Cocaine (MAP)

Martinsville Bulletin, 14 May 2012 - Still, Two-Thirds Don't Smoke Pot, Say Results of Survey in County The percentage of Henry County Schools high school students who say they smoke marijuana every day has increased dramatically in the last few years, and some other measures of marijuana use also have increased significantly, all mirroring national trends.

Toronto Star, 14 May 2012 - A former drug squad officer accused of beating a Montreal stripper in a Toronto police interview room says he didn't have any contact with her. Aida Fagundo has testified that a tall, good-looking police officer with blue eyes beat her with a telephone book after she was arrested on a cocaine trafficking charge on Nov. 2, 1997.

Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, 13 May 2012 - This past Sunday, the Eagle-Gazette published an article that showed just how frustrating the drug problem is for local authorities. The response to our article, which detailed the sentences handed down to people caught up in a pair of highly-publicized drug sweeps performed by local law enforcement, has been strong, just as the response to the initial sweeps was strong. We thought it was important to bring you the rest of the story now that we know the results.

Winnipeg Free Press, 12 May 2012 - Calls police work overzealous and high-handed They claimed to be doing the "right thing" -- following their instincts, playing a hunch and ultimately getting the bad guy off the street. But a Manitoba judge disagreed, saying two Winnipeg police officers trampled all over the rights of an accused drug dealer, which has now led to a major case being tossed out of court.

Winnipeg Sun, 12 May 2012 - A Manitoba judge has blasted the actions of two Winnipeg cops, saying they illegally walked into and searched a reputed Hells Angels associate's business and flagrantly breached his rights by handcuffing and searching him without cause. The drug-trafficking case against Alejandro Chung, 45, collapsed Friday after Court of Queen's Bench Justice Doug Abra refused to allow into evidence the cocaine and marijuana cops found during their search of La Mota on Portage Avenue on Oct. 27, 2009.

Toronto Star, 11 May 2012 - DRUG DEALER ATTACKED AND 'THE FIGHT WAS ON,' WITNESS TESTIFIES A former Toronto drug squad officer has told a cop corruption trial he never viciously beat a prisoner, as alleged, but simply defended himself in a "brawl."

Cowichan News Leader, 11 May 2012 - Start the conversation: Experts say it's a good thing if you are talking about substance abuse with your teens RCMP Corporal Scott Hilderley's drug prevention tip for parents may surprise you in its simplicity.

Lake Country Calendar, 11 May 2012 - The call for legalization-or at least decriminalization-of marijuana in B.C. is getting louder. Recently eight B.C. mayors-including James Baker of Lake Country, Robert Sawatzky of Vernon, Chris Pieper of Armstrong, Howie Cyr of Enderby, John Ranns of Metchosin on Vancouver Island, Darrell Mussamotto of the City of North Vancouver, Burnaby's Derek Corrigan and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson-released a letter they had all signed calling on Victoria to tax and regulate the drug as a way to stop gang violence in this province and help make communities safer.

Toronto Star, 10 May 2012 - A Toronto police constable has rejected a suggestion he played "good cop" while other drug squad officers beat up traffickers in a police station 14 years ago. Under heated cross-examination Thursday, Steven Correia denied abetting officers assaulting Montreal stripper Aida Fagundo in 1997 or pot dealer Christopher Quigley the following year.

Toronto Star, 08 May 2012 - Having just returned from Colombia - once known as the cocaine capital of the world - it's not hard to see why impoverished Colombians turn to the cultivation and production of coca leaf and opium poppies. The climate is most receptive, the scarcity of money is palpable, and there are few substitutes for such lucrative crops. The so-called "balloon effect" also makes any crackdown on production ineffective, since crop cultivation, drug laboratories and transportation routes squeezed in one area will inevitably pop up somewhere else.

Chronicle Herald, 06 May 2012 - Having just returned from Colombia - once known as the cocaine capital of the world - it's not hard to see why impoverished Colombians turn to the cultivation and production of coca leaf, cocaine and opium poppies. The climate is receptive, money is scarce, and there are few substitutes for such a lucrative crop. The so-called "balloon effect" also makes any crackdown on production ineffective, since crop cultivation, drug laboratories, and transportation routes squeezed in one area will inevitably pop up elsewhere.

Toronto Star, 04 May 2012 - SCHERTZER ADMITS TO IGNORING SOME POLICE DIRECTIVES The man who led a team of Toronto drug squad officers accused of corruption says he ignored police directives when he believed they were illegal or unrealistic.

Orlando Sentinel, 04 May 2012 - Legalization would lead to abuse by an even greater number of youth and adults. There is a dangerous and growing movement to make the use of cannabis for medical purposes legal in Florida. It seems that every few years the vocal marijuana advocates seek a way to normalize their drug of choice to the rest of us. It appears they somehow forget the terrible human toll exacted by drug abuse.

Tucson Weekly, 03 May 2012 - Two Newly Retired Experts on the Border Speak Freely About the Status of the Arizona/Mexico Dividing Line Dan Wirth and Keith Graves spent significant portions of their careers working on the Arizona-Mexico border. They know these troubled lands inside and out. Both have reputations as straight-shooters, and both retired last December.

100 Mile House Free Press, 02 May 2012 - 100 Mile House RCMP Traffic Services has an effective new method for determining drug-impaired drivers in the South Cariboo. RCMP Const. Lee Simpkins has completed five weeks of extensive training in Phoenix, Arizona in this specialized field. After practical experience in the jails there and two final exams, Simpkins says he is now certified as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 01 May 2012 - The state Senate has passed a bill that would criminalize the sale and possession of synthetic marijuana. Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, sponsored the legislation, which would make selling or possessing fake pot brands like K-2 or Kush a punishable criminal offense. The bill would also criminalize the sale and possession of hallucinogenic chemicals known as "bath salts."

The Canadian Jewish News, 01 May 2012 - MONTREAL - A drug education and counselling program rooted in the Lubavitch community, which began years ago as a modest campus project, has entered an expanded and more professional phase. Chabad Lifeline, formerly Project Pride, officially inaugurated its new premises April 19 at 4615 Cote Ste. Catherine Rd., a gracious two-storey home dating back to the 1920s that's owned by the nearby Jewish General Hospital (JGH).

Morning Sun, 01 May 2012 - SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA IS DANGEROUS, OFFICIALS SAY Deb Derry knows too many teens who have tried "spice" and regretted it. Derry, a counselor at Mt. Pleasant High School and Oasis Alternative High School, knows one student who smoked synthetic marijuana three to five times a week and went into a psychotic episode. Another student used the drug once and won't do it again.

Mayerthorpe Freelancer, 30 Apr 2012 - Marijuana is causing dopiness even among those who don't smoke it. It has been known for decades that marijuana has detrimental effects on memory, judgment and concentration, and the drug now is causing social confusion about both its physiological effects and legal status.

Toronto Star, 30 Apr 2012 - John Schertzer, the man who led a small group of drug squad detectives accused of theft, extortion and attempting to obstruct justice, took the witness stand at his trial Monday to deny all the charges against him. It was the first time the former detective has spoken in detail about the charges he and four former fellow officers have faced for eight years.