InSite. Just following orders.

Buckdog posted today about why the cons want to kill the program called InSite in Vancouver. He writes some good ideas and I agree with him mostly, and don't actually disagree. But I wanted to fill in a few blanks. It's a tad bigger than that, it's a worldwide issue facilitated by a body under The United Nations.
That demon opium. Racism and the birth of big pharma.

There were no legal restrictions on the importation or use of opium in the United States until the San Francisco, California, Opium Den Ordinance, which banned dens for public smoking of opium in 1875, a measure fueled by anti-Chinese sentiment and the perception that whites were starting to frequent the dens. This was followed by an 1891 California law requiring that narcotics carry warning labels and that their sales be recorded in a registry, amendments to the California Pharmacy and Poison Act in 1907 making it a crime to sell opiates without a prescription, and bans on possession of opium or opium pipes in 1909.

International Opium Convention was pushed by the United States, and was the first international drug control treaty.

Twelve countries agreed to meet at The Hague on 1 December 1911 to draft a treaty.

-snip-

This was an attempt to dilute the opium agenda and deflect attention from Indian opium production. Britain also hoped that a fair treaty would create a level playing field for British pharmaceutical companies to compete with the dominant German synthetic drug industry.

In 1919, it was written into the treaty of versailles....and was revised in 1925 within the League of nations, under a permanent central opium board.

The League of Nations became the UN, and the permanent central opium board is now known as The International narcotics control board. They started to add other substances to the list such as Hashish. Kind of offside, but an apt demonstration of early reefer madness..

OPIUM AS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM

THE GENEVA CONFERENCES

BY
W.W. WILLOUGHBY

Professor of Political Science at the Johns Hopkins University; counsellor and Expert to the Chinese Delegation to the
Conferences.
Author of Foreigh Rights and Interests in China; China at the (Washington) Conference; etc.

BALTIMORE THE JOHNS HOPKINS PRESS, 1925

 

Taken in small doses, hashish at first produces an agreeable inebriation, a sensation of well-being and a desire to smile; the mind is stimulated. A slightly stronger dose brings a feeling of oppression and of discomfort. There follows a kind of hilarious and noisy delirium in persons of a cheerful disposition, but the delirium takes a violent form in persons of violent character. It should be noted that the behaviour under the influence of the delirium is always related to the character of an individual. The state of inebriation or delirium is followed by slumber, which is usually peaceful but sometimes broken by nightmares. The awakening is not unpleasant; there is a slight feeling of fatigue, but it soon passes.

Hashish absorbed in large doses produces a furious delirium and strong physical agitation; it predisposes to acts of violence and produces a characteristic strident laugh. This condition is followed by a veritable stupor, which cannot be called sleep. Great fatigue is felt on awakening, and the feeling of depression may last for several days.

The habitual use of hashish brings on chronic hashishism.

The countenance of the addict becomes gloomy, his eye is wild and the expression of his face stupid. He is silent; has no muscular power; suffers from physical ailments, heart troubles, digestive troubles, etc.; his intellectual faculties gradually weaken and the whole organism decays. The addict very frequently becomes neurasthenic and, eventually, insane.

In general, the absorption of hashish produces hallucinations, illusions as to time and place, fits of trembling, and convulsions.

A person under the influence of hashish presents symptoms very similar to those of hysteria.

Umm. Ya. Anyway.

So. That is the abbreviated history of the International Narcotics Control Board. They have buisily been pressuring Governments worldwide to not soften laws on drugs. They get downright nasty when Medical marajuana is even made available.

Seriously misguided dudes who do not read much research, unless it supports the view from 1925. Stuck in a rut for sure. And they don't care about anything else, except their incorrect, cruel, wilfully blind, world view. They oppose any form of harm reduction programs, and also any attempts to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It's frightening really.

Closed to Reason: The International Narcotics Control Board and HIV/AIDS

A damning report....some highlights of how low the INCB really is:

• INCB members contradict evidence-based recommendations of other UN
  bodies and representatives. INCB members have spoken out against
  sterile syringe programs and opiate substitution treatment (OST), despite
  findings by UNAIDS, the WHO, the UNODC and the INCB itself that such measures
  are effective components of HIV prevention.
• The Board stresses drug control at the expense of public
  health. While acknowledging that the WHO added methadone and
  buprenorphine to its Model List of Essential Medicines in 2005, the Board has
  made no public effort to promote OST in countries where large numbers of people
  inject drugs. Instead, the Board has expressed concern about diversion of
  methadone and buprenorphine, and urged WHO to advocate for tightened controls on
  these medications.
• The Board conducts operations in secret, and without mechanisms for
  accountability. INCB meetings are closed to observers, and no minutes
  are available. Annual reports issued by the Board lack the documentation
  provided by technical reports by other UN agencies. And INCB members have used
  their Board affiliation when making misstatements of fact, yet no public
  mechanism exists for member states or community organizations to contest claims,
  seek clarification, or offer amendments.

and this one:

"The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB or the Board) plays an important role in the international drug control system, serving as an independent body monitoring states’ implementation of their obligations under the international drug conventions. It has, however, been criticised for being one of the most secretive bodies in the UN system. It holds its meetings behind closed doors. No minutes are published. There is no opportunity for nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) or civil society organisations to observe or make submissions.

International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report (2000)

SHUT DRUG INJECTION SITES, CANADA TOLD

So, who is on this mysterious board that issues decrees with no scientific validity or even one shred of compassion for actual people?

INCB consists of 13 members who are elected by the Economic and Social Council and who serve in their personal capacity, not as government representatives. Three members with medical, pharmacological or pharmaceutical experience are elected from a list of persons nominated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and 10 members are elected from a list of persons nominated by Governments.

The US rep is one, Melvyn Levitsky. Former Ambassador to Brazil (and you know I have a connection here right? Recall the Think Tank series we have been doing?)

Board member of The Drug Free America Foundation.

It is currently led by Betty Sembler, wife of Italian Ambassador Mel Sembler, and Calvina L. Fay, a "drug prevention expert" with over 20 years in the field. Neither woman is known to hold any medical degrees, or any certification in drug prevention.

The Sembler's have been past major contributors to Republican canidates, most notably George W. Bush, who appointed Mel Sembler for his current ambassadorship. Betty Sembler's birthday was declared "Betty Sembler Day" in Florida, by proclamation of Jeb Bush, who also was a close friend and recipient of Sembler donations (Betty had actually worked on Jeb's previous governor campaigns).

From their site: Drug Free America Foundation is a Non-Govermental Organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Jeb and his wife are also both on that board, as well as a who is who of Republican operatives.

How does Melvyn feel about treating drug addiction? From a news conference, May 10, 2001

So we want to try to find the most effective ways to deal with people who are addicted to drugs or are very heavy users of drugs. One of the most important things I think that the President did was to really put emphasis on the prison system. Study after study has shown that coerced, mandatory treatment, long-term treatment of people has the most... the best chance of being effective. And, of course, we have a captive audience of people in prisons. We have too many people in prisons, but to get them off drugs, we're going to have to have good programs of treatment in our prisons. The President is going to put money into that. And I was very encouraged to hear that.

Load em up. Ship em out. Lock em up.

Another "nominated" from Australia: Brian Watters

Major in the Salvation Army (1975-2000), including work as Commander of the Salvation Army's addiction treatment programme in eastern Australia; consultant and media spokesman on addiction issues; adviser to the Salvation Army's HIV/AIDS services in eastern Australia; President of the Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies in New South Wales; member of New South Wales' Health Minister's Drug Advisory Council. Patron, "Drug Arm, Australia"; Board member, "Drug Free Australia";

More reefer madness, sent out by "Drug free Australia."

I did a post last year titled, Who wants InSite out of site? , and I had some links that were very good that explained harm reduction. A Review of the evidence-base for harm reduction approaches to drug use, Switzerland., and May 24, 2007.

Read the Senlis Council's take on the Very real shortage of opium to make pain killing drugs for those suffering all over the world. While the INCB pushes for crops to be burned, families to go hungry, and increased insurgency and anger against the west. And Canadian soldiers.

At that time I also mentioned the INCB, and added this link: HEALTH: Drug War Clashes With Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Ill leave it here for now. I found so much more.....

The Harpercons have been given their orders, by the INCB, and the US government. They don't care enough about anyone to stand up and help people facing addiction. They don't care enough to stand up and say enough! in the very real battle against HIV/AIDS.

Its just Business. You do understand. Don't you?