October 28, 2002 Clean and sober in 48 hours?
'Rapid detox' promises opiate addicts an easier out, but some doctors call for more studies to prove its value. By Daniel Costello
The New Politics of Pot
Can it go legit? How the people who brought you medical marijuana have set their sights on lifting the ban for everyone By Joel Stein
Editorial: There are many reasons for the rise of crystal meth in Hawai'i, including the fact that we are a "gateway" state from the Far East, where crystal meth has been manufactured and used as far back as World War II...Also, officials say the rise in the use of this drug paralleled the growing scarcity and high cost of marijuana following successful drives to tamp down, if not eliminate, the marijuana trade in the Islands. -The Honolulu Advertiser
October 14, 2002 Wasted: the Drought That Drugs Made
"I don't know about governments or armies or landowners or chaars," he says. "All I know is sand, and all I dream of is water." BY ALEX PERRY/DALICHARBOLAK
Brazil's Benevolent Drug Lords. As Government Fails Slum Dwellers, Gangs Win Favor as 'Parallel Power' By Anthony Faiola
October 6, 2002
Drugs in the Blood
"More or less, same thing I've done, same footsteps," Tata says about Drew. "That's what's in the neighborhood. That's all that's out here," By ADRIAN NICOLE LEBLANC
Drugs not confined to raves
When asked how young adults come up with these new ways to get high, Mazeran responded half-jokingly that it comes from "significant amounts of boredom and intelligence mixed together." By Pat Reavy
Drugs and conflict
The drugs economy appears alive and well in the troubled province of Aceh. Lesley McCulloch filed this opinion piece just days before she was detained by Indonesian police.
MAP news: Indonesia
September 12, 2002
Ecstasy begets empathy
Psychiatrist and drug researcher Dr. Charles Grob sees value in MDMA -- when it's taken in therapy, not at a rave. By Sheerly Avni
September 2, 2002
Ecstasy effects 'may be imaginary'
An article in a British scientific journal suggests the party drug Ecstasy may not be dangerous -- and that reported ill effects could be imaginary. Writing in the British Psychological Society's magazine The Psychologist, three researchers -- two from Liverpool, England, and one from California -- criticised studies into the drug's effects. -CNN
For some, 'yaba' becoming a drug of choice
It comes in a little pill, often with sugar and an aroma added to make it more palatable. It probably was made by minions of a Burmese warlord. The Thais call it "yaba," or "crazy medicine." We call it methamphetamine. (see The Meth Makers) By Steve Wiegand
Comment
August 30, 2002
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has seconded the idea to use assets seized from drug traffickers to finance drug-busting operations...was also receptive, albeit cautiously, to a suggestion for the government to churn out fake speed pills causing minor sickening effects such as nausea and vomiting to make them unattractive to buyers. -Bangkok Post
New meth drug seized in Oakland. The pills are known as ya ba, a Southeast Asian methamphetamine. And while the drug has not gained a foothold in the East Bay, that is where thousands of doses have been smuggled into the country, federal authorities said. -Chip Johnson
Police seize new designer drug that could make Ecstasy use undetectable. Altogether, police seized 145 doses of MDMA, two bottles of ketamine, an animal tranquilizer, and an undisclosed number of doses of flunitrazepam (the date rape drug rohypnol known locally as F2). However, police also said they also found 60 doses of what they called a new type of drug stashed away in the undergarments of a woman surnamed Lee. -China Post
U.S. Coordinates Drug Sweep in the Balkans and Central Asia
For years, the agency has conducted multinational actions in Latin America, but this operation was the first to cover the Balkans and Central Asia, the officials said. By DAVID BINDER
The pleasure trap. Addiction is as puzzling as it is common, the author writes, and he seeks to uncover its mysterious origins. By Roland Merullo
Comment
August 17, 2002
Professor X. Alexander Shulgin made millions for Dow Chemical. Then he synthesized MDMA, realized his best test subject was himself, and became the godfather of Generation Ecstasy. Now he’s back inside his private lab, running a new batch of psychedelic compounds through his chromatograph. By Ethan Brown
A Psychedelic Summer. Japan’s drug culture is experiencing a dizzying new high By Chris O'Connell
Special Reports
Ecstasy: Poison of Panacea?
It is about the size of an aspirin and made of pressed pastel powder the soothing color of Easter eggs. It's commonly known as Ecstasy. One dose promises hours of unparalleled bliss -- if nothing goes wrong. Then, it can cause serious illness, even death. But as the debate rages on the safety of this drug, a broad section of people have already made up their own minds: It's worth the risk. -Seattle PI (May 2002)
Ice Storm: In the Philippines the drug of choice is Shabu - or Ice. At least two million Filipinos are hooked on the designer drug - a type of metamphetamine. But as attempts to crush the supply of Ice into Philippine society have failed, the government is now trying to mop up the demand. Rob McBride reports from Manila. (May 2002)
Forces of habit: The Deseret News examines addiction in a five-part series focused through the eyes of former and current addicts as they run the gantlet of political, social, economic and medical factors associated with those addictions. (March 24, 2002)
August 8, 2002
Portugal assesses its softer approach to drug users
A year ago Lisbon decriminalized drug use. Views differ on whether the policy is effective. By Sara B. Miller
Decriminalization of Drug Use in Portugal
Comic books for drug addicts
Lifeline, which also operates a needle exchange program, says it simply is taking a pragmatic approach that keeps drug users safe, healthy and alive. It began publishing its comic books in 1987, after its research showed antidrug pamphlets didn’t resonate with users. By Dan Bilefsky
Ancient Drug Trade Unearthed
"It's a window to the past that many people are unaware of...Here's something used in prehistoric times and it's used until today...We know for sure these things were used for medical purposes...The question is whether they were used for recreational purposes." -AP
On the Front Lines
Despite the aerial fumigation and missions like the one I witnessed, coca production actually increased in Colombia last year. The problem is so big that they'd need a lot more Jungla Comandos to make a real difference. As for the campesinos there is no doubt they will rebuild. By the time their fumigated crops bloom again three or four months from now, they'll be ready with a new lab. By Jeffrey Kofman
