+ 27th September 2007 | Australian businessman faces drug charges in Samoa

Source: Radio New Zealand International
Author: Unknown

Police in Samoa have charged an Australian businessman with possession of narcotics after 14 grams of cannabis and drug pariphenalia were found on his yacht.

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+ 25th September 2007 | SA to ban drug equipment possession

Source: AAP (The Age)
Author: Unknown

Recipes for illegal drugs and the possession of equipment to make them will be banned under proposed South Australian government legislation. SA Attorney-General Michael Atkinson on Tuesday introduced legislation to parliament that banned the possession of drug-related recipes and equipment without a reasonable excuse.

Mr Atkinson said under the legislation people would have to prove why they have equipment used in the hydroponic cultivation of cannabis or face a maximum two years jail or a $10,000 fine.

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+ 9th September 2007 | Push for drug-driving test kits

Source: BBC News
Author: Unknown

The Scottish Government is pressing for the quick introduction of roadside drug testing kits, it has emerged. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill confirmed he wanted to see the kits made available as soon as possible.

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+ 8th September 2007 | Police at cannabis festival in Ophir were only enforcing the law (CN)

Source: The Sault Star
Author: Fred Loader

I can't say I have much sympathy for the organizers of Hempfest, the annual cannabis festival that was held last weekend in Ophir, who have criticized what they feel was an excessive police presence at the festival, including a heavily-manned OPP traffic checkpoint.

The police made it clear prior to the festival that they would be out in force on the weekend. A Sault Star report quoted an OPP officer, Const. Marilyn Cameron, as saying that "we're more visible this year" and that police are checking for "basically everything" including traffic infractions and drug use. "We want to curtail the drug and alcohol activity," she said.

That police laid 32 drug charges, as well as four weapons charges, besides a string of Highway Traffic Act charges, illustrates their presence was required and justified, the police saying their number was large because the number of people in attendance was large.

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+ 7th September 2007 | Tri-state operation cracks outback drug dealing ring

Source: The West Australian
Author: Unknown

Two men have been charged after a covert, year-long operation tracking dealers peddling large amounts of cannabis through Aboriginal lands.

The tri-state operation, involving police from South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, closed in on a supply network on Monday. A team of officers swooped on the tiny mining community of Mintabie, in SA’s far north, and searched local homes.

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+ 7th September 2007 | Brumby tried it at uni, but now he's changed his mind

Source: The Herald Sun
Author: Ellen Whinnett

Premier John Brumby has changed his stance on marijuana and now says the drug should not be legalised. In 1996 he sought to have it decriminalised. Mr Brumby, who has said he tried marijuana while at university, says he has no plans to decriminalise the drug, which is being increasingly linked to depression and other mental illnesses.

In 1994, Mr Brumby as Opposition leader said his personal view was that the drug should be decriminalised. And in 1996, he went as far as to introduce a private member's Bill, seeking to have marijuana decriminalised, $100 fines introduced for people who smoked it in public, and a reduction in penalties for some drug trafficking.

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+ 6th September 2007 | Report calls for drug program funding

Source: The Age
Author: Unknown

A major report to be released on Thursday calls on Australian governments to invest more in treatment programs for people with drug issues, rather than sending them to jail.

The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) says diversion programs are now saving millions of dollars of taxpayers' money. Jail often leads to a "revolving door" effect with people reoffending and then ending up back in jail, where it costs up to $73,000 to keep a prisoner for 12 months, ANCD chairman John Herron said.

But rehabilitation programs cost less than $30,000 a year to operate.

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+ 4th September 2007 | Arrests made in outback drug probe

Source: ABC News
Author: Unknown

Two opal miners have been arrested at Mintabie in outback South Australia for allegedly selling cannabis to members of a nearby Aboriginal community.

The men, 37 and 38, were arrested as a result of a three-state police operation, aimed at stopping drug abuse on Aboriginal communities. Assistant Police Commissioner Graeme Barton says Marla police have worked on the investigation since 2005 in difficult circumstances because of the remoteness of the area involved.

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+ 4th September 2007 | Cannabis may help anorexia

Source: The Daily Telegraph
Author: Kate Sikora

Cannabis has been used for years to treat some cancers but now experts believe it could help anorexia sufferers.

An international nutrition expert Dr Elliot Berry is presenting research in Sydney today suggesting cannabis could stimulate appetite in anorexia patients. But his findings, which are not yet published, have been questioned by some eating disorder groups who believe it could cause more harm than good.

Dr Berry, a consultant to the World Health Organisation, has conducted a trial using cannabis in an oil form to treat the eating disorder.

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+ 2nd September 2007 | Survey finds young ignore drug dangers

Source: Sunday Herald Sun
Author: Unknown

Almost all young Australians understand that drugs and alcohol can damage their mental health, but this knowledge is doing nothing to dampen their enthusiasm for substance use, a study has found.

A national survey of almost 4000 teenagers and young adults has found that more than 85 per cent know cannabis, alcohol and tobacco are harmful and that cutting back would reduce the risk of depression and other mental health problems. But the findings, published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia, were vastly at odds with the high rates of drinking, smoking and drug taking among young Australians.

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