International
News:
Australia
Heroin
Maintenance
Trial,
Corruption
in
Mexican
Army
8/1/97
Australia to go forward with stage 1 of heroin trials... ALSO: More Drug War corruption in Mexico. Australian Heroin Maintenance Trials to Move AheadDespite strong pressure from the US (as reported in last week's Week Online) the Australian government has voted (6-3) to go ahead with stage 1 of its heroin prescription trial. Under stage 1, 40-ACT heroin users will be supplied with six months of daily doses. If successful, the program will expand to 250 heroin users in stage 2, and eventually to 1000 addicts. Research has shown that heroin overdose deaths in Australia have increased by 700 percent in the past fifteen years, revealing the demand for urgent action. Mexican Military CorruptionWell, it appears that Mexico did not rid its power structure of corruption when it arrested its own Drug Czar, General Jose de Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo several months back for his alleged dealings with the Juarez Cartel. (The largest cartel in Mexico.) This week's news quotes Mexican officials as saying that at least 10 Generals in the Mexican military and 22 other officers are under investigation. In addition, the primary witness against the former drug czar was shot and wounded this week by alleged Juarez Cartel members. The story, as reported in the Houston Chronicle, can be found at http://www.chron.com -- go to Search and enter "Mexico", "army" and "corruption" as your key words. The articles we are referencing are from July 28 and 29, and these and many other relevant articles will come up on your search. DRCNet urges members to write letters to the editors of their local paper (story should have appeared on Monday, 7/28) to remind them that this type of corruption is not only unavoidable under Prohibition, but, as we share a rather large border with Mexico, constitutes a direct threat to our national security. Also, you might ask whether the US is immune to this sort of corruption as our own military's involvement in the Drug War is expanded and entrenched. As always, we love to get copies of your correspondence (but don't cc us directly, it will limit your chances of publication). If you do get published, don't be humble... by all means, let us know!
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