cannabisnews.com: Federal Aid Sought to Fight Explosion of Drugs





Federal Aid Sought to Fight Explosion of Drugs
Posted by FoM on May 29, 2000 at 06:52:56 PT
By John Hughes, The Associated Press
Source: Seattle-P.I.
Pacific Northwest lawmakers, responding to an explosion in illegal drug use in the region, are seeking to more than double federal aid to crack down on methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine.The lawmakers hope to convince congressional appropriators that the problem has gotten so serious in Washington state and Oregon that they need $12 million next year -- up from $5.1 million this year -- to combat drugs in areas where trafficking is the worst.
They hope to use the additional money to have 16 more counties declared high-intensity drug trafficking areas, which receive extra federal aid. Ten counties in the two states are currently among such federally declared areas.In addition, Washington lawmakers are seeking a new federal grant of $15 million for a statewide effort to combat methamphetamine, also known as speed or crank."It really is very similar to an epidemic," said Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash. "Our local communities -- particularly our rural communities -- have been overwhelmed financially. Those people are absolutely at their limit."Lawmakers acknowledge that they face tough odds.The Clinton administration has requested just a $730,000 increase next year over the $191.2 million being spent this year for high-intensity drug trafficking zones.But the Northwest lawmakers' effort shows how serious they believe the drug problem has become.Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., said he would like to have all of Oregon designated as a high-intensity drug trafficking area. "This stuff moves around too easily. In order to interdict it, we have to be everywhere," he said. "This is a war we cannot afford to lose."Rep. Norm Dicks' Washington state district in Pierce County has seen meth lab seizures double over the past year, and the county's meth use rates are among the highest in the nation."It's a huge number," said Dicks, a Democrat. "This is a devastating drug and the impact on families is very, very bad."Statewide, Washington law enforcement seized more than 600 methamphetamine labs last year, up from about 25 six years ago, said Dave Rodriguez, director of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This year, Washington officials are on a pace to seize 900 labs, he said.Oregon set a record with 246 drug-related deaths in 1999, and 195 of the overdoses were from heroin. The state recorded just 39 drug-related deaths in 1991, said Charles Karl, the executive director of the Oregon High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area."Heroin . . . and methamphetamine are addicting very quickly," he said.Officials say they are fighting drugs on several fronts, including:Methamphetamine. The drugs are cheaper than cocaine and give a more euphoric high that lasts a long time -- from one to three days. While the drug is imported into the region, it is also widely manufactured in the Pacific Northwest in apartments, motels and vans. Ingredients are extracted from over-the-counter items.Black tar heroin. Imported from Mexico and Central America, this is the drug of choice of abusers in the Seattle area, accounting for about 138 fatal overdoses in King County last year. Black tar is cheaper and more potent than heroin of years past. First-time users may smoke it, snort it or take the drug orally, but they eventually resort to injecting it with a needle as the addiction grows.Marijuana. The U.S. Border patrol in Spokane seized more than 4,000 pounds of pot in 1999, up from 2,845 two years earlier. So-called "BC Bud" is imported from British Columbia; weed grown in Oregon is popular, too. Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in Oregon's high-intensity drug trafficking area, which includes Marion, Deschutes and Jackson counties.Cocaine. The drug is brought into Oregon by groups with links to Mexico and Central America. During the first half of 1999, cocaine overdoses in Oregon doubled from the first half of 1998. Cocaine was the second-leading cause of drug-related deaths in the state in that period, with 42 deaths.Baird wants to add every county entirely or partially in his southwestern Washington district to the high-intensity drug trafficking area in his state, which already stretches from the northern border to Olympia, Wash., and includes Yakima County.Baird would add Grays Harbor, Pacific, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties. Besides Yakima, the existing drug area includes Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce and Thurston counties.Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash., wants to add Spokane, Benton and Franklin counties, encompassing Spokane and the Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington, to the drug trafficking area.To finance the additional areas, Washington state lawmakers are seeking $5.5 million next year on top of the $4 million in federal aid the drug area is receiving this year.The $15 million the lawmakers are seeking would finance law enforcement, education, prevention programs, rehabilitation, and cleanup costs of meth labs.Officials in Oregon want to add at least five counties -- Umatilla, Klamath, Douglas, Lane and Clatsop -- to their existing three-county drug trafficking area. To finance the additions, they hope to boost funding from about $1.1 million this year to $2.5 million next year.Send comments to: newmedia seattle-pi.comPublished: Monday, May 29, 2000© 1998-2000 Seattle Post-Intelligencer.Related Articles:Drug Threat Growing in Northwest, White House Sayshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4023.shtmlMore Cameras & Police to Monitor US-Canada Borderhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread1969.shtmlCanada Seen by U.S. as Colombia North, MP Sayshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread1960.shtml CannabisNews View Next 20 Articles:http://cannabisnews.com/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/cnews/newsread.pl
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Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on May 29, 2000 at 13:48:18 PT:
Special High Intensity Trafficking areas!
Otherwise known by their acronyms of...SHITSorry, I couldn't resist the temptation; the DrugWarriors are so bloody silly, I doubt that even the brightest of them have made the obvious conclusion that they've put their feet in their collective mouths, again. They've managed to insult everyone that lives in those areas with their moronic propensity for military-style jargon. But then, they tend to insult the intelligence of everyone else with their blather, so the good people of the State of Oregon shouldn't feel singled out.Let's look at the first statement:"Pacific Northwest lawmakers, responding to an explosion in illegal drug use in the region, are seeking to more than double federal aid to crack down on methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine."Note how cannabis is lumped in with dangerous drugs. No seperation of them, so cannabis is almost subliminally linked with drugs whose 'potential for abuse' is much greater. Obviously, there is a good reason for that. Like the persistance in saying "Alcohol *and* drugs", when it is painfully obvious to all that alcohol *is* a drug. Just like the term 'drug abuse'; rolls right off of everybody's tongue as practically one word. Drugabuse. People spill those syllables from their mouths without ever considering that they are actually *two words*. Because when you stop to think, then the spell is broken, and people begin to question themselves if they are drug users or not. And arrive at a (for most of them, anyway) a startling conclusion that they are. That's the power of entrainment at work. Get people used to the Big Lie, and they won't even think to question.Even funnier:"The lawmakers hope to convince congressional appropriators that the problem has gotten so serious in Washington state and Oregon that they need $12 million next year -- up from $5.1 million this year -- to combat drugs in areas where trafficking is the worst."Let's see...5.1 million could build a few more schools and pay a few more teachers...who could then instruct students on the dangers of drug usage. But they want 12 million do do as little as they have been able to with 5 million? Ever heard of the Law of Diminishing Returns, gentlemen? You have a textbook case right in front of you.I could go on, but the real test will be if we hear of any LTE's getting published to counter this obvious ONDCP 'cutout' of a 'press release'.
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Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on May 29, 2000 at 12:35:49 PT
Bogus statistics
Glad that dddd mentioned something about bogus statistics..It is interesting to note that there is not one dead person attribute to the herb in this article. It seemed to me that Drug War have nothing to do with so called evil drugs. "This stuff moves around too easily. In order to interdict it, we have to be *everywhere*," he said. "This is a war we cannot afford to lose."Basically, this amerikan want cops on every corner and arrest everyone wither you do drugs or not! Drug War is just an illusion that are turning us into slaves. Sadly, I feel it is too late and it is gonna get worse b4 it gets better. It will take years to undo what these nazis did to this country. 
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Comment #3 posted by Just Me on May 29, 2000 at 11:03:56 PT
Wake up USA 
Right on target quad-dees! I hope KApTinNeMo tears into this bit of garbage! We nee more money to fight this war that can NEVER BE WON in a democratic society(only in a totalitarian or facsist one). I am ashamed of the country that so many souls died for to protect; from one vet to another, I salute you all. PLEASE help us stop the end run of our constitutional protections! 
Libertarian Party
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Comment #2 posted by dddd on May 29, 2000 at 10:31:58 PT
Lies for Cash
 The main problem is that there is no way to verify these BOGUS statistics.Even if you tried to ask for a verification of these claims,you would be told that the law does not allow disclosure of any documentation.I'm not kidding,there are several laws that allow non-disclosure of drug war items.I think it's because the public is considered the "enemy" in the war,and you should never allow the "enemy",to know the real picture,,,and that is probably how they justify inventing totally false statistics for the purpose of getting millions of OUR tax dollars,to buy more paramilitary gear,and toys. I say these statistics are about as real,as the "czar" is honest. 5lb-er should know that they already have declared the country a 'whatever' zone several times over.One of the main reasons any suggestion that the drug war may be out of hand,is ignored,or scoffed at,is because of the "golden goose" factor. This bird just keeps layin' golden eggs. Very few people know what's actually going on. If the fed/gov /law-enf. sends out some press release such as this one,it goes into print.No questions asked if you want to keep your job. It sure does seem like things are steamrolling ahead at an increasing pace in the last few months...............Peace...dddd 
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Comment #1 posted by fivepounder on May 29, 2000 at 07:39:00 PT
Insanity
So how long will it be before they 'declare' the whole country a 'high whatever zone.' The mentaltiy behind this is frightening. They even admit that the ingrediients for meth come from over the counter drugs. That GUARANTEES that they will never win. And of course all this is really about having another way to find pot growers. Oops well we were looking for meth (to protect the children) but since we found you growing pot... well I guess you are busted.This is true fascist, racist, we're better then you thinking.
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