Monday, January 2, 2006

More fundraising - and odds and ends A couple of days ago, I mentioned that Uribe was trying to get the international community to chip in some more money to magically end corruption and civil war. One country has obviously taken notice... Afghanistan... and wants a piece of that action, too. The international community is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into anti-drug campaigns to train police units to destroy laboratories, arrest smugglers and destroy opium crops, as well as to fund projects to help farmers grow legal crops. But Daud said that the United States and other nations must do more to help eradicate narcotics in Afghanistan, source of nearly 90 percent of the world's opium and heroin, especially providing alternative sources of income for poppy farmers. "In 2005, we were not satisfied and the farmers were not satisfied," said Daud, the deputy interior minister and commander of a special anti-drugs force. Yeah, everyone wants some more of that drug war money. Note the usual rhetoric: eradication, followed by some unspecified way to provide alternative sources of income to farmers. Of course, they rejected the one proposal that could have worked -- the Senlis Council proposal to develop a legal use for the poppies in Afghanistan for medicine. But no other alternative income source so far has been effective. More on Colombia Toby Muse just posted this article on his website: June 2005 Legalize Now! War-weary Colombia--and its Conservative Party--consider ending the drug war. It's a long article, but gives a fascinating and well-written look at the drug war in Colombia, and the challenges of the ever-growing movement toward decriminalization/legalization in that country, including that of the conservative party, which has come to realize that Colombia is getting all the damage of the drug war, with little of the benefits. It's amazing that there, as here, those who call for legalization are constantly being accused of being in the pay of the cartels -- those who would be most opposed to legalization. Speaking of ignorant morons... for a really bizarre version of that kind of disconnect from reality here in the U.S., read Bruce Hanson's strange screed. 11:27:26 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Taking care of our elderly An interesting category of drug criminal is appearing now and then -- the very old. For many, getting by financially can be a real challenge, with rising health costs, declining pensions, etc. and some of them have discovered that if they take only half of their pain pills and sell the rest, they can buy groceries. And if they get caught, they can at least be philosophical about it and reckon that the jail will take care of their expenses for awhile (although many do not realize how severe the laws are). Link Since April 2004, Operation UNITE has charged more than 40 people 60 or older with selling drugs, primarily prescription medicine. Because of the trend, local jails are having to bear the expense of caring for older inmates, who are often sickly. "You've got to give them more attention," said Floyd County Jailer Roger Webb. "It's putting a strain on my deputies. We're understaffed anyway. You've got to get them doctors and meet their medical needs." The latest conviction by this particular drug task force? An 87-year-old woman who pled guilty to receive 5 years prison, followed by 5 years probation, for selling to an undercover cop. 12:11:04 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []