on the west coast. It is home to the neighborhood El Lleras, which is one of the most dangerous and poorest slums in that part of the country. The situation has left El Lleras with a more than 70 per cent unemployment rate, which has led youths in the town to get into the drug trade for quick, big money.
But one local priest named Father Ariel Ruiz has something to say about this. For the last few years, the father has taken an active stance in the community, setting up programs like his “Exchange a Bullet for a Book” project, aimed at educating the children of El Lleras with the hope of broadening their future opportunities. Additionally, Father Ruiz has opened the parish’s community center to the whole neighborhood, which has several computers with internet access and a library of books.
Still, the father continues with his practices, despite the fact that two priests from his order, the Redemptorists, who participated in similar initiatives, were murdered in another part of Colombia for “unknown” reasons. When asked about the dangers, he responded, “It is a tense situation and we have to be careful,” he added later that the church deliberately chose to involve itself with the people to educate them of their rights.
Is there a Solution to the US/Mexican Border, Drug Crisis? April 9, 2009
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The following is a press release from www.transworldnews.com that address the gravity of the drug situation on the US/Mexican border and entertains different ideas about how it could possibly be addressed, including the possible legalization of now illegal substances.
Is Legalization the Best Way to Address Mexican Drug Trafficking Violence?
April 8, 2009 4/08/2009 09:33 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)
Recent headlines report the decision by U.S. officials to battle Mexican border violence with the assignment of increased personnel and technology at border crossings. As concerns rise, many public figures are going on record favor of the legalization of three of the main drugs being trafficked by the drug cartels: marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Arguments in favor of legalization claim that drug cartels would be put out of business as these drugs, legalized, could be manufactured and distributed under controlled conditions. Other benefits include “less illness,” “use would still be a public nuisance that could be fined,” and “drugs would be purer, less contaminated.”
The way things are now, approximately two percent of the U.S. population over 12 years of age is dependent on or illicitly abusing drugs. In 2007, more than 2.5 million people used an illicit drug or abused a prescription drug for the first time….
For more information, read the full article at:
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=82908&cat=15
Church Condemns Argentina’s Views on Drugs April 8, 2009
Posted by inrecovery in : South America, Substance Abuse , add a comment
A group of priests from the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires recently issued a statement condemning the lackadaisical attitude that the Argentinean government takes on illegal drugs, arguing that the laissez faire stance has created an environment in which they are “practically legal.” Specifically, the priest’s comments were directed at local ministers and judges, who they felt have played an active part in decrimalizing drugs and cited that subsequent failures of such policies are evident in the lack of care for addicted youths in poor neighborhoods.
In the statement, the priests wrote, “These are persons, human beings, who die or who are left with a broken life. That is why it is time to do something. Even if we only save one.” They also called for action on the government’s part to fight against the drug traffickers and distributors who are perpetuating the violence and addiction aimed mainly at the children of Buenos Aires ghettos. The priests closed the statement by proposing solutions, noting that the only way to solve the problem is by implementing drug abuse, support plans for affected families, as well as, long-term, education and prevention strategies in schools so children could be reached directly.
