Burma Out! "Rangoon Red"

[policy.office@xxxxxxxxx]

                                <   <^>   <^>   >
                                      <  /  \ >
                                          ^ ^


            Who is really Inhaling the Millennium? 
                        The Ghost of Hoover.

"This is a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources," 
said  Chuck Thomas, director of communications for the 
Washington,  DC-based Marijuana Policy Project."

25 October 1999 
  Internationalism versus Isolationism in U.S. Foreign Policy
 Samuel R. Berger (President Clinton's National Security Adviser.)

""We are at a defining and paradoxical point in the debate about
America's role in the world. America's strength and prosperity 
are unrivaled. Our leadership has never been more needed or 
(bad english, should have read "noR more") in demand. And 
most Americans understand we must provide it; their pride in our
achievements makes them not triumphant but confident in our 
ability to shape, with others, a world that is more democratic, 
prosperous and at peace.""

< Oh yes? This is obviously Not the J Edgar fan club speaking 
here huh? >

BO thought that we woud continue the debate in regard
to the switching of crops? If you remember we discussed
the salient point that,  if Burma changed over to growing 
"Rangoon Red" a very strong form of cannabis, that the 
world would be a far better place? That  when legalised, 
(and only after Daw San Suu Kyi comes to power of course)  
on an interntaional basis. Burma could become a major 
exporter of some of the best grass in the world, and when 
legal, a popular trade, rather than the lethal production of 
the black stuff huh? 

Well, shall we say that the following statement by a man
who is paid to know about such things, may be a step in the 
right direction? But then again, after smoking some of the 
stuff one gets clouded with around here, who th'hell can tell..

London
(Sometime during Oct 1999) ;-)

The US of A

(courtesy Dale Gieringer, Drug Policy Forum of California)

SACRAMENTO:  The number of drug prisoners has mounted
 to new all-time highs in California, according to the latest 
statistics from the Department of Corrections.  As of June 
1999, the state prison system held 45,874 drug offenders, a 
record 28.3% of the prison population.  At the same time, a 
record 12.2% of prisoners -- 19,743 in all -- were being 
held for simple possession (not sales) of illegal drugs.

Included are 1,903 marijuana prisoners (principally for 
sales and cultivation, since possession is a misdemeanor) -- 
up 12% since the passage of California's medical marijuana 
initiative, Prop. 215, and nearly twenty times the level of 
twenty years ago.

Not included in these figures are drug prisoners held in 
county jails and federal prisons.

Altogether, the number of drug prisoners in California has 
exploded over fivefold since 1986 while their proportion in 
the prison population has doubled; yet illegal drug usage 
has remained more or less constant over the same period.

Data for DPFCA's analysis comes from the California 
Department of Corrections annual publication, 
"Characteristics of Population in California State Prisons 
by Institution."

================

2. Marijuana Arrests Stay at Record-High Level:  FBI Reports
   682,885 Marijuana Arrests in 1998, 88% for Possession

WASHINGTON, DC:  The total number of marijuana arrests in 
the United States in 1998 nearly equaled the 1997 record 
high of 695,200, according to an FBI report to be released 
on October 17.  There were 682,885 marijuana arrests last 
year, 88% of them for possession (not sale or manufacture).

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports division's annual report, 
Crime in the United States, provides the number of arrests 
made by state and local law-enforcement agencies.  "This is 
a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources," said 
Chuck Thomas, director of communications for the Washington, 
DC-based Marijuana Policy Project.

"Marijuana prohibition creates dangerous criminal markets 
and takes police resources away from violent crime."  The 
number of marijuana arrests in 1998 was larger than the 
number of arrests for murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated 
assault combined (676,020).

"It is time to stop arresting adults who grow and consume 
their own marijuana at home -- and instead put these public 
resources into violent-crime enforcement and effective drug 
education," said Chuck Thomas.  "Public safety and 
children's health are at stake."

Earlier this year, the Federation of American Scientists 
published the Marijuana Policy Project's report, "Marijuana 
Arrests and Incarceration in the United States," which used 
government-supplied data to estimate that there are 59,300 
marijuana offenders incarcerated in federal and state 
prisons and local jails in the US at any given time.  (Go to 
http://www.fas.org/drugs/issue7.htm and search for 
"incarceration" to read MPP's report.)
4. Maine Sheriff Endorses Medical Marijuana

Cumberland County, Maine Sheriff Mark Dion held a press 
conference in Portland yesterday morning (10/21) to pledge 
his support for the state's medical marijuana initiative, 
Question 2.  In his statement, Dion said he had not turned 
his back on the war on drugs, but he asked his fellow 
citizens to "declare a cease fire so that we can treat the 
wounded in our society."

Dion served on the Portland police department for more than 
20 years before he was elected Sheriff of Cumberland County 
in 1998.  Among other things, he is credited with 
implementing community policing in Portland and taking the 
lead in combating hate crimes.

"The reduction of chronic pain and suffering is a serious 
public health question.  One which we in criminal justice 
should act to help, and answer, not hinder," Dion said.  "I 
have taken an oath to uphold the law, yet I am bound to an 
equally important duty to seek justice," he added.

Many drug warriors have bemoaned the "bad message" medical 
marijuana sends to children, but Dion said he hoped his 
ndorsement of Question 2 would send a different message to 
his own children.

"My hope is that my children will learn today that sometimes 
the right decision is not immediately popular with your 
peers," he said.  "But if that decision seeks to advance 
human compassion and dignity, then one can take comfort 
there."

Dion was joined at the press conference by three medical 
marijuana patients, including former Portland city council 
member Barb Wood, who used marijuana to alleviate nausea 
during chemotherapy she received for ovarian cancer.

The full text of Question 2, along with further information 
about the initiative, is online at <http://www.mainers.org>.
-----------------------------------------------------------
 Contact: Drug Reform Coordination Network, 2000 P St., 
NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC 20036, 
(202) 293-8340 (voice), (202) 293-8344 (fax), e-mail 
drcnet@xxxxxxxxxxx  Thank you.

-------------

re : Chuck Thomas, director of communications for the 
Washington,  DC-based Marijuana Policy Project

If anyone knows Chuck, Do send him our regards.

Finally  Discussions open up today in the UK. The agenda?

The US, Columbia, the current actions of one Gen Barry McCaffrey, 
(who visited the UK over the weekend) and the US right wing, and 
what maybe a bunch of neocon  artists at the head of  the 
Columbian government, 3/4 of a billion dollars, and  the forthcoming 
roles of the Green Berets and the SAS, .will be the subjects.

Why all this? Because continuing on from BO. We have been in 
contact with FIFA,  the "owners" of the World Cup. 

And wouldn't one consider that throwing Columbia out of  the 
WCup a far better and less bloodthirsty  move than making war 
upon 40% of the nation wherein it has  still not been proved 
that it will be the drug dealers who are being targeted, and not 
the "ordinary" country folk. 

Like in Viet Nam.

For are these nice "touristas" not working with the govt
paramilitaries? Well known for doing  a bit of pro murder 
drug running themselves.. 

So chaps....  before one heads for Whitehall. Got any 
answers?

Rr

Follow the plea by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the appreciations 
of HH the Dalai Lama, the Shan Democratic Union,  film maker John 
Pilger, the Free Burma Coalition,  author Alan Clements, Dennis 
Skinner MP, Tony Benn MP, Ann Clwyd MP, Congress-woman  
Maxine Waters,  Socialist Workers' Party,  Dr and Welsh rugby  
star JPR Williams, Hendrix  bassist Noel Redding,  S African jazz 
pianist Abdullah Ibrahim,  All Burma Students Democratic 
Organisation,  All Burma Students Democratic Front, Tasmanian 
Trades & Labour Council, Tim Gopsill, editor. 
The.Journalist@xxxxxxxxxx, and numerous others.   

Supporting a Genuine war upon drugs and human rights abuse.
Sydney 2000 : Burma Out! 
http://www.mihra.org/2k/burma.htm

Music Industry Human Rights Association
http://www.mihra.org / policy.office@xxxxxxxxx 

Rachel and James http:www.mihra.org/2k/rachel.htm
Union Action http://www.mihra.org/2k/Union.htm

Founded during UN50. Mihra's roots are in music and anti-racism and 
was first in line in calling for a sports boycott of Burma for the Sydney
2000 Olympic Games. Mihra also advances protection of creators rights 
in an anti-cultural market, currently 93.8% monopolised by the recording  
/ publishing Grand Cartel. 

Major solo work "Piece of Mind". With orchestra, Holland 69. same  
time as Beatles "Abbey Road".   http://onlinetv.com/rogerbunn.html
                          ========================