Chief Constable Says Force Has Policy of Not Criminalising Children With Small Amounts of Illegal Substances ALMOST 100 pupils have been found with illegal drugs in Greater Manchester's schools over the last three years - but charges were only brought in six cases. Dozens of pupils have been caught with cannabis The vast majority of the pupils caught had cannabis, but some were discovered with class A drugs - including heroin and ecstasy. Most of the incidents related to secondary schools, although police were called to two primary schools after pupils inadvertenly brought suspicous or illegal substances in from home. Figures, obtained by the M.E.N. using Freedom of Information laws, show that Greater Manchester Police dealt with 99 drug crimes involving students at schools between January 2012 and September this year. [continues 318 words]
Showing how far-reaching the damaging effects of synthetic marijuana use are, a Texas woman is applauding the efforts of Wood Buffalo's Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit for their recent seizure of the drug from a Fort McMurray retailer. Ruth Rivas lives in El Paso, and attributes the use of synthetic marijuana to the death of her 28-year-old son nearly a year ago. Now she visits schools, churches, youth groups and more, educating people about synthetic marijuana; from how it's created, to how it can kill you. [continues 572 words]
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team is encouraging all Albertans to keep an eye out for rural and outdoor marijuana grow operations this summer. Marijuana grow ops present significant safety hazards in rural and urban Alberta. ALERT's Green Teams often uncover electrical bypasses which are commonly used to acquire the large amount of power needed for the grow op, but are an extreme fire hazard. "We are asking rural Albertans to watch for grow ops this time of year," said Green Team's A/Sgt. Ray Savage in a news release. "While many people think grow ops are limited to cities, growers are drawn to rural areas where they feel their activity is more concealed and may go unnoticed. This is why it's so important to be on the lookout." [continues 166 words]
District attorneys in Talladega and St. Clair counties are keeping their eyes on a bill making its way though the Legislature this session that would make it a felony to have children present in a drug house. Last week the Endangered Children Protection Bill passed through the House of Representatives and will now go before the Senate. If the Senate approves the bill without making changes, it will go on to Gov. Bob Riley for final approval. The bill was brought to the Legislature as part of Attorney General Troy King's crime package. [continues 829 words]
A popular cold and sinus remedy soon may be restricted to behind-the-counter sales in Pacific. Pacific aldermen at their Feb. 4 meeting introduced legislation that would mandate that all products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine be kept behind the counter at retail outlets, requiring customers to ask for the product if they want to make a purchase. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are active ingredients in popular over-the-counter decongestant products. But ephedrine and pseudoephedrine also are commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, said Pacific police Chief Ron Reed. [continues 694 words]
Editor -- So, now a generation of senior citizens that grew up with segregation and is currently living in public housing is to be made homeless because their grandkids or caregivers use drugs somewhere else. And a college student who smokes a joint can become ineligible for student loans; that's a penalty neither rapists, murderers nor thieves must face. This country has the world's largest prison population, and more than half of them are nonviolent drug offenders. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling penalizing people simply because they're related to an alleged criminal, is not dissimilar to the pre- Civil War edict that any man in a free state could be forced to help capture a runaway slave. That law was eventually repealed as a result of popular protest; one can only hope that this madness ends the same way. DANIEL THOMPSON San Francisco [end]
