Alcohol and cigarettes were more dangerous than illegal drugs such as cannabis, LSD and ecstasy, the British government's top drugs adviser said yesterday.
Professor David Nutt, of Imperial College London, called for a new system of classifying drugs to enable the public to better understand the relative harm of legal and illegal substances.
Alcohol would rank as the fifth most harmful drug after heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and methadone, he said in a briefing paper for the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King's College London.
Tobacco would come ninth and dagga, LSD and ecstasy 11th, 14th and 18th respectively. The ranking is based on physical harm, dependence and social harm.
"No one is suggesting drugs are not harmful. The critical question is one of scale and degree," said Nutt, the chairman of the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
"We have to accept young people like to experiment with drugs and other potentially harmful activities, and what we should be doing... is protecting them from harm.
"We therefore have to provide more accurate information. If you think that scaring kids will stop them using, you are probably wrong."
Nutt caused controversy earlier this year by saying that taking ecstasy was no more dangerous than horse riding, a claim he repeated in his paper. - Sapa-AFP
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Informer rats out cops
The South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday heard how senior organised crime officers raided flats around Gauteng for drugs only to sell them to drug lords.
At one point, a man who had collected the drugs to sell for the officers was arrested by another police unit for drug possession, only to be released without any charges a day later.
This was the testimony of Norman Kokoeng, who told the court he was recruited by Senior Superintendent Dumisani Jwara.
"He called to say he was promoted from Vereeniging to a Senior Superintendent in the West Rand and suggested that he should de-register me as an informant in Vereeniging and register me as his informer in the West Rand... and told me not to worry as we will operate like we did in the Vaal," Kokoeng said.
Once this was done, they and other officers continued to raid residential flats in search for drugs.
"We usually found drugs, money and 419 scam documents... Depending on the amount of money, we sometimes took the cash only and left the drugs," he said.
It was after one of the raids that Kokoeng and another man identified only as Kenneth drove to a church in Mohlakeng, Randfontein, where Captain Victor Jwili gave them drugs including crack, cocaine, mandrax and ecstasy.
Jwili continued conducting the church choir while the two left with the drugs.
Kenneth was later arrested for drug possession, but released without charge a day later - leading to charges of defeating the ends of justice against the three senior police officers on trial.
Senior Superintendent Dumisani Jwara, 43, Captain Landro Mokgosani and Captain Victor Jwili, 38, have pleaded not guilty to 13 charges against them, among them drug dealing, fraud and theft. A fourth accused, Captain Sakhepi Caiphus Shange, died in police custody in July.
- SAPA
Monday, October 19, 2009
New medical marijuana policy issued
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday.
Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.
The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.
Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries -- businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.
Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.
A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The memo, the officials said, emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the legal guidance before it is issued.
"This is a major step forward," said Bruce Mirken, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This change in policy moves the federal government dramatically toward respecting scientific and practical reality."
At the same time, the officials said, the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business.
In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or other crimes.
And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law.
The memo, officials said, is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. Attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that pot sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources.
Medical marijuana advocates have been anxious to see exactly how the administration would implement candidate Barack Obama's repeated promises to change the policy in situations in which state laws allow the use of medical marijuana.
Shortly after Obama took office, DEA agents raided four dispensaries in Los Angeles, prompting confusion about the government's plans.
- Yahoo Finance
Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.
The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.
Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries -- businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.
Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.
A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The memo, the officials said, emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the legal guidance before it is issued.
"This is a major step forward," said Bruce Mirken, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This change in policy moves the federal government dramatically toward respecting scientific and practical reality."
At the same time, the officials said, the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business.
In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or other crimes.
And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law.
The memo, officials said, is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. Attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that pot sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources.
Medical marijuana advocates have been anxious to see exactly how the administration would implement candidate Barack Obama's repeated promises to change the policy in situations in which state laws allow the use of medical marijuana.
Shortly after Obama took office, DEA agents raided four dispensaries in Los Angeles, prompting confusion about the government's plans.
- Yahoo Finance
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Jails do more harm than good
The government should consider community service for those convicted of non-violent, petty crimes, because most people emerge from jail more damaged than before, Jody Kollapen, former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, has said.
He was speaking at a public seminar on "Human Rights in African Prisons", at the Centre for the Book last night.
He acknowledged that most South Africans were angry about crime and did not want to be concerned with conditions in prison, but said that doing so was ultimately in everyone's best interests.
Kollapen, who chaired the seminar, said "we should be sending petty offenders to (work at ) hospitals and other organisations where there is a lack of staff and resources".
"These organisations can benefit from people who are doing volunteer work, while the taxpayers do not have to pay their board and lodging," he said.
"It is in our best interests as a society that people are rehabilitated."
Kollapen acknowledged the need for prisons, but said they should be reserved for those who were dangerous, those who raped and murdered, and who should spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
"Let's send people to prison who deserve to be in prison."
Dr Jeremy Sarkin, head of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances in Cape Town, said one in every 700 people in the world was behind bars.
The world's prison population was more than nine million people.
Never before had there been so many problems in penal systems, or such large numbers of people behind bars.
Sarkin emphasised that African prisons were not the worst in the world. Conditions in Latin America, central and eastern Europe, and central Asia were far worse.
Although prisons in Africa were often considered the worst in the world, many other prison systems were more violent and overcrowded. But this did not mean that African prisons were human rights-friendly, Sarkin said.
"Many prisons are in a dilapidated condition and their practices are at odds with human rights standards," he said.
"Africa is home to 53 countries, roughly 3 000 prisons and approximately one million prisoners.
"Most prisons suffer from massive overcrowding, decaying infrastructure, a lack of medical care and hygiene, corruption and violence."
Gideon Morris, who is the director for the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons, said South Africa should also reconsider legislation on minimum sentences.
He said 68 percent of the prison population in South Africa was serving more than five years.
"If you have more people coming into prison than those leaving, your prisons will continue to fill up until at the end of the day they overflow and there is total breakdown of the system.
"In the next few years we are going to have a serious overcrowding crisis."
- Cape Argus
He was speaking at a public seminar on "Human Rights in African Prisons", at the Centre for the Book last night.
He acknowledged that most South Africans were angry about crime and did not want to be concerned with conditions in prison, but said that doing so was ultimately in everyone's best interests.
Kollapen, who chaired the seminar, said "we should be sending petty offenders to (work at ) hospitals and other organisations where there is a lack of staff and resources".
"These organisations can benefit from people who are doing volunteer work, while the taxpayers do not have to pay their board and lodging," he said.
"It is in our best interests as a society that people are rehabilitated."
Kollapen acknowledged the need for prisons, but said they should be reserved for those who were dangerous, those who raped and murdered, and who should spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
"Let's send people to prison who deserve to be in prison."
Dr Jeremy Sarkin, head of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances in Cape Town, said one in every 700 people in the world was behind bars.
The world's prison population was more than nine million people.
Never before had there been so many problems in penal systems, or such large numbers of people behind bars.
Sarkin emphasised that African prisons were not the worst in the world. Conditions in Latin America, central and eastern Europe, and central Asia were far worse.
Although prisons in Africa were often considered the worst in the world, many other prison systems were more violent and overcrowded. But this did not mean that African prisons were human rights-friendly, Sarkin said.
"Many prisons are in a dilapidated condition and their practices are at odds with human rights standards," he said.
"Africa is home to 53 countries, roughly 3 000 prisons and approximately one million prisoners.
"Most prisons suffer from massive overcrowding, decaying infrastructure, a lack of medical care and hygiene, corruption and violence."
Gideon Morris, who is the director for the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons, said South Africa should also reconsider legislation on minimum sentences.
He said 68 percent of the prison population in South Africa was serving more than five years.
"If you have more people coming into prison than those leaving, your prisons will continue to fill up until at the end of the day they overflow and there is total breakdown of the system.
"In the next few years we are going to have a serious overcrowding crisis."
- Cape Argus
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