New Mexican Drug laws

TRY TO KEEP YOUR KIDS OUT OF MEXICO DURING SCHOOL BREAKS! now not only can they get alcohol they can now take drugs legally.

Under siege by drug traffickers, Mexico took a bold and controversial step last week when it opted to no longer prosecute those carrying relatively small quantities of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs. Instead, people found with drugs for “personal and immediate use,” according to the law, will be referred to free treatment programs where they will be considered patients, not criminals.

This new Mexican law is part of a growing trend across Latin America to treat drug use as a public health problem and make room in overcrowded prisons for violent traffickers rather than small-time users.

Portugal's similar law defines personal use as the equivalent of what one person would consume over 10 days. Police confiscate the drugs and the suspect must appear before a government commission, which reviews the person's drug consumption patterns. Users may be fined, sent for treatment or put on probation.

Foreigners caught with drugs still face arrest in Portugal, a measure to prevent drug tourism. This should have been a consideration in Mexico as well.

Should America consider the same type of law? Would it keep people out of prison who really don't need to be there because of their addiction's? Who, really wants to quit doing drugs but can't because they cannot afford treatment?

The law allows the state police to arrest those with up to 1,000 times the personal consumption amounts, people who would be considered dealers. Anyone with larger amounts would be seen as trafficking drugs, and they would be handed over to federal authorities.

Under the new law, a police search that turns up a half-gram of cocaine, the equivalent of about four lines, will not bring any jail time. The same applies for 5 grams of marijuana (about four cigarettes), 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams of methamphetamine or 0.015 milligrams of LSD.

The Bush administration criticized a similar bill proposed in Mexico in 2006, prompting then-President Vicente Fox to send it back to Congress. But Washington has stayed quiet this time, praising Calderon for his fight against drug cartels -- a struggle that has seen some 11,000 people killed since Calderon took office in 2006.

Children and Meth, 2008 Meth Threat Assessment link

National Drug Intelligence Center
Information Bulletin:
Children at Risk
http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs1/1466/index.htm



National Methaphetamine Threat Assessment 2008
http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs26/26594/index.htm#Top

This Threat Assessment is a national-level strategic assessment of methamphetamine trafficking in the United States. It addresses significant trends in methamphetamine production, transportation, distribution, and abuse. It discusses a wide range of issues, including methamphetamine production in Mexico, the increasing availability of Mexican ice methamphetamine in domestic drug markets, and apparent methamphetamine shortages in some western markets.



Ofice of National Drug Control Policy
Drug Endangered Children
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/enforce/dr_endangered_child.html

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a component of the Executive Office of the President, was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.

The principal purpose of ONDCP is to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nation's drug control program. The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences. To achieve these goals, the Director of ONDCP is charged with producing the National Drug Control Strategy. The Strategy directs the Nation's anti-drug efforts and establishes a program, a budget, and guidelines for cooperation among Federal, State, and local entities.

Methamphetamine or Meth Facts

Crystal Meth is a smokeable form of Methamphetamine. Crystal Meth looks like crystal's thus it's name. It is odorless and colorless. Also sometimes snorted or injected. An extremely addictive man-made stimulant that usually leads to physiological and psychological dependence.

Meth has been around for quite some time. Chemist Nagayoshi Nagai created meth from ephedrine in 1893. In 1919 Akira Ogata created its crystallized form.

Adolph Hitler mixed Benzedrine with other chemicals and gave it to his army to inable them to fight for days without food or sleep, it was called Pervitin. Also, known as Fliegerschokolade or "flyer's chocolate" given to pilots, or Panzerschokolade or "tanker's chocolate" when given to tank crews. It was mixed with chocolates.

The Japanese Kamikaze took the drug to calm their fears before attacking American Ships. After World War II, it became known as "Shabu" in Japan. Prohibited by the Japanese Ministry of health in 1951.

In the 1950's it was a prescribed drug for narcolepsy, alcoholism, treatment of obesity and post encephalitic Parkinsonism.

In the 1960's Methamphetamine manufacturing began in Hawaii.

Meth is made out of chemicals from solvents, lye, rat poison, battery acid, drain cleaner, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, gasoline or acetone, ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine. It has been produced in homes, hotels, storage facilities, in the back of auto's. Just about everywhere. The combination of chemicals can cause potentially explosive atmospheres.

This causes hazardous conditions to children in the homes of these meth labs, they are often malnourished, improperly clothed, neglected. It also causes the general public vulnerability to these labs as well when they are dumped into our waterways, ponds, public sewer systems, on the side of country roads or even in our yards.

Meth labs can be identified by the chemical smell, usually smelling like ammonia, or fingernail polish. Excessive amounts of pill bottles from the cold medicines. Propane tanks that have blue corrosion on the fittings. Starter fluid cans opened from the bottom, hotplates, lots and lots of baggies, coffee filters, matches, lithium batteries, mason jars, plastic tubing, funnels. Ventilation hoses sticking out of the homes where labs are located. Basically anything out of the ordinary.

Meth can cause erratic, violent behavior, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, extreme mood swings, and causes the user's behavior to become unpredictable. It can cause convulsions and tremors, irregular heart rate, increased blood pressure. Homicidal or suicidal thoughts and anxiety.

Methamphetamine is also known as lines, dope, tweak, stuff, cridium, crystal, zoom, wake up, junk, go, sketch, crystal meth, glass, ice, crank and speed.

Meth is introduced into the body by smoking, snorting, eaten or injecting it.

Typically sold in 1/4 gram packages for about $20-$25.

Meth is a stimulant that accelerates the central nervous system.

Crystal Darkness

www.crystaldarkness.com View the 30-minute documentary about the problem use of Meth by youth and their families. The documentary will be broadcasted at 6:30p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, on channels 4, 5, and 9. You can also view the film at the Ritz Theatre, on Jan 13th at 6:30p.m.