In an English Fars News report, Hossein-Abadi pointed to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which mentioned that 12,000 tons of illicit drugs have already been stockpiled.

"Given an additional production of another 6,900 tons of illicit drugs (in Afghanistan), we will certainly be faced with a fully dangerous situation, specially in the region," Hossein-Abadi said.

The remarks were made at a round table in Tehran. The point of the discussion was to review ways to prevent, treat, comfort and decrease vulnerability to addiction and to effectively rehabilitate addicts.

Hossein-Abadi reminded the round table group that those countries used as a transit route for drug trafficking are facing a significant hazard. As Iran les beside the largest producer of opium poppy in the world, Iran is facing much greater danger than surrounding states.

He also highlighted that Iranian police have been successful in discovering illicit drugs and more than two-thirds of Afghan opium transit is discovered in Iran. The anti-squad police squads have discovered 50 tons of drugs at the country’s borders during the last 11 months.

According to international standards, police tend to discover only 10 percent of drug cargoes moving through an area. In Iran, police forces have discovered volumes that are three times more than what is accepted as the norm internationally.

The Iranian government spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year to erect barriers along the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan. It also continues to pump resources into checkpoints. These efforts, in addition to the battle against drug addiction, cost the Iranian government $1 billion a year.
 

Of these young users, 8 percent are women. Females also account for 13 percent of drug users within the university student population. The February 8th study showed the number of adolescent drug users grew from 35 percent in 2007 to 45 percent in 2008.

The Wedadia Association for Combating Social Problems organized a two-day conference for anti-drug activists in Algiers to discuss these new findings and strategies to eliminate the blight of drug addiction in Algeria.

"We cannot hope to redress the problem of drug use or addiction in general without direct communication, which should reveal the actual reasons behind the aggravated social problems in Algerian society," the Algerian Organization of Youth Care Associations chief, Mr. Obaidat, said at a post-conference press briefing.

Obaidat called for the expansion of the 2007 National Plan for Monitoring and Protection to uncover the reasons behind the spike in drug use. He also announced his group’s new campaign to fight drugs and addiction: "Let Us Save One Youth through Another".

"We are hoping that 2010 will be crowned by launching a national plan, because the phenomenon of drug addiction that is daily encroaching on adolescents and youths requires extensive field efforts" across all Algerian provinces, he added.

Dr. A. Messaoudi of the Oued Aïssi psychiatric hospital, called for a multi-faceted approach to help reintegrate adolescents in society as drug free. He believes that through strict punishment of the promoters of these poisons that the spread of use and addiction would be reduced.
 

Curtis pled guilty in December to two counts of first-degree larceny. The length of time she would spend in jail would be determined by whether or not she had made restitution to the victim of her crime.

Over a period of time, Curtis had reportedly stolen $35,650 from a life insurance account for Andrew Paradelas III – a man she formerly dated – and $46,224 from the Goshen women for whom she served as conservator.

When it was revealed that Curtis had not paid back any of the money as she had promised, Judge James P. Ginocchio agreed to the maximum five year sentence. He noted it was one of the few times he had agreed to the maximum sentence.

While Curtis’ daughter and friend spoke in support of a lesser sentence, Assistant State’s Attorney Dawn Gallo did not mince her words. She used strong words to highlight Curtis’ indiscretions, pinpointing Curtis’ claim that she would pay back some of the stolen money.

“This is yet one more time Ms. Curtis was conning her way out of a situation,” Gallo said as she argued that Curtis was no apologetic to any of the victims, but instead to people who weren’t accounted for in the case. She was instead sorry for letting her family down and for being the biggest drug seller in Torrington.

“Right now, she’s executing a con,” the state’s attorney said. “She knows exactly what she did… It’s disgusting. It’s not only criminal, it’s disgusting.”
 

Civil surgeons use the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examination of Aliens published by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) when conducting exams. Under the Technical Instructions, civil surgeons are instructed to inquire about the applicant’s mental status and use of alcohol or other psychoactive substances. Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are medically classifiable mental disorders, as are drug addiction. These issues are classifiable as Class A medical conditions that could make an immigrant inadmissible.

If the medical exam did not reveal a Class A medical condition such as drug addiction or alcohol dependence, but subsequent review of the applicant’s criminal history reveals a history of assault, domestic violence or driving under the influence, the offense can be prima facie evidence that a health-related inadmissibility exists, and the consular or immigration officer can request that the applicant undergo a mental status exam. This is true even if the criminal activity does not, in and of itself, make the applicant inadmissible. Consular posts require immigrant visa applicants with a single drunk driving arrest or drunk driving conviction within the prior three calendars years, or two incidents at any time, to have an additional mental status examination with a substance abuse expert or psychiatrist.

Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (DUI), or violence that arises as a result of drug addiction or alcohol abuse, can be an associated harmful behavior that poses a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the alien or others. Typical harmful behaviors include arrest or conviction for driving under the influence with a suspended, revoked or restricted license, arrest or conviction for driving under the influence that resulted in personal injury or death, felony driving under the influence that resulted in a jail sentence, two or more DUI arrests in the past two years, and three or more DUI arrests where one was in the past two years. If the exam reveals substance abuse or substance dependence, and there is evidence of harmful behavior associated with the disorder that is likely to recur, a Class A medical condition is certified on form I-693 (Report of Medical Examination of Alien Seeking Adjustment of Status). A consular officer or immigration officer then determines that the alien is inadmissible based on the Class A condition.

The only recourse an applicant has to fight a drug addiction or alcohol abuser classification is for the CDC to issue an advisory opinion on the subject, overruling the civil surgeon. However, if applicant is inadmissible based on prior harmful behavior, he or she can file a waiver pursuant to section 212(g)(3) on form 601. If the CDC concurs, immigration officials can place terms and conditions on the applicant which can include posting a bond, entering drug rehab, entering alcohol rehab, submitting to regular substance abuse treatment, and submitting to substance abuse testing.

In a recent case, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) of USCIS sustained an appeal of the denial of a 221(g) waiver filed by a citizen of the Philippines. The applicant had been found inadmissible under 212(a)(1)(A)(iii)(I) for having a mental disorder (alcohol abuse) and associated behavior that may or has posed a threat. At his immigrant visa medical exam, he was diagnosed by a psychiatrist as having a Class A condition that rendered him inadmissible to the United States. The psychiatrist noted that the applicant needed to enter to enter an addiction treatment center and a two year history of abstinence to be considered in full remission. The applicant filed a 221(g) waiver. In responding to the waiver request, the CDC recommended that he enroll in an alcohol rehab program and be followed by a doctor experienced in handling alcohol-related mental health problems. The AAO found for the applicant, declaring that the the evidence of business ownership and evaluation supporting his claim that he had been sober for a year overcame the finding that he was inadmissible due to a Class A mental disorder.

How do you avoid these Class A findings? Applicants who have a history of drug addiction or alcohol abuse should be pre-screened by a psychiatrist to determine that they do not suffer from active alcohol dependency or drug addiction and to document that the applicant is in at least some type of remission. Further, records related to enrollment at an addiction treatment center or alcohol rehab, addiction counseling and evidence of participation in recovery activities should be readily available.

Millie Anne Cavanaugh, Esq. is a Los Angeles immigration lawyer and former insurance defense attorney. She is licensed to practice law in California and Massachusetts. The information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as a solicitation for your business or as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of this information without seeking independent legal advice.
 

The Ghana News Agency reported that Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Attorney General and Minister of Justice reiterated the government’s determination to fight. Mould-Iddrisu noting the ongoing difficulty in the process as a result of the sophisticated nature of the offenders and logistical constraints.

These announcements were made at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the US Embassy in Accra.

The MOU was signed by Mould-Iddrisu and Mr. Donald Teitelbaum, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana. Both individuals were representing their own countries. The MOU will ensure the provision of a temporary U.S. Government Prosecutor to train and work with prosecutors in Ghana. They will provide guidance on investigating organized crime cases associated with narcotic trafficking and money laundering.

Mould-Iddrisu also announced efforts on behalf of the Ghana government to transform the Serious Fraud Office into a Financial and Economic Crime (FEC) unit. It will be the leading agency investigating organized and economic crimes in the country.

According to Mould-Iddrisu, the mode of narcotic trafficking and laundering has become more complicated and requires collaboration with other international organizations in order to the these cross-border crimes.

"We are the first to admit that we have not been successful in fighting the narcotic trade in the country," she said. He hopes the MOU will strengthen ties between Ghana and the United States to facilitate the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking activities.

Teitelbaum pledged the commitment of the United States to collaborate with Ghana to fight narcotic traffickers who use Ghana as a transit corridor. He noted the MOU was another indication of the ongoing partnership between the two countries on projects of mutual interest.
 

Speaking at the European Serious Organized Crime conference, Woolas made it clear that migrants coming to the UK enter into a deal to play by the rules. Those overseas criminals who break the pact and cause damage to local communities will face the full wrath of the UKBA officers, who will use immigration powers to tackle them.

Phil Woolas said, as quoted in The Gov Monitor, “Smugglers, forgers, traffickers be warned – the UK is a hostile environment. You will be targeted, you will be caught and immigration powers can and will be used to prosecute you and remove you from the country.

“The UK Border Agency is responding to local community needs as a law enforcement agency. Our borders are stronger than ever and frontline immigration staff work collaboratively with police, local authorities and government agencies to target and disband immigration crime that preys on vulnerable individuals.”

The UKBA has a five-year strategy: ‘Protecting our Border, Protecting the Public’. This strategy sets out the organization’s approach at home and abroad to prevent crime as well as detect and target criminals who seek to abuse the immigration system.

Actions taken include electronic e-border checks; a freight targeting system; the provision of detection technology and training to other countries; UKBA officers stationed around the world; the joining of the fraud prevention agency CIFAS; identifying potential victims of trafficking; and seizing illicit drugs, dangerous weapons and pirated goods.
 

Published online today in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers also found that those who drank a large amount of alcohol before a traumatic event did not report an increase in the number of flashbacks.

"Many people who experience a personally traumatic event such as rape or a road traffic accident have consumed alcohol beforehand. For the first time, this research gives us an idea of how being under the influence of alcohol might contribute to our wellbeing later on," said James Bisby, from UCL’s Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, who led the research.

Scientists believe that the findings can be attributed to how alcohol affects two types of memory: one that is egocentric, providing a visual ’snapshot’ of an event, and another that stores a mental representation of the context of the event, which is independent of the person’s viewpoint.

The authors of the study suggest that contextual memory is reduced in those who experience high levels of stress and this reduction may be exaggerated in those who have had a couple of glasses of wine (around three units). This allows egocentric memories to be involuntarily re-experienced—resulting in more flashbacks. In those that have drunk seven or more units of alcohol both types of memory are disrupted leading to fewer flashbacks and an overall reduction in memory for the event.

During the study, nearly 50 participants consumed either alcohol or a placebo drink and then performed a virtual reality task designed to examine how an experienced event is stored within memory. They were then shown a video of serious road traffic accidents and recorded the number of times they spontaneously re-experienced any of the footage, i.e. had a flashback, over the following 7 days.

"People who had been given a small amount of alcohol showed reductions in memory that relies on contextual aspects of an event, whereas memory based on an egocentric representation was intact. However, those individuals given a higher dose of alcohol showed a global reduction in memory with decreases in both types of memory," explained James Bisby.

Although the findings suggest that drinking a large amount of alcohol might result in less involuntary re-experiencing of the event due to an overall reduction in memory, the researchers are cautious in drawing this conclusion.

"When people have no memory of the traumatic event, as can happen if they consumed a large amount of alcohol beforehand, they are more likely to imagine a ‘worse case scenario.’ This alone can prove to be extremely distressing and debilitating for the individual involved. We are currently extending our findings to try and provide a clearer picture of alcohol’s ability to affect memory during trauma," explained Professor Valerie Curran, also from the UCL Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, and a co-author of the research.

The research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Research has shown that perpetrators of domestic violence are frequently under the influence of alcohol or other drugs during an episode of violence. In fact, regular alcohol use is considered to be one of the high risk factors in determining the potential for an incident of partner violence. Additionally, an incident of violence in which the perpetrator is abusing alcohol frequently results in more severe violence and greater harm to the victim. The US Department of Justice found in a 1994 study that more than half of the lethal incidents of domestic violence involved alcohol use by the perpetrator during the homicide.

Many men who receive services to prevent battering are also referred to concurrent treatment for substance use disorders. It is estimated that over 60% of all batterers also have substance use disorders. This dual problem can greatly complicate effective treatment for domestic violence. Frequently men who victimize their intimate partners will blame their own intoxication for their violent behavior. They may also blame their partners for causing them to use substances. This perpetuates a lack of responsibility on the batterers’ part for both the violence and substance use. Consequently, denial continues for both the violence and substance problems decreasing the likelihood of stopping either.

Victims of domestic violence who also use substances often remain in violent relationships. The progressive nature of intimate partner violence increases these women’s chances of being battered more frequently and more severely the longer they stay. Batterers who live with women who use substances often justify their violence as a way to cope with the woman’s out-of-control behavior. In such situations the cycle of violence also cannot be successfully addressed because the batterer will not assume responsibility for his violence. Additionally, the risk for domestic violence increases when both partners are abusing substances.

Substance use is also significantly correlated with other forms of family violence such as the physical and sexual abuse of children. Children in homes where parents use substances are especially vulnerable to being abused, neglected and not protected. These children are vulnerable to abuse and neglect by parents as well as abuse by individuals outside the home. Consequently, they have a greater incidence of physical, sexual and emotional abuse than in families with sober parents. The majority of child abuse cases are associated with the use of substances.

Family violence is also correlated with future substance use. For example, women who abuse alcohol report a greater incident of childhood physical and sexual abuse than women who do not abuse alcohol. The majority of women in substance abuse treatment programs — including addiction to substances other than alcohol — report some form of abuse in childhood

Reuters reports that the findings add weight to previous research which linked psychosis with the drug (particularly in its most potent form as "skunk") and will feed the debate about the level of controls over its use.

Despite laws against it, up to 190 million people around the world use cannabis, according to United Nations estimates, equating to about 4 percent of the adult population.

John McGrath of the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia studied more than 3,801 men and women born between 1981 and 1984 and followed up with them after 21 years to ask about their cannabis use and assess them for psychotic episodes. Around 18 percent reported using cannabis for three or fewer years, 16 percent for four to five years, and 14 percent for six or more years.

"Compared with those who had never used cannabis, young adults who had six or more years since first use of cannabis were twice as likely to develop a non-affective psychosis (such as schizophrenia)," McGrath wrote in a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry journal.

They were also four times as likely to have high scores in clinical tests of delusion, he wrote, and a so-called "dose-response" relationship showed that the longer the duration since first cannabis use, the higher the risk of psychosis-related symptoms.

A study by British scientists last year suggested that people who smoke “skunk,” a potent form of cannabis, are almost seven times more likely to develop psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia than those who smoke "hash" or cannabis resin.

Previous studies had also suggested smoking cannabis can double the risk of psychosis, but the British study was the first to look specifically at skunk. Skunk has higher amounts of the psychoactive ingredient THC which can produce psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.

McGrath said, however, that "the nature of the relationship between psychosis and cannabis use is by no means simple," and that more research was needed to examine the mechanisms at work.

As part of his study, McGrath and his team looked at links between cannabis use and psychotic symptoms among a group of 228 sibling pairs and found the association still held. This suggests that other influences like genes or the environment were less likely to be responsible for the psychosis, they said.

An international group of drug policy experts published a book earlier this year arguing that laws against cannabis have failed to cut its use but instead led to vast numbers of arrests for drug possession in countries like Britain, Switzerland, and the United States, which cause social division and pointless government expense.

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