Without a doubt, a good percentage of needles picked up by HIV Alliance volunteer cleanup patrols were originally provided to drug users through the agency's needle exchange program. The Eugene-based organization distributed 540,000 needles to injection drug users last year, program coordinator Forest Headley said. Drug users gave back about 98 percent of those needles - approximately 530,000 - as part of the ongoing exchange. That's an impressive return rate, but it means that 10,000 used needles furnished by the HIV Alliance never found their way back to the agency. advertisement [continues 246 words]
Large Quantities Of Meth, Cocaine Were Moved Through City, Authorities Say Law-enforcement officers staged a dozen simultaneous raids across the central Willamette Valley in the predawn hours of Wednesday, arresting 11 people and breaking up what they called the biggest drug-trafficking operation in the history of Benton County. The raids, which occurred at 4 a.m. in residences and businesses in Corvallis, Albany, Independence, Creswell and Springfield, were part of an operation authorities code-named "Ice-Breaker," an investigation that Corvallis police launched in November 2005. Later in the morning, seven more locations were searched. Authorities said that they seized cash, weapons and methamphetamine in at least some of the raids, but didn't release details on Wednesday. [continues 1545 words]
Federal agents arrested more suspects on Thursday in a major drug trafficking case and said they had seized about 21 pounds of heroin in what they termed was probably the second-largest single seizure of the drug in Oregon history. It was the second day of arrests by Drug Enforcement Administration agents, who on Wednesday had picked up 31 people in Lane County for their suspected involvement in what law enforcement officials called a sophisticated and well-run import and distribution operation targeting Oregon, Washington and California. advertisement [continues 241 words]
Hooray for Astoria High School's service learning class. These students are a perfect example of how youth, when given the opportunity, can be a catalyst for positive change in their community ("Class declares war on drugs, alcohol," The Daily Astorian, March 9). Taking on the issue of drug and alcohol abuse is a difficult task in a community where the norms are favorable toward substance use. These students are to be commended. In an effort to support such an undertaking as this service project, the Take the Time: Be the Difference Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and Meth Summit Planning Committee, together with the Oregon Partnership, and through a generous grant from Oregon Community Foundation/McCracken Advised Funds, would like to match the class' funds and contribute an additional $5,000 to the project. Thank you for having the courage to address such an important issue and we look forward to hearing the results of your endeavors. Jill Quackenbush Astoria [end]
I would like to address the policy of drug testing of student athletes at Astoria High School. I think that this is an absurd practice that should be stopped for the following reasons: The first reason is that forcing students to take a drug test is a violation of their constitutional rights. The fifth amendment protects all citizens from self-incrimination, and forcing a student to participate in a drug test is just like forcing someone to answer a question in court. [continues 147 words]
As a high school student who is very aware of the prevalent use of drugs and alcohol among my peers, I adamantly suggest that the Astoria School District take a second look at the benefits Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification drug testing can provide, and the positive effects it can have on the students in our community. Depression, poor work in school, deterred health and even suicide are just a few examples of the severe effects of drugs and alcohol, particularly on high-school-aged students. According to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, by their senior year, nearly half of all high school students have tried marijuana, and more than a quarter are currently using. [continues 107 words]
Employers could fire medical marijuana users who fail drug tests under a bill passed Wednesday by the Oregon Senate. If it becomes law, the measure could shield employers from potential lawsuits filed by medical marijuana patients who have been fired or disciplined for testing positive for the drug when they show up for work. Without the bill, "employers will be left with individual lawsuits and appeals," said Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches. "I believe this is good policy for our state, and it is strongly supported by both labor and management." [continues 400 words]
Employers Would Be Shielded From Lawsuits By Users Employers could fire medical-marijuana users who fail drug tests under a bill passed Wednesday by the Oregon Senate. If it becomes law, the measure could shield employers from potential lawsuits filed by medical-marijuana patients who have been fired or disciplined for testing positive for the drug when they show up for work. Without the bill, "employers will be left with individual lawsuits and appeals," said Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches. "I believe this is good policy for our state, and it is strongly supported by both labor and management." [continues 444 words]
Two Border Patrol agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compeon, have been sent to prison for trying to arrest a drug smuggler, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila. He brought nearly $1 million of marijuana across our border in his van. After a brief scuffle, he ran back across the border into Mexico. The agents fired at him because he pointed a gun at them several times as he ran. He was shot once in the buttocks. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security sent agents to Mexico to find Aldrete-Davila, offer him immunity and free medical care, and bring him back to testify against the two agents. They also helped him file a $5 million lawsuit against the U.S. Border Patrol. [continues 150 words]
Prescription for Trouble Legal Drugs Become a Popular Fix; Experts Say Rush to Treat Pain Opens Door to Addiction A brush with methamphetamine addiction couldn't begin to prepare Nathan Wick for the crushing grip of prescription-opiate dependency. "Cocaine and meth and all those are nothing compared to the addictions your body goes through with pain medication," the Medford resident said. Off meth for seven years, Wick, 32, started taking Vicodin to alleviate the pain of a 2002 back injury. As his tolerance for the prescribed drug increased, he turned to Percocet, an opiate-derived painkiller. Soon Wick was downing more than his prescribed dosage and looked to emergency rooms, urgent-care centers and, finally, street-level dealers for his next fix. [continues 1174 words]
Some young people are turning on, tuning in and dropping out for quick highs on a hallucinogenic drug that is legal and sold openly at novelty stores, smoke shops and adult video stores. But some state lawmakers say the substance - salvia divinorum - is dangerous and have proposed a bill to ban possessing or selling it. "=46rom what I understand this drug is at least as dangerous as marijuana or LSD," said Rep. John Lim, R-Gresham, who is sponsoring a bill that would make the plant a Schedule I controlled substance in Oregon, on par with ecstasy or synthetic heroin. "This drug is not a widely used product, but it is becoming problematic." [continues 525 words]
Some young people are turning on, tuning in and dropping out for quick highs on a hallucinogenic drug that is legal and sold openly at novelty stores, smoke shops and adult video stores. But some state lawmakers say the substance -- salvia divinorum -- is dangerous and have proposed a bill to ban possessing or selling it. "From what I understand this drug is at least as dangerous as marijuana or LSD," said Rep. John Lim, R-Gresham, who is sponsoring a bill that would make the plant a Schedule I controlled substance in Oregon, on par with ecstasy or synthetic heroin. "This drug is not a widely used product, but it is becoming problematic." [continues 616 words]
Used By Shamans In Mexico, It Is Sold In Some U.S. Stores Some young people are turning on, tuning in and dropping out for quick highs on a hallucinogenic drug that is legal and sold openly at novelty stores, smoke shops and adult video stores. But some state lawmakers say the substance, salvia divinorum, is dangerous and they have proposed a bill to ban possessing or selling it. "From what I understand, this drug is at least as dangerous as marijuana or LSD," said Rep. John Lim, R-Gresham, who is sponsoring a bill that would make the plant a Schedule I controlled substance in Oregon, on par with Ecstasy or synthetic heroin. "This drug is not a widely used product, but it is becoming problematic." [continues 471 words]
Local police will be watching to see if a massive Washington state "black tar" heroin bust will affect the marked increase in possession of the drug in west Washington County. Cornelius Police Department Cmdr. Ed Jensen says black tar heroin had been on a decline for a long time, but over the last 10 days was seen often enough to unnerve officers. The increase could be tied to a regional drug ring that was busted by Tacoma, Wash., police Friday, March 2, Jensen said. [continues 295 words]
"Democrats spar over medical pot for workers (Feb. 26)" was incomplete. I was the filing chief petitioner for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act in 1998. The law, ORS 475.300, begins: "Patients and doctors have found marijuana to be an effective treatment for suffering caused by debilitating medical conditions, and therefore, marijuana should be treated like other medicines." Polling shows that three out four Oregonians support medical marijuana. Patients who use cannabis as medicine ask for the same rights as those using medical morphine. [continues 111 words]
On the Job - One Legislator's Bill Would Let Employers Fire Legal Weed Users; Another's Stops Them The political stakes might not be as high as for school funding or tax increases, but two Democratic senators are jousting over workers' right to smoke medicinal dope. Last Monday, Sen. Rick Metsger of Welches hustled out of his business and transportation committee a bill giving employers leeway to boot workers who use medical marijuana. Today, Sen. Floyd Prozanski of Eugene will take up a bill in his Commerce Committee that would prohibit those same employers from discriminating against legal pot smokers. [continues 337 words]
The faces of meth are not pretty. A near-capacity audience at The Dalles Wahtonka High School saw a number of examples of that Tuesday night as part of a town hall presentation by Multnomah County Deputy Bret King. King has put together a video showing the effect prolonged use of methamphetamine has on people. His pictorial subjects were inmates at the Multnomah County Jail where he works. The film also includes interviews with some of these inmates talking about the impact meth had on their lives. King said it was while working at jails that he noticed the physical changes that took place with meth users, and he felt shooting a video showing this might be a way to get the attention of young people, who desire to look good and make good first impressions on other young people. The mugs he uses show the before and after of meth use. He has found that the reaction of young people is that "no one wants to look like that." He said in showing the video he did not want to make anyone look bad, but said the people shown in the video were glad to be able to help others avoid taking the route they had chosen. The people shown in the video had lost their families, friends, their looks and their very lives, he said. He sees young people in the jail with their whole lives ahead of them who are throwing it away on garbage. Part of the video was a series of mug shots, showing jail inmates over different time periods, some as short as two weeks and some as long as 10 years. [continues 722 words]
Police and the law enforcement community in general are part of the problem and reason the costly, failed and discredited war on drugs and the plant cannabis (marijuana) continues. Years ago the police mantra included: If you don't like the laws then change them, and they don't make the laws they just enforce them. But no longer. Police associations and unions organize against credible cannabis and drug law reform with the effect of job security being the goal, regardless of what is best for North America. Shame on them and shame on the media for allowing and enabling it. Prohibition is anti-American. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
To the Editor, During my 18 years as a police officer, I saw another form of corruption develop which Mr. Fraser's excellent article did not address. (WAR ON DRUGS IS HARMFUL TO POLICE FORCE: February 26) Officers will routinely lie in police reports and in court, when they conduct an illegal search and find drugs. Too many officers develop a 'Holy War' attitude and believing God is on their side, commit perjury in order to win drug cases. And justice suffers and will continue to suffer as long as we continue the policy of drug prohibition. OFFICER HOWARD J. WOOLDRIDGE (retired) Education Specialist Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Washington, DC [end]
Eventual Policy May Or May Not Look Like Initial Proposal There was disagreement about what a drug testing policy might look like and even on the need for it or wisdom of doing it, but that didn't stop a majority of North Wasco County School District board members from voting to start one at the beginning of the next school year. After considering member PK Swartz's draft for a possible policy, the board resolved -- in a 5-2 vote with Wayne Haythorn and Brian Stahl dissenting -- to develop and implement some kind of policy by September. [continues 727 words]
Inside Oregon
