The Washington Times covers the story:

"Federal drug agents have arrested more than 20 people in an international drug smuggling operation that purportedly used dozens of "swallowers" to transport heroin from Panama to drug dealers in New York.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokesman Garrison K. Courtney said indictments unsealed yesterday showed that ring leaders in Panama and New York recruited both U.S. residents and Panamanians to ingest heroin and carry it aboard pre-arranged flights from Panama to the New York dealers.

"We are committed to stopping the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities by going straight to the source and putting international drug traffickers out of business," said John P. Gilbride, special agent in charge of the DEA's New York office."

COMPARISON OF CANNABIS POTENCY TRENDS WITH DAWN EMERGENCY ROOM MENTIONS OF MARIJUANA

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A great story from the Boston Globe reports what Europeans have been covering for weeks now:

"Researchers are offering new ammunition to worried parents trying to dissuade their teens from smoking marijuana: Evidence is mounting that for some adolescents whose genes put them at added risk, heavy marijuana use could increase the chances of developing severe mental illness—psychosis or schizophrenia.

This week, the marijuana-psychosis link gained ground when two major medical journals reviewed the research to date and concluded that it was persuasive. In PLOS Medicine, an Australian public health policy specialist wrote that genetically vulnerable teens who smoke marijuana more than once a week ''appear at greater risk of psychosis," while the British medical journal BMJ cited estimates that marijuana use could contribute to about 10 percent of cases of psychosis.

The new research has little hint of ''Reefer Madness" alarmism. Rather, a half-dozen long, careful studies published in the last several years have tried to determine whether marijuana-smoking is a cause rather than an effect of mental illness. And groundbreaking research has begun to try to pinpoint which genes and brain chemicals could do the damage."

Marijuana: Harmless?

Take a moment to read this emotional appeal from a recovering drug addict in Maine. From the Bangor Daily News in Maine:

"I hit bottom hard in 2004. I used the loss of my children as an excuse to use more drugs. I was addicted so badly to opiates that I was physically sick. My liver was ruined and my diabetes was out of control. I also spent 30 days in jail that year for trafficking drugs.

When I was in jail, I saw a substance abuse counselor who told me about the Wellspring drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Bangor. I had a screening and was put on the waiting list. I went into treatment on Nov. 9, 2004. This program helped me look deep inside and see why I used. I will never forget all the things I learned from the staff there.

I see now that my addiction controlled my life for a long time. I didn't have a real childhood or a normal life. I grew up too quickly. Some people blame others for their addiction. I have done that, too, but no one ever forced any drugs up my nose or in my mouth. I chose to do it myself. The blame game is only another excuse to use more drugs.

Legalizing drugs is a bad idea that will only make it easier for people to get and stay addicted.”

Director Walters address drug treatment providers during a visit to the First Step Home in Cincinnati last year. Click here for larger image.

Today, Director Walters highlighted information from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which shows that approximately six million Americans do not recognize their need to seek treatment for illicit drug abuse.

Director Walters said, “We know that denial is too often part of the disease of addiction. It is a treatable disease, but one that no one gets better from by themselves. We must do everything we can to get friends, family, and drug users themselves to seek help.

As risky behaviors go, drug use ranks among the worst. While it is difficult to draw precise inferences from the data available, the likelihood that an adult who used an illicit drug in the past month (a so-called “current” user) will need drug treatment is approximately one in four—high enough to constitute a substantial risk but low enough that many individuals are able to deny the obvious risks or convince themselves that they can “manage” their drug-using behavior. Denial keeps people from seeking help, it also maintains the destructive behavior long enough to allow the disease of addiction to gain an even firmer hold and be transmitted to peer groups and friends.

If you or someone you know needs help with their addiction, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s treatment locator at www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

The UK's decision to keep marijuana as a "class C" drug has encouraged a concerned father to share his experience about marijuana and how it turned his son into a complete wreck:

"I didn't know of the damage it would inflict on my son and my whole family. I didn't know then that it would ruin his life and he would be plunged into a deep and dark nightmare, which has still not ended.

My wife and I knew that James had smoked some cannabis when he was younger, and was still dabbling in it. But we were not aware of the dangers he faced from the drug....

It was as though someone had stolen my lovely James overnight. He was talking weirdly, his thoughts were all over the place, he was having hallucinations, and was totally paranoid. He thought people and vampires were after him. But it was going to get a lot worse, and I'm still waiting for my son to fully return to me.

We found out that James had started smoking cannabis regularly from the age of 15. He was very good at hiding it and controlling himself when he'd been smoking. He'd even given it up when he sat his exams."

A touching story, read the rest here.

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A couple of newspapers covered an awards ceremony ONDCP hosted to recognize the work of interagency law enforcement officers for their work to eradicate marijuana:

• http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/
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• http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/01/
  22/n/HeadlineNews/CAMP-AWARD/resources_bcn_html

Thanks to increased security and crackdowns on narco-terrorist groups, Colombia is seeing an unprecedented stock boom. The Financial Times covers the good economic news:

As a country famed for its armed conflict, Colombia might be considered off limits for a foreign investor.

If so, Colombia would appear to be defying gravity. Its stock market was the best performer in the region last year, soaring an impressive 118 per cent in peso terms in 2005 and124 per cent in dollar terms. This followed an 86 per cent increase in peso terms in 2004.

Colombia is changing. Under the leadership of President Alvaro Uribe, violence has receded into the hills and the country has become a safer place for investors, in terms of physical and regulatory security.

As a result, the economy expanded by almost 6 per cent last year and analysts are predicting that it will grow by as much as 5 per cent in 2006, stoking consumption and boosting company profits.

Advertising Age has announced their TV spots of the week (free registration required). On the list of winners is the ONDCP/ Partnership for a Drug Free America's anti-meth "Jamie" ad.

The ad discusses the environmental and health impacts meth production have on young people. Learn more about our anti-meth education campaign and see the ads.

In this installment, ONDCP Deputy Press Secretary Rafael Lemaitre interviews Al Roker. Al discusses anti-drug parenting advice, his views on drug use and what he has learned about the meth problem in America. Listen to the interview with Al Roker and Subscribe to ONDCP podcasts.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch comes a powerful story about a man who dealt with his denial about marijuana addiction and became sober. He's now in recovery for marijuana addiction thanks to the help of an organization called Marijuana Anonymous.

"In Edwardsville, Bryce Manning, 37, knows all about the rationalizations, the excuses, the slow road to what he sees as marijuana addiction. Scientists, politicians, and pot smokers all argue whether marijuana can really be addictive. Manning, through first hand experience, says he knows there are thousands of smokers who become addicted to pot.

He started smoking when he was 14. Over the next 17 years, he slowly became addicted to a drug most users consider harmless.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS

In 1989, a group of recovering pot heads and counselors met together in Van Nuys, Calif., to found the first chapter of Marijuana Anonymous. The group adopted the 12 steps from the Alcoholics Anonymous program, using a proven method to help users deal with their addictions.

The group rapidly grew, spreading out worldwide. By 2005, there were more than 50 chapters operating in six different countries. The biggest contribution MA makes is through a "virtual help center," running a counseling program through an online chat room at www.ma-online.org.

Manning found MA when he was in his early 30s, after he started searching the Internet for information about marijuana addiction. He attended meetings through an online chat room, worked his way through the 12 steps, and eventually kicked the habit. He has been sober for four years and now works as a substance abuse counselor at a company called Intensive Out-Patient Care in Edwardsville. He also serves as the host of a Marijuana Anonymous meeting every Friday."

Need help with marijuana addiction? Visit SAMHSA's substance abuse treatment locator to find a treatment provider near you.

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Photos from Director Walters visit to Miami are now available. Photos were taken during a tour of a Miami neighborhood that is being targeted by police and community for anti-drug action. Leading the tour was Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

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The tide is turning in favor of parents in Alaska. The AP covers the Governor's efforts to protect communities in Alaska by rolling-back pro-marijuana laws in his state:

"The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday heard amendments to Governor Frank Murkowski's bill that would re-criminalize personal use of the drug. Dubbed a "must-pass" bill last session, Murkowski is asking state lawmakers to consider evidence of marijuana's dangers that should trump the courts' right to privacy rulings.

Senate Bill 74 would stiffen penalties for marijuana use and possession. It would make possession of four ounces of pot or more a felony. Chief Assistant Attorney General Dean Guaneli testified that marijuana is more potent, and therefore more dangerous, than in the 1970's.

	Read the new publication: Cities Without Drugs

Today, Director Walters released a new publication which will provide city leaders with a way to coordinate balanced strategies against the drug problem in their communities.

The announcement is being made by Director Walters in Miami—a city that has benefited from increased coordination between law enforcement, treatment providers, drug courts, and community coalitions. In fact, the latest drug use numbers in Miami prove that their balanced strategy is making a difference:

• The National Survey on Drug Use and Health sub-state results show that young people in Miami-Dade County had the lowest rate of marijuana use in the Florida; 26-percent below the State average and 34-percent below the national rate.
• A 2005 report on drug deaths in Florida reflects that Miami-Dade County had the lowest rates of prescription drug deaths among the State’s major urban areas.
• According to officials in Florida some of the lowest rates of drug use among Florida youth are within those communities that have strong anti-drug coalitions such as The Miami Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Community.

Read the new publication—Cities Without Drugs.

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Some fascinating developments have occurred in the United Kingdom this past week regarding their reclassification of cannabis there. Turns out, new scientific studies and research have influenced the government's decision to reclassify the status of the illegal drug.

Here is just a sampling of stories that have run on this issue:

From the Independent:

"A publicity drive to highlight the dangers of smoking cannabis will be launched this year after Charles Clarke hinted he was prepared to order a U-turn over the downgrading of cannabis from a class B drug to a class C.

The Home Secretary said there was "worrying" new evidence suggesting can-nabis is damaging mental health. He is preparing to announce the findings of a year-long review by experts."

From the Guardian:

"In an interview with the Times the home secretary confirmed what his officials have been saying, that new medical evidence has prompted a number of people to change their minds. "I'm very struck by the advocacy of a number of people who have been proposers of the reclassification of cannabis that they were wrong," he said. "I am also very worried about the most recent medical evidence on mental health. This is a very serious issue."

London's Daily Mail reports:

"In fact, the key research which provoked Labour's second thoughts was published in Britain 14 months before cannabis was downgraded to Class C at the start of 2004. And for the past 30 years, dozens of scientific studies have been building up the case that the drug causes mental illness.

Critics also said the U-turn is too late for those already ensnared by cannabis while its dangers were ignored by the Government.

Mr Clarke, who sat in the Cabinet when the downgrading was approved, said: 'The fact is that since that decision, further evidence has been developed about the implications of consumption of cannabis for medical health which are serious.'

But three shocking studies were published in November 2002 alone, showing that smoking the drug hugely increases the chances of crippling mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Mary Brett, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, said: 'It is dishonest to claim only new evidence shows a link between cannabis and mental heath problems. There are reports going back for decades.'

As you may recall, in May of last year, ONDCP hosted researchers from the United Kingdom to discuss new evidence of links between marijuana and mental health problems.

Marijuana: Harmless?

After receiving a $100,000 grant from the Department of Education for random testing, the New Bedford School Committee in Massachusetts will start their first random student drug testing program. Here are some details as reported in today's Boston Globe:

What You Need to Know About Starting a Student Drug-Testing Program

"Students who test positive will not be reported to the school or the police. Instead, a private counselor will contact them and their parents to help address the issue.

Kim Silva's 16-year-old son has straight As, plays sports, and is a diabetic; she said she does not think he's a drug user. Her daughter, who is 10, will not be eligible for the program until next year, but Silva said she is leaning toward signing them up.

''What is it going to hurt?" she said. ''I'd rather know. It would make them think twice."

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey has been a strong supporter of random drug testing and hopes that this will serve as an example to other communities around the state. For more information on how to start a random drug testing program, visit the ONDCP Web site.

Today, Director Walters launched a new podcast aimed at enabling users of personal audio players to receive broadcasts of ONDCP audio programming. The new audio feed will contain the latest speeches, events, interviews, and other information regarding our national efforts to reduce drug use in America. The podcasts will also showcase the work of people in the field working to make the drug problem smaller.

To subscribe to the new podcast, visit the ONDCP Web site

Director Walters will also appear on C-span's Washington Journal tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. Tune in to learn more about our priorities for 2006.