UN AGENCY PREVARICATES PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE DrugSense FOCUS Alert #331 - Wednesday, 28 June 2006 Speaking at the launch of the World Drug Report in Washington Tuesday, Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, warned: "Policy reversals leave young people confused as to just how dangerous cannabis is. With cannabis-related health damage increasing, it is fundamentally wrong for countries to make cannabis control dependent on which party is in government. "The cannabis pandemic, like other challenges to public health, requires consensus, a consistent commitment across the political spectrum and by society at large. Today, the harmful characteristics of cannabis are no longer that different from those of other plant-based drugs such as cocaine and heroin." The initial stories in the world's press accepted the statements of prevaricator Costa at face value, as well as the report, which devotes it's Second Chapter to marijuana "Cannabis: Why we should care." The full report is at http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR-2006.html But leading drug policy experts were quick to respond, not that their views have received press, yet. The Leading UK drugs charity DrugScope http://www.drugscope.org.uk responded ""DrugScope is surprised and concerned by the UNODC Chief's comments regarding cannabis" said Martin Barnes, Chief Executive of DrugScope. "The UK government, education system and charities have worked hard in recent years to ensure our young people are given factual information about the relative harms of drugs. International evidence is clear that cocaine and heroin cause much greater health and social harms than cannabis and it is misleading and irresponsible to suggest otherwise. Cannabis is a harmful substance but the greater harms caused by cocaine and heroin should not be downplayed. "European evidence shows that although stronger strains of cannabis are available than 20 years ago, there has not been a significant increase overall in the use of more potent forms of the drug."" Canadian Senator Larry Campbell wrote "UNODC Executive Director, Antonio Maria Costa claims that the world is experiencing a devastating "cannabis pandemic." This gentleman is the same person who said we were putting "cannabis oil" on pasta. It was pointed out that is was hemp oil which is not a sativa product. He didn't know the difference and appeared not to care. Simply another high paid UN stooge. Isn't it amazing that the US only supports the UN when they toe the US "drug war" line." Some critical views of the UN report are starting to be printed. For example, the Vancouver Sun editorial "UN Drug Report Unintentionally Argues Against Prohibition" http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06.n840.a07.html Your letters to the editor in response to the articles in the world's press can make a difference, encouraging more balanced views. Please go to the following link and respond to news clippings dated 27 June or later. http://www.mapinc.org/topics/World+Drug+Report Thanks for your effort and support. It's not what others do it's what YOU do There are many sources of facts you may use to counter the United Nations prevarication. You may find some of these of value. From http://www.drugwardistortions.org Cannabis and Mental Illness http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion18.htm Marijuana Potency http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion11.htm From http://www.drugwarfacts.org Drug Control Policies Around The World http://www.drugwarfacts.org/internat.htm Marijuana http://www.drugwarfacts.org/marijuan.htm The Netherlands Compared With The United States http://www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm Suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center http://www.mapinc.org/resource/#guides Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal tips on how to write LTEs that get printed, and how to write OPEDs for publication as the members of our Drug Policy Writers Group http://mapinc.org/resource/dpwg/ do. PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to if you are not subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others may learn from your efforts. Subscribing to the Sent LTE list () will help you to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts. To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form Prepared by: Richard Lake, Sr. Editorwww.drugnews.org.

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