On February 1, Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra significantly upped the stakes in the war on drug users, resolving to make Thailand "drug free" within three months. Given the level of drug use and distribution in Thailand, this will be a massive undertaking. Of the 62 million people living in Thailand, 5.9% aged 15 or over are reported to be users of amphetamines. Between 500 million and 700 million amphetamine pills are imported annually from drug laboratories located in Burma. [continues 656 words]
JERUSALEM -- The nightmare began with a simple occurrence over the summer -- a telephone ringing in Ronen's home on the northern coast. A Foreign Ministry official was on the line. "It was like the world fell on my head," Ronen said. "He told me: `Your daughter is in prison in Japan for importation of drugs.'" "I said, `It's not true, someone stole her passport.'" But the news was real. His 24-year-old daughter, Dorit, had been stopped at Tokyo airport for allegedly bringing 11 pounds of hashish from India hidden inside picture frames. [continues 808 words]
