Afghanistan Opium Soars and Bush Anti - Drug Plan to Target Pain Killers

[papau]

I am sorry - but these two breaking news items on the AP wire MUST be read together!

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-US-International-Narcotics.html

Afghanistan Opium Production Levels Soar
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: March 1, 2004

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Opium poppy cultivation levels in Afghanistan approached the highest levels ever recorded last year despite the counterdrug efforts of the U.S.-backed government, the State Department said Monday.<snip>

They have ``exploited poor farmers in a rural economy decimated by war and drought,'' the report said. It said drug-related corruption at the provincial and district levels is believed to be pervasive. It added that at the national level, corruption of officials is believed to be much less of a problem.

Opium poppy is the raw material for heroin.

Robert B. Charles, the State Department's top counter-narcotics official, said the Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai should not be held responsible for the situation.<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush-Drug-Policy.html

Bush Anti - Drug Plan to Target Pain Killers
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: March 1, 2004

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush's national anti-drug strategy will for the first time target the use of pain relievers, sedatives and stimulants for nonmedical purposes, a problem that has exploded in the last decade.

A key part of the strategy being released Monday involves government efforts to help states develop monitoring systems to track a patient's use of prescription medicine. The monitoring programs flag cases that indicate a pattern of abuse, such as ``doctor shopping,'' where a patient gets prescriptions for drugs from multiple physicians.<snip>


To highlight the problem among youth, it noted a University of Michigan study that found abuse by high school seniors of Vicodin more than double the use of cocaine, Ecstasy or methamphetamine. One in 10 seniors, it said, reported nonmedical use of the painkiller.<snip>


Bush outlined other facets of his anti-drug strategy during his State of the Union address in January. They include additional financing for drug-prevention efforts and a sharp increase in funds for schools that want to use drug testing to expand early intervention programs.

His proposal to boost funding from $2 million to $23 million for student drug testing has come under fire from some parents, school administrators and civil liberties groups concerned about privacy violations and the effectiveness of the testing.

^--------

[papau]

1. Yet again I do not see a Kef post - sorry - this is a DUPE

DUPE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x392105