The drug story gets an adulterous twist. It's not just the issue of cocaine but its adulteration with heroin that has added a new dimension to the Rahul Mahajan-Vivek Moitra episode. The fact that the cocaine allegedly consumed by the duo was mixed with heroin has proved that coke adulteration is reaching a new high. Adulteration of cocaine with heroin (known as speedball) is not new. But what's important is that the quantity of heroin in cocaine is getting higher with every change of hand that the packet undergoes. According to the cops, "In one case, we found the cocaine sample adulterated. And the lab report proved that it was mixed with heroin." [continues 326 words]
A charismatic politician, touted as a future prime minister, is gunned down by his brother in a jealous rage. On the way to immerse the leader's ashes in a sacred river, his playboy son stops at a party where he and a friend snort cocaine and heroin. The cocktail kills the friend and leaves the playboy facing a lengthy jail term. It sounds like the stuff of Bollywood, but this is the real-life fall from grace of Rahal Mahajan, the 31-year-old son of the late Pramod Mahajan of the Bharatiya Janata Party, India's leading opposition group. [continues 599 words]
If you wanna hang out you've got to take her out; cocaine. If you wanna get down, down on the ground; cocaine. She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine... One score and five years ago, we would smoke ourselves silly on stuff slyly procured from Peter's joint off Park Street as Eric Clapton belted out his smash hit in the hostel common room. To suck on a reefer was as fashionable as wearing bellbottoms and dog collar, floral print shirts, a version of which is a rage this summer. [continues 579 words]
NEW DELHI: Despite the arrival of 'designer drugs' in the market, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and psychedelics continue to be in great demand among drug users. Following is a primer on the common drugs available: Cocaine: It emerged under the name of 'crack' in 1980s and is prepared from the South American cocoa plant. Despite being one of the costliest narcotic substances, it continues to be easily available and is always in great demand. It is usually snorted as white coloured powder but can be injected also. It is highly addictive and makes the user euphoric for about an hour. [continues 231 words]
Investigation into the sensational Rahul Mahajan drug abuse case has thrown up names of several high-profile designers, film personalities and businessmen who purchased narcotics regularly from peddlers now in police custody. Sahil Zarru, the son of a carpet dealer, was a regular on the party circuit in Mumbai and allegedly had a high-profile clientele for drugs. Rahul, the son of late BJP leader Pramod Mahahjan, had allegedly met Sahil at one such party, police sources said. A team of Delhi Police officials led by Connaught Place Station House Officer Suresh Kaushik is camping in Mumbai to unravel the drug trail left by Sahil, who had also introduced Abdullah, a Nigerian drug peddler, to several people in Mumbai, the sources said. [continues 148 words]
NEW DELHI: Investigation into the sensational Rahul Mahajan drug abuse case has thrown up names of several high-profile designers, film personalities and businessmen who purchased narcotics regularly from peddlers now in police custody. Sahil Zaroo, the son of a carpet dealer, was a regular on the party circuit in Mumbai and allegedly had a high-profile clientele for drugs. Rahul, the son of late BJP leader Pramod Mahahjan, had allegedly met Sahil at one such party, police sources said. A team of Delhi Police officials led by Connaught Place Station House Officer Suresh Kaushik is camping in Mumbai to unravel the drug trail left by Sahil, who had also introduced Abdullah, a Nigerian drug peddler, to several people in Mumbai, the sources said. [continues 148 words]
AS a crimson sun sets over the Arabian Sea behind her, the British singer Helen Jones leaps onto the stage of the oceanside Cafe Looda, grabs the microphone and unleashes a fiery anthem to the crowd amassed under the thatched roof of the open-air bar. "There ain't nothing like this in the real world!" she sing-shouts, flinging her strawberry-blond hair as an Indian-British-Iranian backing band called Sattva (Sanskrit for "righteousness") kicks out a wailing funk jam. The beer-drinking throng, which appears to include European rock chicks with nose rings, goateed Israeli beatniks, Australian Green Party voters and a miscellaneous coterie of hipster backpackers in every imaginable type of sandal, nods in rhythm as the music resounds along Anjuna Beach. [continues 2555 words]
Two-Day National Seminar On Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances Inaugurated In The Capital On Saturday NEW DELHI: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Saturday suggested deterrent punishment for drug traffickers as one of the solutions to deal with the increasing menace of drug abuse in country. He also called upon every component of society to work towards insulating the youth of the country from drug abuse and also weaning them away from drug trafficking. Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day national seminar and workshop-cum-training programme on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances -- organised by the Delhi High Court at Vigyan Bhavan here -- Dr. Kalam asked the political leaders, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, parents and teachers to effectively participate in instilling in the youth a value system which may drive them away from the menace of drug abuse. [continues 203 words]
NAGPUR: After a series of suicides by debt-ridden farmers in Maharashtra, those in Vidarbha region are making unique demands to the authorities to draw the government's attention to their plight, sources said. While some farmers have mortgaged the entire village, others are trying to sell off their kidneys or seeking permission to cultivate marijuana to repay debts and run their families in view of heavy losses due to crop failure. Farmers from Naigaon in Dhamangaon taluka of Amravati district were seeking licences for cultivating Marijuna and running illicit liquor dens to cover their agricultural production cost, according to sources. [continues 159 words]
Almost a forbidden subject these days, but the stuff has such a long history that I feel justified in touching on the subject. The argument nowadays is whether it is a medicine or a harmful addictive drug, and if you go back into historical record you'll find there has always been this dual role, this struggle between good and evil. I first came to hear of it when studying the medieval Latin text known as the "Itinerarium". This was the very detailed account of the journey of King Richard I of England (otherwise known as the Lionheart) to the Holy Land at the end of the twelfth century, in what came to be known as the Third Crusade. I'll not go into detail on the crusades: they are a very controversial issue and would take many pages to explain, but I'd like to tell you of an incident that befell the King: or, to be more accurate, of something which the sycophantic monk who wrote the Itinerarium chose to include in his story of the King's adventures. [continues 544 words]
During my spell as Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau of India, I was exposed to the world of drugs, narcotics and psychotropic substances - through the NDPS Act as it was called. This stringent law provided a minimum of ten years punishment upon conviction. In fact under the then Act, there was no judicial discretion to impose a lesser sentence if the case was proved. This is one organisation that is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the Act and rehabilitating the drug abuser, a process that falls under its charge along with the Ministry of Social Welfare. Frankly speaking, not many police officers are concerned with drugs. Even if some are interested, to most drug enforcement is one of the marginal duties unrelated to their mainstream work of preventing and detecting crime. [continues 1211 words]
The villages of Aitiana, Sudhar, Burjlittan and Noorpura in Punjab are rife with tales of the return of their young men. They return from Canada and the U.S. with great riches to buy thousands of acres of land, flashy cars and build huge mansions. Their homecoming is also sending ripples of unrest through the villages of Punjab. Now Indian police are pursuing reports that Non-Resident Indians who have made fortunes from the drug trade in North America are returning home to seek refuge and spend their ill-gotten gains. [continues 696 words]
INDIA'S Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked all affiliated schools to conduct regular awareness programmes among the students against the risks of drug addiction. In a recent memoradum, the board has urged the co-operation of all institutions in moulding the character of children under their care "as it will have an everlasting influence on their lives". According to the CBSE directives, drug abuse has been considered as an important curricular concern for some time. Various media reports also underline the urgent need to address the issue at school level in a systematic and responsible manner. One of the specific objectives of the 'General Framework of Adolescence Education' is "to make learners aware of the causes and consequences of drug abuse and ways of preventing it, and to develop in them a rational attitude as well as the skills to say 'no' to drugs". The curricular components that are already incorporated in different subjects can be highlighted for raising the awareness of students about drugs, the harmful effects of their abuse and the ways of preventing drug abuse, the circular said. The CBSE has suggested the following programmes for the schools: * Sensitisation through formal and informal discussions; * Creating awareness among students by organising interactive sessions with experts in the field; * Strengthening the counseling component ; * Educating children by involving local nodal agencies working in the field of narcotics control; * Social justice and law empowerment; * Empowering children by organising specifically designed co-curricular activities such as role play, value clarification, group discussion and so on. Schools can add to this list of activities depending on their local needs and availability of resources. - AV [end]
With the government having failed to tackle the growing drug menace, the parents have a reason to worry. If the aggrieved parents accuse the police of having a truck with the drug traffickers they are justified. Till date no tangible action has been taken against the elements who have been selling "sweet poison" openly in the every nook and corner of the Valley especially in the urban areas. Abuse of drugs has become a way of life in the Valley especially in the urban areas. [continues 586 words]
There Are Some Amongst Us Who Are Fond Of Taking Drugs As Food, As Water, As Air. Little Do They Know That In The Name Of Treating Themselves They Are Poisoning The Whole System Within Them, Warns Naqshab Afra Self medication and drug abuse is also one of the mental health related problems and all sections of every society is prone to it. According to the WHO A"drug dependence is stated as, psychic and sometimes also physical, resulting from the interaction between a living organism and a drug, characterized by the behaviour and other responses that always include a compulsion to take the drug on a continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its psychic effects and sometimes to avoid the discomfort its absence. Drug dependence is also defined as a syndrome manifested by a behavioral pattern in which the use of a given psychoactive drug, or class of drugs, is given a much higher priority than other behaviors that once had higher value. Generally we consider drug abuse when a person uses the drug respectively without any medical reason and this use affects his/ her health in a negative way. Repeated use of drugs that are addictive can cause dependence, which makes a person feel a strong desire to continue taking the drugs, even though it may be causing harm to the person. When an addicted person tries to stop the drug, he feels sick and has withdrawal syndrome. Thus he continuous takes the drugs for simply avoiding withdrawal symptoms that are cramps, pains, tears, sweating, diarrhea and the like. There are many types of drugs that are abused of these, alcohol, tobacco, sleeping pills are unique because, in many societies, their use is socially accepted and legal. And it is typically seen in young people. [continues 1138 words]
Friday's cocaine seizure from a posh South Delhi restro-bar might have been a small one. There have been bigger hauls in the city this year. But this was for the first time that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had raided an upscale restaurant and arrested a peddler with a cocaine pouch. Rumours had been making rounds of the corridors of the NCB office in R.K. Puram about cocaine being used under the dim and easy lights of lounge bars. [continues 410 words]
Drug-Pushers and addicts, striking deals in those dim-lit lounge bars and high-end restaurants, are under watch. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), that has been keeping an eye on lounge bars and restaurants in south Delhi, late on Thursday picked up Dev Chopra, a cocaine pusher and addict, from Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mehrauli. Dev, a diploma holder in interior designing, was nabbed with 15 gm of cocaine valued at Rs 60,000 as he was waiting for his customer - a Mumbai-based model, according to information the NCB had. [continues 359 words]
The capital's bold and beautiful people may be guilty as charged. While insisting that a selective crackdown on lounge bars and glitterati is unfair, leading hair fashion expert Jawed Habib admits a majority of Page3 regulars are addicted to drugs. But that doesn't stop him from being bitter about the fact that after a recent bust at the Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mehrauli, a senior official of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) told media that 'sare darzis (fashion designers) aur nai (hairstylists)' were involved in substance abuse. [continues 552 words]
People Are Prone to Craving, the Propensity for Which Is an Ancient Strategy for Survival That Occasionally Goes Horribly Wrong. but It Also Turns Out That Our Addictive Instinct Has Helped Make US the Successful Species We Are Today ADDICTIONS and cravings can come in all shapes and forms, but they all stem from a fancy piece of brain gear called the mesolimbic system. Scientists call this system the reward or reinforcement centre in the brain. It works like the brain's "High 5" -- when you do something positive, it says "Nice job!" And the way it does this is by releasing dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good. [continues 1159 words]
KOLKATA, India - Cancer was slowly killing an old man in his fourth-floor apartment, and as the disease spread from organ to bone, sharp pains stabbed at his very core. A clear, oblong patch was stuck to Shyam Sundar Nevatia's chest, just above his weakening heart, gradually releasing a 25-milligram dose of opium-based narcotic over three days. The medication was no match for the relentless pain as death drew near. Nevatia's doctor had prescribed more powerful morphine pills, but the 74-year-old businessman's family checked at hospitals and pharmacies, and even on the black market, without finding any. [continues 886 words]
The Young and Attractive Stand a Stupendously Better Chance of Having Their Stories Told Than Others Amrita Shah Over the last several weeks the Australian public has been mesmerised by the fate of a 27-year-old beauty trainee therapist from the Gold Coast, Queensland. Schapelle Corby, an attractive young woman was travelling to Bali for a holiday in October last year, when Indonesian officials at Denpasar airport searched her boogie board bag and found 4.1 kilos of marijuana in it. Corby insisted she had no idea where the contraband came from but she was jailed. Her plight and the subsequent trial exhaustively covered by the Australian media made her a national icon overnight. [continues 707 words]
Washington -- A new study, by researchers at the Yale University, has found that smoking marijuana is associated with increased risk of many of the same symptoms as smoking cigarettes i.e. chronic bronchitis, coughing on most days, phlegm production, shortness of breath, and wheezing. The study, which was published in the "Journal of General Internal Medicine," said that marijuana smoking may increase risk of respiratory exposure by infectious organisms, such as fungi and molds, since cannabis plants are contaminated with a range of fungal spores. [continues 74 words]
NEW DELHI - The failure of the US to put an end to the reign of druglords in Afgha-nistan may cost India dearly. The sharp increase in opium cultivation in Afgha-nistan by a whopping 60% over the last one year is giving sleepless nights to Indian drug enforcement agencies. The concern stems from the fact that most of the consignments of heroin seized in India in recent months originated in the war-ravaged Afghanistan and found their way into the country though the Indo-Pak border along Punjab. [continues 119 words]
NEW DELHI: Declaring their resolve to fight the war against narcotic and psychedelic substances, India and Pakistan on Monday decided to explore avenues, including information and intelligence sharing and mutual legal assistance, to control the menace. "We have to fight the war against narcotic drugs together. It is a common cause, has no borders and has no political considerations," Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force Director General Maj Gen Nadeem Ahmed told PTI after a half-an-hour meeting with Home Minister Shivraj Patil here. [continues 374 words]
NEW DELHI: So, you are sure your kid's not doing drugs. Try going through his drawers. You may not find marijuana or hash, but there are chances you might find a few bottles of Iodex. No, his joints don't pain very often. He's eating the pain-relieving ointment for a high. High Addiction: Medicines Vs Narcotics Corex Rs 47 (100 ml) Phensydril Rs 45 (100 ml ) Benadryl Rs 41 ( 100 ml) Planocough Rs 37 (100 ml ) Mid's Linctus Codein Rs 45 (100 ml) [continues 670 words]
Imagine a Ganja Party of India, or a Bhang Magazine or a Charas-TV. Canada has all these. The Marijuana Party of Canada, Cannabis Culture Magazine and Pot-TV. And the man who spawned all this says India was a spark of inspiration for him. In 1992, Marc Emery was just another visitor to India. When he visited Pushkar in Rajasthan, he says he couldn't believe his eyes. "Sadhus were smoking ganja openly. No policemen interrupted them. In Varanasi, sadhus used ganja and bhang. In Jaisalmer, I found a shop which sold charas. Damn it. Back in North America we were spending million of dollars to stop drug trade, and here in India nobody stopped these sadhus. There was no prohibition. I found India very inspirational," he told this correspondent some time ago. [continues 508 words]
KULLU: A revolution has been sprouting in the high vales of Kullu. An invasive strain is fast replacing the native. Just that this time around few know about it and even fewer are bothered. A genetically modified cannabis plant has swamped the Kullu region. The new stock is represented by a monster of a plant as compared to the local variety (see box). The knock-out punch in its favour is, obviously, the higher content of drug that it yields. "Estimates suggest that 12,000 bighas in Kullu sprout genetically modified hashish," is the candid revelation by Kullu SP Anand Pratap Singh. Being a weed, it is impossible to eradicate cannabis. The new plant has spread beyond cultivated control and can now be found all over. [continues 195 words]
A TEAM of 200 personnel from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Kullu police and Homo Guards today left for Malana, a remote village in the Manikaran valley infamous world over for the production of charas or 'Malana cream', to carry out the biggest ever 'Destroy Cannabis' operation. Kullu SP Anand Pratap Singh told HT that the team, led by Narcotics Control Bureau SP O.P. Sharma who will be assisted by Kullu DSP Prem Chand and Manali DSP Khushal Sharma, comprises 158 policemen, including a lady inspector and a woman constable. [continues 262 words]
Let's mourn the dawning of the age of reason. With clay pipes clenched firmly between our teeth, a plate full of mushrooms, and a book of poems. For, it doesn't suffice to be a cheap versifier. Not when the jingle of gold celebrates poetry. One then has to become, as French boy-poet Rimbaud said, "a seer; by a long, rational, prodigious disordering of senses". Humanity's vanguards - poets, artists and madmen - whenever they have wanted to push at the seams of reality, have turned literature upon itself and endeavoured to make it disappear in a torrent of linguistic excess. [continues 383 words]
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, Dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, Angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night..." So begins Howl, one of 20th century's most celebrated poems. From the 1950s through the '60s American poet Allen Ginsberg (1926-97) doped frequently to induce visionary awareness in the company of his legendary friends - Lucien Carr, William S Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, and young novelist John Clellon Holmes. [continues 820 words]
Ten years after a man was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by a lower court for possessing 15 kg of bhang (hemp), the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the conviction ruling that possessing bhang is not an offence under the NDPS Act. Setting aside the conviction of the appellant, the High Court held that bhang does not fall under substances defined under Section 2(III) of the NDPS Act and therefore its possession did not constitute an offence punishable under the Act. It also held the order of the lower court "illegal and without jurisdiction". [continues 364 words]
MUMBAI: The anti-narcotics cells of the Mumbai police and Central agencies may not have sufficient manpower or large doses of funds to take on drug mafia. But that is being compensated with new training and investigative skills. Five officers of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are in Mumbai to conduct a fortnight-long training programme for police, customs, Narcotics Control Bureau personnel. Thirty-six officers are participating in the programme which began on Monday. A similar programme was recently held in Delhi and are also planned in Kolkata and Chennai. [continues 154 words]
SARAIPALI, (Chhatisgarh): In a sensational case, a headmaster and a teacher of a primary school here were suspended after they allegedly supplied liquor, bhang and ganja to primary students mixing with their mid day meal. Sub divisional magistrate Ashok Shrivastav, who had conducted an inquiry into the complaint, told UNI over telephone that he had found the headmaster and two other teachers of Chandibona primary school in Mahasamund district prima facie guilty of providing intoxicants to the primary school children. On the basis of inquiry report, district collector Manish Tyagi ordered suspension of headmaster Arakshit Patel and teachers Devadi Choudhary and Santlal Choudhary. [continues 182 words]
PGI Gets Funds From US Agency For Research CHANDIGARH: A one-way ticket to a life of madness and despair or an ecstatic trip to nirvana? Whichever way you look at it, marijuana is mystifying. And Almighty America is not comfortable with mysteries. In quest of final answers, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the US has now joined hands with the PGI's department of neurology and psychology. They will initiate extensive research to find out how marijuana impacts on the brain. [continues 378 words]
Consuming it all: A keen student group takes down notes at the exhibition. DRUG ABUSE! Even a mere mention of the phrase evokes revulsion in any civilised society. The grip it has on the younger generation continues to be a cause of concern. What is more, did you know that addiction to drugs is also a reason for committing crimes? Or did you know that youngsters in 14 - 16 age group are most vulnerable to drug peddlers, as also drug abusers. [continues 352 words]
On the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, governments around the world need to rethink their strategy on tackling this social problem. As in the case of the prohibition of alcohol in some states, the criminalisation of drug use and its sale hasn't been of much use in mitigating the situation. Despite the best efforts, the world is no nearer to meeting its target of significantly reducing the supply and demand of drugs by 2008. On the other hand, its repression has only led to a proliferation of its illicit trade and given rise to organised crime on a massive scale. Besides, the social taboo associated with substance abuse prevents those dependent on certain drugs from coming forward for treatment. [continues 221 words]
When David Beckham and his mates played against France on Sunday, many were braced for a less-than-flattering image of British culture. More than 50,000 fans have followed Team England to Euro 2004 in Portugal, preceded by a reputation of 'hooliganism'. Portuguese police have prepared for the worst, and allowed allowed fans to smoke dope in the hope it will calm them down, maybe even put them to sleep. Wander down the Rua Augusta, a thoroughfare of cafes, boutiques and banks in Lisbon, and it's impossible to avoid an offer. A young man, usually with a moustache, flashes a sachet, and accompanies it with a nod and a wink. [continues 116 words]
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan begin two days of talks in Islamabad tomorrow on controlling drug trafficking in the region and checking financing of terrorism through proceeds of drug trade. A six-member Indian delegation which will visit Pakistan to attend the two-day meeting of the India-Pakistan committee on drug trafficking and smuggling, will also hold discussions on the use of drugs and their link with HIV/AIDS, elimination of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan and illegal drug trade between the two countries, sources said. The two countries had decided on April 16 to hold talks on the issue under a roadmap worked out between their respective foreign secretaries in Islamabad on February 18. [continues 180 words]
PTI Islamabad June 12: India and Pakistan would hold a series of talks on wide range of issues next week, beginning with the dialogue between top officials of the two countries to prevent drug trafficking and smuggling. A high-level Indian delegation headed by the Director-General of the Narcotic Control Bureau, Mr M K Singh would arrive in Pakistan on June 14 to attend the meeting of the committee on drug trafficking and smuggling to be held here on June 15 and 16, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Mr Masood Khan told a media briefing today. [continues 410 words]
HOSHIARPUR: Drugged in their hunger to reach the Parliament, political parties and politicians have failed to address one of the most crucial issues-the growing drug abuse amongst Punjabi youth and their subsequent involvement in crime for easy money. The recent arrest of a group of roadside dacoits by the Hoshiarpur police early on Monday morning is an example of a growing reality. The police arrested four persons Sukhwinder Singh, Gian Chand, Shiv Kumar and Gurtej Singh, all in the age group of between twenty and thirty, at an early morning raid near village Nangal Ishar. One person Malkiat Singh managed to escape. [continues 117 words]
FEROZEPUR:With five days to go for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the entire Punjab border touching Haryana and Rajasthan has been sealed with the deployment of para-military forces. About four companies of the security forces have been deployed in five Lok Sabha constituencies, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala, bordering the two states to prevent the inflow of anti-social elements and smuggling of narcotics. While the inter-state border along the Faridkot parliamentary constituency has been sealed following the Election Commission directive, in rest of the constituencies the police have taken this step as a precautionary measure. [continues 164 words]
Every smuggler here shares his profits with God Less than 10 km from the gleaming and swishy National Highway 76, Narendra Mistry is supervising the renovation and construction of ''the temple of thieves''. As devotees swerve off the four-lane highway between Udaipur and Chittodgarh and wind their way to the famous Sanwariyaji temple devoted to Lord Krishna, what they can see is the foundation of a new 'Akshardham', bang in the heart of opium country. ''This is going to be bigger and better than Akshardham,'' says Mistry, who is just back from a field visit to Ahmedabad to check out the real thing. ''Actually, the real shrine in Gujarat is not much to write home about. This temple is much better and we will make it even more beautiful.'' [continues 679 words]
GOA, India -- The peaceful, fun-loving and tourist-friendly image of India's western beach state of Goa has suffered a major blow after a new police report pointed to at least 59 "mysterious deaths" of foreign tourists in the past 15 months. Twenty-five of the visitors died in a three-month period -- the peak tourist season between December 2003 and February 2004 -- and many suspect most of the deaths were caused by drug overdoses. "Up to 10 foreign tourists had died here almost every year, and it hardly made any news. But this time the toll was sensationally high," said David Lobo who runs a restaurant at Calangute, a beach popular among foreign tourists. [continues 1369 words]
SHIMLA - The BJP candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency who is also the sitting MP, Maheshwar Singh, has once again tried to raise the issue of legitimising the cultivation of poppy and hemp in the State. During his election meetings, the BJP leader is raising this issue thereby making the position of Congress tough and forcing it to take a stand. Though there is no permission given by the state for the cultivation of these crops, which ultimately develops into opium and cannabis plants, thousands of poor farmer families are dependent on its cultivation. They defend growing these plants, as there is a big demand of these in the pharmaceutical industry. [continues 197 words]
NEW DELHI, MARCH 25. The Special Service Bureau (SSB), responsible for guarding the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders, is facing the challenge of both the borders being open and porous and often being exploited by smugglers and drug-traffickers. Addressing a press conference on the eve of the SSB's 41st Raising Day, the SSB Director-General, Diwakar Prasad, said the borders along both the friendly countries posed no restrictions on the movement of people. Some of the areas were prone to smuggling, drug trafficking, and activities of saboteurs as well as to Maoist and ISI activities. Over the past two years, as many as 300 persons suspected of being smugglers and drug-traffickers were apprehended and contraband and narcotics worth Rs. 6.4 crores seized. Mr. Prasad said the SSB has suggested to the Government to prepare a list of identity documents to verify genuine nationals from Nepal as both the countries enjoyed a visa-free regime and there were no restrictions on travel. He hoped that expert groups from both countries would soon finalise the list of documents. As part of its new role of extensive border management, the SSB had surveyed "each and every inch of our area of responsibility by way of special patrolling'' and identified the sensitivity of each Border Observation Post (BOP) in each district, he said. [continues 128 words]
India needs to amend its skewed laws to legalise the use of hashish, says Arvind Kala Why doesn't a globalising India harmonise its drug laws with the rest of the western world? Holland, which legalised cannabis (charas) way back in 1976, has 1200 licensed 'coffee shops' where any individual over 18 can buy up to five grams of marijuana - enough for five 'joints'. Portugal has no criminal penalties for use, possession and acquisition of even illicit drugs in quantities up to a 10-day supply. Spain, Belgium, and Italy allow a person to use hashish privately. And in Britain's Brixton area of South London, the police don't prosecute a marijuana-user, they just confiscate his stuff. [continues 1002 words]
Will a moon so bright ever arise again? Drink a cupful of wine and ask of the sky. I don't know where the palace gate of heaven is, Or even the year in which tonight slips by . NEW DELHI : A starry night with the wind still and the moon shining in all its splendour. About 800 people gyrating to music at 150 beats a second at a clandestine location near the Delhi-Gurgaon border in southwest Delhi . And before you know it, you are one among the crowd, dancing with your arms in the air, as if nobody knew you. Nobody does actually. [continues 575 words]
NEW DELHI : With the number of rave parties in the city on the rise, police have been left contemplating measures to deal with what they describe as drug menace and health hazard. The police believe that these parties could also be detrimental to the law and order scenario in the long run. "The accused in the Swissair office robbery was recently arrested at a rave party. His profile matches that of those who frequent such parties. These are also a drug menace which has to be checked," said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Dependra Pathak, adding that raves were proving to be a den of vice. [continues 210 words]
LONDON - Doctors' leaders on Tuesday night condemned the British government's plans to reclassify cannabis as a class C drug in the light of new evidence on its safety. The British Medical Association said that the move, due to come into effect next week, sent out "all the wrong messages" to people thinking of experimenting with cannabis. It also called for ministers to keep the classification of cannabis under "constant review" and to consider moving it back to class B as new evidence on its safety comes to light. The BMA move comes weeks after The Times highlighted growing concerns within the medical community about links between cannabis and psychiatric illness. [continues 144 words]
ISLAMABAD : Foreign secretaries of seven Saarc countries, including India , on Wednesday began deliberations to finalise a broad agenda for the weekend regional grouping summit that is expected to focus on a framework for South Asian Free Trade Area Treaty and ways of combating terrorism. Foreign Secretary Shashank, the senior most Indian official to visit Pakistan since the Kargil conflict in 1999, is attending the two-day Standing Committee meeting presided over by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar. They would try to work out agreements and convention on suppressing terrorism, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance, trafficking of women and children. [continues 112 words]
Inside India
