LONDON -- Young people who occasionally smoke cannabis over long periods are more likely to turn to more addictive drugs like heroin, suggests a new study. While it has been assumed that the brain is almost fully formed by the time children reach their teens, there is evidence that the brain continues to develop until 25. Experiments on rats by Yasmin Hurd, a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, show that chronic, periodic use of cannabis can interfere with brain development. [continues 189 words]
Study shows chronic use by teens affects brain development Teenagers and young adults who occasionally smoke cannabis over long periods are more likely to turn to more addictive drugs such as heroin, according to a study. While it has been assumed the brain is almost fully formed by the time children reach their teens, there is evidence the brain continues to develop until as late as age 25. Experiments on rats by Prof. Yasmin Hurd, of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, show that chronic periodic use of cannabis can interfere with brain development. [continues 208 words]
LONDON - Teenagers and young adults who occasionally smoke cannabis over long periods are more likely to turn to more addictive drugs such as heroin, according to a Swedish study. Experiments on rats by Professor Yasmin Hurd, of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, show that chronic periodic use of cannabis can interfere with brain development. There is evidence that the brain continues to develop until as late as 25. If confirmed, the findings suggest that children and young adults who use the drug over long periods would be more prone to anxiety and more dependent on anxiety-reducing drugs. [end]
The number of deaths resulting from drug abuse have more than quadrupled in Sweden during the last nine years according to statistics from the countries six forensic medicine stations. - -This is alarming and probably reflects a big increase of both heroin and mixed drug abuse, especially amongst younger persons, says associate professor Peter Kranz of the Forensic Medicine Institution in Lund to the newspaper Upsala Nya Tidning. 99 persons died in 1995 in connection with drug abuse. For the last two years the figures have been 425 and 413 respectivly. [continues 1004 words]
DESPITE ITS liberal image, Sweden has some of the toughest drug policies in the world. Its zero-tolerance approach began more than 35 years ago precisely because the country realised that a more relaxed attitude had failed. In the 1960s, amphetamines were decriminalised, enabling doctors to prescribe them to addicts. Drug use soared from a couple of hundred addicts to 2,000-3,000 within a couple of years. The Government decided in 1966 to treat all drugs equally, from cannabis to heroin, under a single law. Stop and search laws were introduced to allow police to stop people they suspected of consuming drugs and officers could 0enforce compulsory urine and blood tests. [continues 239 words]
Drug abuse treatment Deathrates are high among Swedens heroin addicts. There is an effective treatment that often frees the addict from the craving of heroin. But despite the fact that methadone in scientific studies shows good results, politicians hesitate. A lot of experts are critical and demand new rules. A government study shows that methadone is an effective method to help heroin addicts. But today only 650 of the more than 5000 heroin addicts receive methadone. - -It is unacceptable Leif Gr-nbladh, head of the methadone program in Uppsala, says. [continues 526 words]
STOCKHOLM, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A chain of stores in Sweden is smoking hot with anger after receiving a shipment of rucksacks decorated with a cannabis leaf print rather than the maple leaf design it ordered, a local Swedish newspaper reported on Friday. The Denmark-based Jysk Baddlager chain immediately came under fire from a Swedish county anti-drug centre for the mistaken pattern, which store management has promised it will straighten out. "Our purchasing department in Denmark ordered rucksacks with the Canadian maple leaf printed on as a decoration. Instead, we got these," said Knud Lauridsen, head of the company's operations in Sweden. [continues 92 words]
Ulf Hammarsten in Skottorp is Sweden's first hemp farmer. In a couple of weeks it is time for harvest. However, first the police will test the THC level. It is prohibited to grow this plant in Sweden since hemp is classified as a narcotic. But the prohibition violates EU rules of free trade and Ulf's hemp has a very low level of THC. "I have figured out that one has to smoke about 400 kilo to get stoned. That's a joint the size of a street light," says Ulf Hammarsten to Aftonbladet. [end]
Employing Suspicion To Lead The Fight LATE on a Friday night and the nightclub is crowded, the dance floor filled with hundreds of young people. At the bar, clubbers shout their drink orders above the music as the DJ turns up the decibels. Through the smoky gloom, friends can be glimpsed standing around chatting and enjoying themselves. All around, people can be seen having the same, harmless fun. Suddenly, a man appears out of the shadows and approaches a group of young people. He announces that he is an undercover policeman, has been watching them all evening and they are all under arrest on suspicion of taking drugs. [continues 950 words]
A Renoir stolen from Sweden's National Museum more than three months ago was found Thursday in Stockholm during an unrelated drug bust. Police found Renoir's "Conversation'' in a bag when detaining three drug suspects. [end]
The Swedish Model of Drug Criminalisation Does Not Work Today far fewer drug dealers are arrested, but many more users are. At the same time drug abuse is a social problem that cannot be criminalised away, writes Goran Grauers. Sweden has created a system that has moved as far down the narcotics ladder as it is possible to go in the fight against drugs. We don't arrest the dealers and smugglers, we arrest the abusers. Why don't we arrest alcoholics and throw them in prison as well? No, abuse is a social problem and cannot be criminalised away. [continues 753 words]
Thursday evening at the Globe was relatively calm. Police reported a theft of tickets, two minors were apprehended for drunkenness and driven home and one person was arrested, suspected of minor drug crimes. At an organized alternative MTV-show at 'Fryshuset', another three persons were arrested also suspected of minor drug crimes. - --------------------------------------------------------- Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1705/a05.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1705/a07.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1696/a03.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1695/a03.html [end]
The Swedish Narcotics Commission proposes in a new report that purgatives makes it possible to expediate body searches of suspected drug smugglers. The commission also proposes stiffer penalties for minor drug crimes in regards to Cannabis. Currently sales of hemp seeds is legal. But according to the commission it should be possible to apprehend those who sell, buy or possess hemp seeds in spite of existing laws. [end]
The police puts in extra resources to search for drugs at the MTV music awards festival at the Globe. Exactly how many policemen who will be on duty is kept secret. "The artists won't get any VIP-treatment," says Leif Jennekvist, director of the county crime division in Stockholm. Stockholm's Narcotics Task Force and at the Rave Commission's drug squad has been strongly critical towards the south suburb police after they said no thanks to their help during the big music event on thursday. [continues 137 words]
Local Police Retreats Yesterday county crime division decided that there will be drug squads at the Globe during the MTV music awards. "The risk for drugs increase at these events," says Leif Jennekvist, Chief of Police at Stockholm County Crime Division. Last saturday Expressen told about the internal conflicts within the Stockholm police. The Globe, where world artists pilgrimag to the MTV music awards on Thursday, is within the South Suburb district. Both narcotics officers at the City police and the Rave Commission offered their assistance, but where rejected. [continues 271 words]
The world's popstars don't have to worry about drug task forces during the MTV-music awards festival. Local police chiefs will stop the 'drug squad' from getting in to Globen (the Globe). But customs will enforce surveillance at Arlanda airport - in fear that illegal drugs will flow into the country when stars and fans arrive. The MTV-music awards festival is described as the biggest music event in Swedens history. On Thursday thousands of fans will be in place at Globen to see the worlds biggest popstars perform. [continues 556 words]
Growing criticism towards the local police chief who denied help from drug squads. Now comes demands that the police board in Stockholm steps in. "The politically responsible in Stockholm are obligated to enforce existing narcotics legislation," it says in an open letter to the chair woman of the police board, Kristina Axen Olin. It is Torgny Peterson, director of ECAD (European Cities Against Drugs), who is the author of the letter. The organisation is upset that the ravecommission's drug squad and the city police's drug task force is denied access to the MTV-festival at the Globe. The narcotics police offered their support with 20 men, but the local police department said no thanks. [continues 177 words]
The Police prioritize minor rather than serious drug offences. This is evident in a new report from the National Council for Crime Prevention (BRA). "The police must be given more funding in the fight against organized drug crimes," says Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Lars Engqvist. The police authorities activity logs show that efforts against minor drug offences, drug use and possession, is given a considerable higher priority than efforts against serious drug crimes. A clear shift in comparison with the 80's, according to Peter Lindstrom, director and researcher at BRA. [continues 398 words]
Tennis ball filled with narcotics and the smallest models of mobile phones are being thrown over the walls of Swedens prisons. This is the latest way for inmates to smuggle ever increasing quantities of drugs into jail. Despite half of all inmates being drug abusers, very little of the drugs smuggled in are seized. The drugs problem is on its way to overpowering the Swedish Prisons authority. In Haga, part of the Hall institute, nine out of ten prisoners are drug abusers. In the Hallby Institute outside Eskilstuna it is estimated that sefven out of ten abuse narcotics. [continues 586 words]
THE more painkillers a woman gets during labour, the more likely her child is to abuse drugs later in life. Karin Nyberg of the University of Gothenburg and her colleagues looked at medication given to the mothers of 69 adult drug abusers and 33 of their siblings who did not abuse drugs. They found that 23 per cent of the drug abusers were exposed to multiple doses of opiates or barbiturates in the hours before birth, compared with only 3 per cent of their siblings without drug problems (Epidemiology, vol 11, p 715). If the mothers received three or more doses, their child was nearly five times as likely to abuse drugs. The researchers don't know exactly how a short exposure to drugs could produce such long-term effects, but some rat studies have shown that exposure to a drug in the womb can change an animal's reaction to it later on. [end]
Inside Sweden
