Big rise in cocaine use in Victoria as the price drops to $20 | Herald Sun

<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/big-rise-in-cocaine-use-in-victoria-as-the-price-drops-to-20/story-e6frf7kx-1225869997578">Big rise in cocaine use in Victoria as the price drops to $20 Herald Sun</a>: "VICTORIA is in the grip of a cocaine boom with a hit of the drug now cheaper at $20 than a footy ticket. Federal authorities are reporting increased seizures, but experts also believe more cocaine is arriving undetected as crime gangs use planes, mules and cargo ships to smuggle in the drug.<br /> Cocaine is now one of the only illicit drugs rising in use, with an estimated 69,000 Victorians taking it in a recent 12-month period.<br /> An estimated quarter of a million Victorians have tried the dangerous drug.<br /> And according to the United Nations, Australia's cocaine use is rising at a greater rate than that of South America."

Big rise in cocaine use in Victoria as the price drops to $20 | Herald Sun

Big rise in cocaine use in Victoria as the price drops to $20 Herald Sun : "VICTORIA is in the grip of a cocaine boom with a hit of the...

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BBC News - Police seize contraband worth £3m

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10138617.stm">BBC News - Police seize contraband worth £3m</a>: "Fake goods and illegally imported cigarettes and alcohol worth £3m have been recovered during a police raid in Glasgow.<br /> Officers working with HM Revenue and Customs and trading standards officials made the find at business premises in Commerce Street on Thursday.<br /> It included imported alcohol, tobacco and fake designer clothing and jewellery.<br /> A large amount of cash was also seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.<br /> Det Ch Insp John McDonald, of Strathclyde Police, said: 'As a result of an intelligence-led proactive operation, premises were identified and searched, resulting in the recovery of a substantial quantity of alcohol, cigarettes and counterfeit clothing and jewellery."

BBC News - Police seize contraband worth £3m

BBC News - Police seize contraband worth £3m : "Fake goods and illegally imported cigarettes and alcohol worth £3m have been recovered ...

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thunderstorm raging over Jamaica

thunderstorm raging over Jamaica that threatens to capsize the island's already hobbled economy and put its government in a diplomatic quandary with the United States. Last August, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an extradition warrant for the arrest of Christopher "Dudus" Coke, reputed don of West Kingston's infamous Tivoli Gardens garrison. Coke, counted among the "world's most dangerous narcotics kingpins" by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), has been charged with conspiracy to traffic firearms and to distribute marijuana and cocaine.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> To date, Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has ignored increasing local and U.S. pressure to sign the extradition warrant, citing breach of Jamaican law in obtaining the wiretapped evidence and the protection of its citizens to due process. But this is no ordinary citizen.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The tentacles of Coke's power and influence stretch across Jamaica and in to the upper echelons of the current government. The community Coke controls is a notorious stronghold of the ruling Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and is Prime Minister Golding's constituency; his defense attorney, Senator Tom Tavares-Finson, is a member of Parliament.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> More than a diplomatic stalemate, the David-and-Goliath showdown threatens to expose the corruption that for decades has been intrinsic to Jamaican politics. Moreover, it underscores the reality that politics and criminal gangs remain intricately linked in both political parties. The ongoing diplomatic stalemate has vast repercussions for the popular tourist destination, which relies heavily on U.S. support and magnanimity in the form of exports, tourism and remittances.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Then, a bombshell: A Washington Post article reported that last November, prominent U.S. law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips received nearly $50,000, an installment toward a $400,000 contract, to lobby on behalf of the government of Jamaica against Coke's extradition.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The agreement was signed by Manatt partner Susan Schmidt and Kingston lawyer Harold Brady, who claimed he was "authorized on behalf of the government of Jamaica" to make the deal and attended by Daryl Vaz, Jamaica's Minister of Information. The agreement violates the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), because of the firm's failure to declare the purpose and extent of their lobbying efforts and because Coke financed the contract.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Though records filed by Manatt under FARA regulations state that only "treaty issues" were discussed, White House officials confirm that conversations were primarily focused on Jamaica's opposition to extraditing Coke. In the ensuing furor, Prime Minister Golding has denied that anyone was authorized to act on the government's behalf, and the law firm has since "ceased activities on behalf of the Government of Jamaica." But questions remain, foremost among them: Who has the power to broker and finance such a deal and why?<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> It is all anyone, cab drivers, businessmen, nurses, vendors, speaks of on the island. As testament to his power and reach, though, almost no one will speak on record -- not university professors, journalists, friends or the man on the street -- and inquiries are met with dead-eyed stares and disconnected phone lines. A palpable tension hovers over downtown Kingston and across the island, a restless disquiet.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Impenetrable to outsiders, the entrances to downtown garrisons are barricaded with cement boulders, tires and old iron. They're patrolled by steely eyed boy-men with automatic weapons hanging at their sides, fingers not far from the trigger. Ghetto passes do not suffice here, and curiosity is answered with a strident "Who you?" Coke's supporters - who are legion - insist he will not go without a fight, and rumors are rampant about his preparedness.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Garrison communities - Tivoli, Trench Town, Jungle, Fletcher's Land and others - are self-governing, politically protected enclaves striated according to party affiliation, dependent on and controlled by "dons" and their gangs, who are the liaison between the community and political parties. Dons receive the patronage and political protection of party leaders, which insulates them from law enforcement. In exchange, they finance political campaigns, deliver votes, wage wars to protect territories and maintain peace overall.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Despite their reputation for criminality and corruption, many dons benefit enormously from government contracts for construction, transportation and infrastructure, and, in turn, utilize these legal businesses to launder money. They fill a gap that successive governments seem unable and unwilling to tackle.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> In point, Coke has been instrumental in resurrecting, restructuring and streamlining commerce and ensuring the safety and protection of both vendors and buyers in downtown Kingston. Now, business transactions and social interactions (such as the popular dancehall event, Passa Passa) are mutually beneficial, and money flows in to poverty-stricken communities that are unlikely to benefit from tourist dollars or government subsidies.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> He's also managed to stem much of the violence and terror for which these areas are historically renowned. But this peace comes at a steep price: There is no business that operates without paying up to a don's henchmen--from established businesses and storefronts to produce sellers in the markets. Refusal means arson, intimidation and the threat of violence with no legal recourse.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Politicians have ceded their power to gangsters and appear unable or unwilling to mitigate the chaos they helped create since they began arming the gangs of inner city Kingston and beyond. As the deadlock tightens, Jamaicans are fearful of the return to and breakout of violence and what will flourish in the vacuum created by his extradition.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Jamaicans are a famously proud people who balk at the notion of bowing to anything and anyone, but many are bitterly angry at and exasperated by the putrid odor of decades-long corruption, which they feel sullies the island's image across the world. No matter the resolution, in the bitter aftermath, the unbearable price will be paid by regular Jamaicans struggling to eke out a living.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The U.S. Sharpens Its Tools<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The flailing began with Jamaica's prominence in the 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which lays bare the country's many transgressions. The report turns the spotlight on the "unusual handling of [Coke's] extradition request" and notes the "dramatic change in Jamaica's previous cooperation on extradition," including a temporary suspension in the processing of all other pending requests, which it says raises serious questions about the country's commitment to combating transnational crime.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Damningly, the report highlights the "guns for ganja" trade and labels the island "the Caribbean's largest source of marijuana" for the United States and "a transit point for cocaine trafficked from South America," and cites its "high murder rate per capita--1,672 in 2009, one of the highest in the world." It expresses concern over "the increasing activity of organized crime, which permeates the legitimate business sector as well as the political sector, and its impact on Jamaica's political and economic stability."<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Despite assertions by the U.S. charge 'd'affaires to Jamaica, Isaiah Parnell, that ties remain strong between the countries, Washington is growing weary of waiting and skeptical of the government's political will. Despite Prime Minister Golding's assertions that efforts are being made to strengthen bilateral cooperation to stem the tide of illegal guns and drugs, anticorruption and anticrime legislation still languishes in Parliament.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> To date, the United States has yet to appoint an ambassador to Jamaica, and recently, the visas of several prominent entertainers and businessmen have been revoked without warning. Many citizens are worried that U.S. visas will not be granted or renewed.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> What options lay ahead for Coke, who resides in a storied mansion in the verdant suburbs of Kingston, miles away from the congested slums he purportedly commands? His father, feared JLP strongman Lloyd Lester "Jim Brown" Coke, JLP enforcer and leader of the Shower Posse -- that for over a decade funneled drugs and guns through the U.S. and Jamaica -- also found himself in the same predicament. Coke Sr. died in a mysterious fire in his cell at the General Penitentiary on the eve of his own extradition in February 1991.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Currently, the political foot dragging continues before the Jamaica Supreme Court. Jamaica Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne has filed a motion seeking a declaration on the handling of the extradition request for Coke. A hearing is set for May 5th.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> As the high stakes game of chicken continues, a country waits: anxious, vigilant, hopeful.

thunderstorm raging over Jamaica

thunderstorm raging over Jamaica that threatens to capsize the island's already hobbled economy and put its government in a diplomatic q...

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Jamaican government has agreed to extradite drug suspect, Christopher "Dudus" Coke and a manhunt is currently underway,

Jamaican government has agreed to extradite drug suspect, Christopher "Dudus" Coke and a manhunt is currently underway, which could result in a massive standoff, as police attempt to apprehend him in Jamaica. The case has caused turmoil in Jamaica, as the Jamaican government contends, the U.S. Department of Justice, headed by Obama's reckless Attorney General, Eric Holder, illegally wiretapped Coke's mobile phone, in a bid to gain evidence for an extradition.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Many Jamaicans have complained, when the extradition hit a snag, due to the illegal wiretaps being rejected as evidence, as retaliation, the U.S. government began arresting Jamaicans in America for the least little thing, such as traffic violations which were previously not considered arrest worthy offenses, canceling the visas of Jamaicans in America and denying Jamaican businesspeople entry into the United States for standard business trips.

Jamaican government has agreed to extradite drug suspect, Christopher "Dudus" Coke and a manhunt is currently underway,

Jamaican government has agreed to extradite drug suspect, Christopher "Dudus" Coke and a manhunt is currently underway, which coul...

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Chocolate truffles stuffed with $500,000 of cocaine seized at New York airport | Mail Online

<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1280169/Chocolate-truffles-stuffed-500-000-cocaine-seized-New-York-airport.html?ito=feeds-newsxml">Chocolate truffles stuffed with $500,000 of cocaine seized at New York airport Mail Online</a>: "stash of Ferrero Rocher chocolate truffles was seized at a New York airport - because they were stuffed with $500,000 worth of cocaine.<br /> Officials at JFK Airport arrested U.S. citizen Robert Lopera when he arrived on a flight from Colombia with the drugs concealed inside chocolates and nuts.<br /> Lopera was arrested after a total of 15lbs of cocaine was seized by customs on 11 May. Haul: A stash of chocolate truffles was seized at a New York airport because they were stuffed with $500,000 worth of cocaineThe U.S. citizen was first stopped when the bag of candies he was carrying seemed heavy, according to officials.Balls of cocaine were discovered covered with chocolate and nut-sized cubes of the drug were found inside pistachio shells, police said.'CBP officers remain vigilant when conducting enforcement exams,' Robert E Perez of Customs and Border Protection's New York office told NBC.Lopera is expected to be be arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on drug trafficking charges.Ferrero Rocher chocolates became popular in the UK during the 1990s thanks to a series of TV adverts set at a party in a European ambassador's official residence.The lines 'Eccellente' and 'Monsieur, with these Rocher, you're really spoiling us' quickly passed into popular culture."

Chocolate truffles stuffed with $500,000 of cocaine seized at New York airport | Mail Online

Chocolate truffles stuffed with $500,000 of cocaine seized at New York airport Mail Online : "stash of Ferrero Rocher chocolate truffle...

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Danish police seize large amount of heroin - Taiwan News Online

<a href="http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1262517&lang=eng_news">Danish police seize large amount of heroin - Taiwan News Online</a>: "Danish police say they have made one of the largest heroin seizures in the country's history, estimating its value to be at least 5 million kroner ($800,000).<br /> Police spokesman Brian Voss Olsen says Wednesday's heroin find consisted of 18.7 pounds (8.5 kilograms) of the drug. Police also found 8.75 ounces (250 grams) of cocaine in the raid.<br /> Voss Olsen said Thursday the seizure was the biggest ever made in Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city.<br /> Four people aged between 18 and 59, have been arrested."

Danish police seize large amount of heroin - Taiwan News Online

Danish police seize large amount of heroin - Taiwan News Online : "Danish police say they have made one of the largest heroin seizures ...

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Couple allegedly shooting heroin in their car | - lehighvalleylive.com

<a href="http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2010/05/couple_allegedly_caught_shooti.html">Couple allegedly shooting heroin in their car - lehighvalleylive.com</a>: "Bethlehem police said a pair of Whitehall Township residents were shooting heroin Wednesday afternoon in a car parked at the Perkins restaurant on the South Side. Jeffrey Buss, 25, and Adrienne Flores, 22, were in the process of using heroin at 4:43 p.m. in their car when spotted by police, according to Lt. Mark DiLuzio. Buss had a tourniquet on one of his arms and a needle and heroin were in plain sight inside the car, police allege"

Couple allegedly shooting heroin in their car | - lehighvalleylive.com

Couple allegedly shooting heroin in their car - lehighvalleylive.com : "Bethlehem police said a pair of Whitehall Township residents we...

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Arrest warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan - People - MiamiHerald.com

<a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/20/1639423/arrest-warrant-issued-for-lindsay.html">Arrest warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan - People - MiamiHerald.com</a>: "judge issued an arrest warrant for the beleaguered actress after she missed a mandatory Thursday morning court hearing in Beverly Hills.<br /> Lohan is stuck in Cannes, France, where her lawyer says her passport was stolen.<br /> Funny, TMZ reports French police say no report was filed, contradicting mom Dina.<br /> True or not, it's a flimsy excuse.<br /> ``She should have made sure she either didn't go to Cannes or made sure to be back two days earlier,'' said Superior Court Judge"

Arrest warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan - People - MiamiHerald.com

Arrest warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan - People - MiamiHerald.com : "judge issued an arrest warrant for the beleaguered actress after ...

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Family disappointed by appeal delays | National | BigPond News

<a href="http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National/2010/05/20/Family_disappointed_by_appeal_delays_464162.html">Family disappointed by appeal delays National BigPond News</a>: "family of Bali nine drug mule Martin Stephens has been disappointed by further delay to his final appeal against his life sentence.<br /> The key evidence that underpins the 33-year-old Wollongong man's final appeal a letter from former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty that describes stephens as a minor player in the<br /> heroin smuggling plot was formally submitted to the Denpasar District Court today."

Family disappointed by appeal delays | National | BigPond News

Family disappointed by appeal delays National BigPond News : "family of Bali nine drug mule Martin Stephens has been disappointed by fu...

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WBFO: Toronto doctor charged in Buffalo for alleged role in drug smuggling incident (2010-05-18)

<a href="http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1651657/WBFO.News/Toronto.doctor.charged.in.Buffalo.for.alleged.role.in.drug.smuggling.incident">WBFO: Toronto doctor charged in Buffalo for alleged role in drug smuggling incident (2010-05-18)</a>: "Toronto doctor was charged by the US Attorney's office in Buffalo Tuesday for his alleged role in a drug smuggling incident at the Peace Bridge.<br />Dr. Anthony Galea, 51, faces several felony counts, including aiding and abetting smuggling and making a false statement.<br />His former assistant was arrested at the Peace Bridge last September after several banned substances were found in her car.<br />Galea is a prominent sports physician who has treated such athletes as Alex Rodriguez and Tiger Woods. He's charged with providing human growth hormone (HGH) to one ex-NFL player.<br />The complaint also charges the doctor with introducing the unapproved drug actovegin into interstate commerce."

WBFO: Toronto doctor charged in Buffalo for alleged role in drug smuggling incident (2010-05-18)

WBFO: Toronto doctor charged in Buffalo for alleged role in drug smuggling incident (2010-05-18) : "Toronto doctor was charged by the U...

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Channing Tatum to Star in What's Left of Us as Heroin Addict

<a href="http://www.buzzsugar.com/Channing-Tatum-Star-Whats-Left-Us-Heroin-Addict-8475245">Channing Tatum to Star in What's Left of Us as Heroin Addict</a>: "seems that hard-earned physique that made Channing Tatum famous in movies like G.I. Joe and Step Up may be a thing of the past for his new movie role. In What's Left of Us, Tatum will star as a heroin addict on a seven-day detox.<br /> Tatum only gets to show off his acting skills pretty sparingly these days (that crying scene in Dear John being an exception), so it'll be nice to see the beefy, love-him-or-hate-him actor attempting a challenge."

Channing Tatum to Star in What's Left of Us as Heroin Addict

Channing Tatum to Star in What's Left of Us as Heroin Addict : "seems that hard-earned physique that made Channing Tatum famous in ...

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Iceland Review Online: Daily News from Iceland, Current Affairs, Business, Politics, Sports, Culture

<a href="http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16568&ew_0_a_id=362466">Iceland Review Online: Daily News from Iceland, Current Affairs, Business, Politics, Sports, Culture</a>: "The investigation is taking place in cooperation with Dutch police authorities in relation to the confiscation of three tons of marijuana in the Netherlands, Fréttabladid reports.<br /> Police dogs were used to search the sailboat and divers searched the harbor in Seydisfjördur. Samples of paint were taken from the sailboat to see whether it had rubbed against other vessels to deliver or receive smuggled goods.<br /> The boat is damaged; the hinder mast is broken and one of the sides is scratched. It is unknown whether any substances were found onboard.<br /> Karl Steinar Valsson, the senior officer at the capital region police’s drug department, would not comment on the investigation for the time being."

Iceland Review Online: Daily News from Iceland, Current Affairs, Business, Politics, Sports, Culture

Iceland Review Online: Daily News from Iceland, Current Affairs, Business, Politics, Sports, Culture : "The investigation is taking pla...

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Laws, Life, and Legal Matters - Court Cases and Legal Information at Leagle.com - All Federal and State Appeals Court Cases in One Search

<a href="http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=incaco20100517008">Laws, Life, and Legal Matters - Court Cases and Legal Information at Leagle.com - All Federal and State Appeals Court Cases in One Search</a>: "Pickett opined the crime would have benefitted both the Rollin' 60s gang and the individual Rollin' 60s member himself. The gang member would gain respect and stature in the gang hierarchy for his willingness to commit a violent crime for the gang. If the robbery had been successful, both the gang member and the gang would have benefitted monetarily. The gang would also benefit because this kind of crime helps to create 'fear and intimidation within the community. Gang members can't work without it.' It also helps in the recruitment of new gang members who want to be associated with a gang 'known as . . . the meanest, baddest, and ugliest one in the neighborhood . . . .'"

Laws, Life, and Legal Matters - Court Cases and Legal Information at Leagle.com - All Federal and State Appeals Court Cases in One Search

Laws, Life, and Legal Matters - Court Cases and Legal Information at Leagle.com - All Federal and State Appeals Court Cases in One Search : ...

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New Designer ‘Cheese’ Heroin for Children | Pattaya Daily News - Pattaya news Powerful news at your fingertips

<a href="http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/05/18/the-new-designer-heroin-in-cheese-form/">New Designer ‘Cheese’ Heroin for Children Pattaya Daily News - Pattaya news Powerful news at your fingertips</a>: "Coming from Mexico to Texas, the black tar heroin is now being converted to a brown granular powder that resembles parmesan cheese which makes it much more appealing to the younger children. It has been circulating Texas for the last couple of years and because of the low cost, it is very affordable for young children with costs ranging from $2 – $10 per pack. This new form of heroin is known the kids as ‘Mickey’ juice and has so far been responsible for the deaths of over 200 youngsters with many more in rehab. Street dealers will sell to a kid who mixes it with crushed Tylenol PM and water. The product will then be ‘cooked’, until the liquid has evaporated leaving a brown grainy powder. It is then wrapped in notebook paper then sold on for a set price."

New Designer ‘Cheese’ Heroin for Children | Pattaya Daily News - Pattaya news Powerful news at your fingertips

New Designer ‘Cheese’ Heroin for Children Pattaya Daily News - Pattaya news Powerful news at your fingertips : "Coming from Mexico to T...

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wgrz.com | Buffalo, NY | HGH Smuggling Investigation; Why Athletes Are Attracted To Substance

<a href="http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=76983&catid=4">wgrz.com Buffalo, NY HGH Smuggling Investigation; Why Athletes Are Attracted To Substance</a>: "Several professional athletes have been tied to a performance-enhancing drug smuggling investigation that originated in Western New York, according to multiple sources.<br /> Multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation tell 2 On Your Side around a dozen NFL and MLB players have been interviewed by Federal authorities investigating HGH smuggling from Canada into the U.S.<br /> Our sources were not certain if any of the NFL players currently play, or have ever played, for the Buffalo Bills. The players are witnesses in the case, not suspects, according to our sources."

wgrz.com | Buffalo, NY | HGH Smuggling Investigation; Why Athletes Are Attracted To Substance

wgrz.com Buffalo, NY HGH Smuggling Investigation; Why Athletes Are Attracted To Substance : "Several professional athletes have been ti...

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The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage: Daily Express: Police plan to give Heroin junkies free needles

<a href="http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/media/2010/05/daily-express-police-plan-to-give-heroin-junkies-free-needles.html">The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage: Daily Express: Police plan to give Heroin junkies free needles</a>: "PROPOSAL for police to give heroin addicts advice and free needles to inject the drug safely sparked outrage last night.<br /> Under the scheme, junkies will receive so-called Harm Reduction Kits of clean needles, a clinical waste container and a manual about the most effective dose and the right veins to inject.<br /> The drug users are to be given the packs when released from custody in a bid to stop them killing themselves.<br /> The scheme will get underway in Cambridgeshire next month.But last night there was outrage that police appeared to be encouraging the use of the deadly class A drug.<br /> Monmouth MP David Davies said: “I am astonished by this initiative. My understanding is that it is the police’s job to catch drug dealers and possession of drugs is also against the law. We should get drug users off the streets and if necessary force them to get medical help to combat their addiction.”<br /> Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “This is sending out mixed messages about drug use. The authorities should make their mind up whether they think drugs should be banned or not.” Former Home Office minister and Daily Express columnist Ann Widdecombe said: “We should be preventing heroin use, not sanitising the use of the drug."

The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage: Daily Express: Police plan to give Heroin junkies free needles

The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage: Daily Express: Police plan to give Heroin junkies free needles : "PROPOSAL for police to ...

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New therapy for cocaine toxicity: Enzyme break downs cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than human body does | New Science Magazine

<a href="http://www.newsciencemagazine.com/2010/05/08/new-therapy-for-cocaine-toxicity-enzyme-break-downs-cocaine-into-inactive-products-nearly-1000-times-faster-than-human-body-does/">New therapy for cocaine toxicity: Enzyme break downs cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than human body does New Science Magazine</a>: "Researchers have developed and tested a modified enzyme that can break down cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than the human body does regularly. The engineered enzyme, called CocE, may be an excellent candidate for clinical use"

New therapy for cocaine toxicity: Enzyme break downs cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than human body does | New Science Magazine

New therapy for cocaine toxicity: Enzyme break downs cocaine into inactive products nearly 1,000 times faster than human body does New Scien...

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Recovering drug user faces prison - Hartlepool Mail

<a href="http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/Recovering-drug-user-faces-prison.6280983.jp">Recovering drug user faces prison - Hartlepool Mail</a>: "RECOVERING drug user who was caught with cannabis and amphetamine will have his case heard before a judge after he breached a crown court order. Hartlepool man Jason Darren Cooper could be sent to prison for 44 weeks after being caught with the drugs in the street and breaching a suspended sentence.<br /> Police stopped Cooper at 3pm in the town's Chester Road and he handed them a small wrap of cannabis.<br /> A court heard officers became suspicious as the 37-year-old looked 'visibly shaken' and looked in his wallet, which contained a small wrap of white powder which was later identified as amphetamine"

Recovering drug user faces prison - Hartlepool Mail

Recovering drug user faces prison - Hartlepool Mail : "RECOVERING drug user who was caught with cannabis and amphetamine will have his ...

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Daily Herald | Oswego man traded fatal dose of heroin for guitar, police say

<a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=379294">Daily Herald Oswego man traded fatal dose of heroin for guitar, police say</a>: "traded the dead man heroin for a guitar.<br /> Crystal Lake police arrested Mark S. Seranella, 21, at his Oswego home on a charge of drug-induced homicide, a Class X felony which, if he is convicted, could land him in prison for up to 30 years.<br /> The charge stems from the Jan. 26, 2007 discovery of Ryan A. Maxwell, of the 1500 block of Birmingham Lane in Crystal Lake, dead from a heroin overdose in a friend's apartment."

Daily Herald | Oswego man traded fatal dose of heroin for guitar, police say

Daily Herald Oswego man traded fatal dose of heroin for guitar, police say : "traded the dead man heroin for a guitar. Crystal Lake po...

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Sheriff: Man had 68 balloons full of heroin | San Francisco Examiner

<a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ap/sheriff-man-had-68-balloons-full-of-heroin-93178764.html">Sheriff: Man had 68 balloons full of heroin San Francisco Examiner</a>: "Authorities say a man was found with 68 balloons full of heroin after he crashed his truck his Duarte.<br /> Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal says 27-year-old Andrew Lalande had apparently fallen asleep Friday and crashed into a car that was stopped in front of him.<br /> Witnesses say Lalande got out of the truck after the crash, walked down the street, appeared to drop something on the ground, then returned to his truck.<br /> Deputies later found 68 balloons full of heroin at the spot witnesses pointed out. They also found 15 syringes, one of them full of heroin, inside Lalande's truck."

Sheriff: Man had 68 balloons full of heroin | San Francisco Examiner

Sheriff: Man had 68 balloons full of heroin San Francisco Examiner : "Authorities say a man was found with 68 balloons full of heroin a...

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Former Drug Kingpin Ike Atkinson Challenges "American Gangster" Frank Lucas with Release of "Sergeant Smack"

<a href="http://www.pr-inside.com/former-drug-kingpin-ike-atkinson-challenges-r1866336.htm">Former Drug Kingpin Ike Atkinson Challenges "American Gangster" Frank Lucas with Release of "Sergeant Smack"</a>: "Raleigh, North Carolina - In April of 2007, 84-year old Ike Atkinson was released from federal prison after serving a 32-year prison term. There were no cameras and little fanfare as the man deemed the biggest American drug kingpin ever to operate out of Asia was set free. Atkinson, who operated the largest drug smuggling enterprise in the 1970s"

Former Drug Kingpin Ike Atkinson Challenges "American Gangster" Frank Lucas with Release of "Sergeant Smack"

Former Drug Kingpin Ike Atkinson Challenges "American Gangster" Frank Lucas with Release of "Sergeant Smack" : "Ral...

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Doing Coke With Jack Nicholson - The Daily Beast

<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/doing-coke-with-jack-nicolson/coming-clean/">Doing Coke With Jack Nicholson - The Daily Beast</a>: "Robert Downey Jr. says his drug addiction started early, alleging in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone that his father, Robert Downey Sr., began giving him drugs when he was 8 years old. Downey Jr. also recounts doing cocaine with his dad and Jack Nicholson, and talks about how he got involved with heroin. 'All those years of snorting coke, and then I accidentally get involved in heroin after smoking crack for the first time. It finally tied my shoelaces together,' he said. Downey has been sober for seven years, and says he plans to stay that way."

Doing Coke With Jack Nicholson - The Daily Beast

Doing Coke With Jack Nicholson - The Daily Beast : "Robert Downey Jr. says his drug addiction started early, alleging in an upcoming is...

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Russia's war on drugs: tackling heroin problem means going back to Afghanistan - Telegraph

<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/society/7646607/Russias-war-on-drugs-tackling-heroin-problem-means-going-back-to-Afghanistan.html">Russia's war on drugs: tackling heroin problem means going back to Afghanistan - Telegraph</a>: "tens of thousands of drug-related deaths in Russia each year. Sveta Makhnenko could easily have been one of that number<br />Sveta has vague memories of finding herself on the floor, her nose broken, her limbs numb, intolerable pain pinching every single muscle of her skinny body. As her consciousness cleared, as if somebody turned the light on, a nurse said: 'This one will pass away by tomorrow morning. Let's not even bother moving her to the ward.'"

Russia's war on drugs: tackling heroin problem means going back to Afghanistan - Telegraph

Russia's war on drugs: tackling heroin problem means going back to Afghanistan - Telegraph : "tens of thousands of drug-related dea...

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Injecting drug use is driving the fastest-growing Aids epidemic in the world

Injecting drug use is driving the fastest-growing Aids epidemic in the world. It's happening in eastern Europe. The number of HIV-infected people in Russia, for instance, has grown tenfold over the past decade from around 100,000 to one million, most of whom are under the age of 30.

Injecting drug use is driving the fastest-growing Aids epidemic in the world

Injecting drug use is driving the fastest-growing Aids epidemic in the world. It's happening in eastern Europe. The number of HIV-infec...

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heroin prescribing on the NHS

Dr Peter Carter, of the Royal College of Nursing, has spoken approvingly of heroin prescribing on the NHS. This sounds shocking, perhaps. All I can do is gently point out that every trial ever done on diamorphine prescribing has shown it to work well in restoring previously hopeless addicts to being effective members of society. Their health improves dramatically. They give up crime. They get jobs.<br /> Besides, many opioid addicts can’t stand methadone, the current preferred treatment. It rots teeth and can be generally burdensome. If you give addicts free heroin you remove at a stroke their principle motive for committing theft or going into prostitution.<br /> It has shown excellent outcomes in trials in Europe and recently in Canada , though the Americans are adamantly opposed to heroin and will not even use it in medicine. Very often what happens in practice is that addicts get bored of prescribed medication and give up altogether on a prescription.<br /> So maybe we should think the unthinkable. At the very least policy must be grounded in evidence, not in prejudice. Substitute prescribing is accepted in tobacco addiction. Why not heroin?

heroin prescribing on the NHS

Dr Peter Carter, of the Royal College of Nursing, has spoken approvingly of heroin prescribing on the NHS. This sounds shocking, perhaps. ...

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Oregon prosecutors demand 'zero tolerance' for drugs at Reed College | OregonLive.com

<a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/oregon_prosecutors_demand_zero.html">Oregon prosecutors demand 'zero tolerance' for drugs at Reed College OregonLive.com</a>: "Four top Oregon prosecutors have put Reed College on notice that they want a 'zero-tolerance' policy for all illegal drugs -- including marijuana -- on the famously nonconformist campus."

Oregon prosecutors demand 'zero tolerance' for drugs at Reed College | OregonLive.com

Oregon prosecutors demand 'zero tolerance' for drugs at Reed College OregonLive.com : "Four top Oregon prosecutors have put Ree...

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Heroin in Western Massachusetts: Drug's popularity linked to death, crime | Massachusetts Local News - MassLive.com

<a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/heroin_in_western_massachusett.html">Heroin in Western Massachusetts: Drug's popularity linked to death, crime Massachusetts Local News - MassLive.com</a>: "Sara J. Seymour knows the horrors of heroin addiction firsthand. The drug caused Seymour to lose her job and a place to live. But, the worst loss, says the 18-year-old, was the death of her boyfriend, who hanged himself in jail earlier this year after an arrest for heroin possession.<br /> “It just brings you down a bad road,” said Seymour recently."

Heroin in Western Massachusetts: Drug's popularity linked to death, crime | Massachusetts Local News - MassLive.com

Heroin in Western Massachusetts: Drug's popularity linked to death, crime Massachusetts Local News - MassLive.com : "Sara J. Seymou...

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Did Michael Douglas' Son Get Celeb Treatment With Reduced Sentence? - E! Online

<a href="http://au.eonline.com/uberblog/b177259_did_michael_douglas_son_get_celeb.html">Did Michael Douglas' Son Get Celeb Treatment With Reduced Sentence? - E! Online</a>: "Michael Douglas' son was sentenced to five years in prison today, just half of what is otherwise (like, for offenders without famous relatives) a minimum—yes, minimum—10-year term. But earlier today all parties agreed, on the record, that Douglas was not bound by mandatory minimums because he cooperated with authorities."

Did Michael Douglas' Son Get Celeb Treatment With Reduced Sentence? - E! Online

Did Michael Douglas' Son Get Celeb Treatment With Reduced Sentence? - E! Online : "Michael Douglas' son was sentenced to five y...

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The Associated Press: Michael Douglas' son is sentenced to 5-year term

<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jf-QjCY2qzhM44V7LLUJgX22qEbAD9F70B5O2">The Associated Press: Michael Douglas' son is sentenced to 5-year term</a>: "sentenced Michael Douglas' son to five years in prison on drug charges, calling it his 'last chance to make it.'<br /> Federal Judge Richard Berman announced the sentence Tuesday after hearing Cameron Douglas apologize and admit that he had squandered a lot of opportunities to turn his life around.<br /> The judge said earlier that he did not have confidence that Douglas would turn his back on drugs after pleading guilty in January to drug charges.<br /> The troubled 31-year-old son of the Academy Award-winning actor admitted to dealing methamphetamine and cocaine. He had faced a 10-year term."

The Associated Press: Michael Douglas' son is sentenced to 5-year term

The Associated Press: Michael Douglas' son is sentenced to 5-year term : "sentenced Michael Douglas' son to five years in priso...

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Jersey user reveals mephedrone dangers » News » This Is Jersey

<a href="http://www.thisisjersey.com/2010/04/19/jersey-user-reveals-mephedrone-dangers/">Jersey user reveals mephedrone dangers » News » This Is Jersey</a>: "shocking and dangerous effects of the dance drug mephedrone have been revealed by a user in Jersey for the first time.<br /> The 29-year-old man wants to warn Islanders that they risk catching deadly viruses such as HIV, from sharing the same ‘snorting’ device, as well as turning violent and paranoid after taking the drug.<br /> In an interview published in today’s JEP, he also revealed that Islanders are ordering the drug, which is illegal in Jersey, over the internet and posting it to places where they can pick it up without being traced."

Jersey user reveals mephedrone dangers » News » This Is Jersey

Jersey user reveals mephedrone dangers » News » This Is Jersey : "shocking and dangerous effects of the dance drug mephedrone have been...

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