European UpdateEMCDDADrug demand reduction: global evidence for localactions. This policy briefing considers the develop-ment of evidence-based drug demand reduction in-terventions. Following a definition of key terms usedin the evidence-based drug demand reduction arena,the briefing then presents the main challenges in-volved in transferring scientific knowledge into prac-tical applications, with a particular emphasis on 'bestpractice'.http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drugs-in-focus/best-practiceBulgariaBulgaria’s Specialised Criminal Court releasedDoychin Doychev and Ruslan Kolev, who were ar-rested in Bulgaria in connection to the Spanish co-caine bust. They were charged with organising,mastering and participating in an organised crimegroup connected to the three tons of cocaine seizedon the board of the Bulgarian Sv Nikolay Ship.http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n285560ItalyPolice in Italy have found a large and flourishingcannabis factory in an abandoned metro tunnel builtbeneath Rome during the fascist era of Benito Mus-solini. Police raided the tunnel, which is 1 km (0.6miles) long and was officially being used as a mush-room farm, after detecting the pungent odor of mari-juana around its entrance.http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/14/us-italy-cannabis-idUSBRE87D0I620120814FranceCannabis plants have been found nestled amongvegetables and flowers in a garden cultivated byprisoners in a French jail. The exercise courtyard ofSaint-Martin-de-Re prison in western France is hometo a patch which prisoners are allowed to tend.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19348043MontenegroMontenegro is a major transit hub for cocaine trade,where Latin American criminal networks cooperatewith Southern Italian mafia groups and Albanian and"Yugoslavian" drug kingpins. Cocaine is being trans-ported via small and mid-sized vessels, often used

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just for one voyage and incorporated in offshore taxhavens owned by maverick ship owners. Caseshave proved the link between the transfer of co-caine from mostly Colombia, Panama and Venezu-ela to Montenegro through Western African ports.ihttp://www.worldpress.org/Europe/3927.cfm#downThe NetherlandsA new law took effect in May allowing the ownersof legalised cannabis cafes in the southern Nether-lands to sell only to Dutch residents, no longer toforeigners. Since then, Maastricht -- which attractsan estimated 1.4 million "drug tourists" each year-- has become a gold mine for illegal street dealers.http://www.france24.com/en/20120819-dutch-cannabis-card-boosts-maastricht-drug-tradePortugalPortugal's famously liberal drug policy has beenheld up as a model for other countries - Norway isconsidering adopting parts of it and countries as farafield as Argentina have expressed interest. Butexperts warn that budget cuts and the threat ofmore cuts to come - combined with an increase inhard drug abuse - risk turning it into a shadow of itsformer self.http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/08/13/uk-portugal-drugs-idUKBRE87C0MY20120813RussiaRussia has a serious problem with Afghanistan andit has nothing to do with Islamic terrorism or theTaliban. For the last four years Russia has beenpublicly demanding that the U.S. do more to stemthe flow of heroin out of Afghanistan. Russia evenoffered to supply intelligence on the drug gangsinside Afghanistan.http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htterr/articles/20120708.aspxSwitzerlandCocaine use in several Swiss cities is among thehighest in Europe. The findings were based onresearch carried out into waste water from 15million people in 19 European cities and publishedin the journal Science of the Total Environment.http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ilQcqh2HxmKp_D4SPfO7C7FIbYvA?docId=CNG.5703900c4876b99160d006ca6b61d82e.f1

World UpdateAustraliaAUSTRALIAN and international scientists mayhave found a cure for heroin and morphine addic-tions. The discovery could have wide-reachingimplications leading to better pain relief without therisk of addiction to prescription drugs, while alsohelping heroin users kick the habit.http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/new-hope-for-drug-addiction-cure/story-e6frg8y6-1226450633850BrazilWith crack cocaine use rising in Brazilian cities,lawmakers are voting to adopt a controversial tacticintroduced by the U.S. to combat its own urbancrack epidemic in the 1980s: harsher punishmentsfor selling cheaper crack cocaine than for its pricierpowder form.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444375104577593613504255478.html?mod=googlenews_wsjHondurasHonduran Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales saidMonday that the country is cooperating with theU.S. investigation into allegations that the newnational police chief once ran a death squad andthat no U.S. funds are being handled by the policechief. It wasn’t clear what police units would beaffected by what the Honduran government calleda temporary hold on funds while a U.S. group looksinto the alleged human rights violationshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/honduran-govt-cooperating-with-us-human-rights-probe-foreign-aid-maintained/2012/08/13/3128b070-e5b7-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.htmlHong KongHong Kong authorities seized a record 649 kilo-grams of cocaine worth HK$760 million ($98 mil-lion) from a container that originated in Ecuador.Three people were arrested. The cocaine haul, thebiggest seizure in Hong Kong, was found after theU.S. Drug Enforcement Administration told localauthorities about suspicious shipments.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-06/hong-kong-nabs-98-million-in-cocaine-in-city-s-biggest-bust-1-.html

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KenyaA team of drug enforcement agents from Americaare in Mombasa to investigate the mystery sur-rounding a container impounded at the port. Thecontainer, suspected to be carrying cocaine, disap-peared mysteriously.http://allafrica.com/stories/201208150411.htmlLebanonProtesters set up roadblocks and burned tires inLebanon to protest a government campaign todestroy cannabis fields in the eastern Bekaa Val-ley. The protesters want the government to com-pensate them for the loss of illegal cannabis crops.http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/04/4693119/lebanon-cannabis-growers-protest.htmlMyanmarMyanmar authorities exposed 220 drug-relatedcases and punished 283 culprits including 52 wom-en, in June this year, according to a monthly statis-tics by the anti- drug authorities. Stimulant tabletscases topped the list with 102 while those of heroin71 and opium 17, marijuana 8.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-07/09/c_131703804.htmPuerto RicoPolice in Puerto Rico have seized 1,000 kilograms(2,205 pounds) of cocaine aboard a boat thatbecame disabled off the island's south coast.Authorities say they discovered the drugs after aprivate boat owner called police and said he wastowing the disabled boat when someone aboard aspeedboat tried to stop him.http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2012/08/07/puerto_rico_police_find_cocaine_on_disabled_boat/TaiwanTaiwan seized 80 kilograms (176 pounds) of her-

oin in its biggest bust of the drug in the past 10years, arresting seven people involved in smug-gling it from Cambodia. Agents uncovered thedrugs after they boarded the Hung Chi Yu No 7, afishing boat, in the Bashi Channel between Taiwanand the Philippines.http://www.brecorder.com/world/southeast-asia/74689-taiwan-makes-biggest-heroin-bust-in-10-years.html

Drug Webwatch Psychoactive substancesA chemical analysis examining the pharmacology of novel psychoactive substancesfreely available over the internet and their impact on public (ill)health. Legal highs orillegal highs? http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/4/e000977.full

DrugScope new contact detailsFrom 23rd August - Asra House, 1 Long Lane, London SE1 4PG. Telephone: 020 72349730 and Fax: 020 7234 9773

West Africa – 2012 ATS Situation ReportA Report from the Global SMART Programme | UNODChttp://www.unodc.org/documents/scientific/ATS_West_Africa_final_2012.pdf

United KingdomNaloxone - Supply and Use 2011-2012This is the first annual release of monitoring information from the National NaloxoneProgramme in Scotland. This report presents data on the number of ‘take-home’ nalox-one kits issued as part of the national programme during 2011/12.http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/2012-07-31/2012-07-31-naloxone-monitoring-summary.pdf?63515871764

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I would like to express thanks to those persons around the world who have contributedto this issue in particular to Jim Young at DS Daily. Items for inclusion in future issuesshould be forwarded to paul@paul-cook.net

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Paul Cook

Issue 70 August 2012

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