Sniffing Out the Truth about Drug Dogs

Sniffing Out the Truth about Drug Dogs

DSW: Given the problems with drug dogs explored at your website, why do you think they are so popular with police departments and municipal government?

Curry: Oh that is easy. You have to remember that there is a strong incentive for law enforcement not to CARE whether the dogs are accurate. The dogs can simply be props for lies, in that the dogs are there to overcome refusals to consent to search, and the dog provides law enforcement officers (LEOs) with the ability to say that an alert occurred even if there was no alert. And here is another angle: some LEOs do not want a “drug dog,” they want a “car dog,” in that they want a dog that when shown a car will alert, as if to say “yes that is a car.” For some LEOs the goal is to search whenever the LEO desires, period. The dog is simply a ruse to do so.

[Another interesting site that promotes drug searching dogs etc, see; http://www.dopedog.com/business_sweeps.html /Blair ]

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

On Underage Drinking

“Reporters who cover teen drinking often take the values hidden in the discussion of risks related to teen alcohol use for granted. But in order to develop effective policies for dealing with underage alcohol abuse, these assumptions need to be exposed, questioned, and challenged so that parents and politicians can explore a whole range of solutions and make the best choices for their kids.”

It is a shame that so much media attention is given to left testicles, oddly worded emails, tit-for-tat who said what but the core issues that underpin the sensibilities of the nation are ignored. Because it is just too difficult ? – I dont beleive it. Intellectually dishonest comes to mind…. especially as the two likely coalition ‘confidence and supply’ partners, United Future, NZ Ist along with Jim Andertons Progressive Party are sellouts to evidence based policy formulation on alcohol, and just about everything else youth can get there hands on.

Media, Complicit… You bet.

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

Media soft on cannabis prohibitionists

Media have shut the public out of the cannabis debate by refusing to acknowledge and explore the broad case for reform that the Legalise movement promotes. Craven politicians have stepped into the breach.

Voters in this election see potential coalition partners, Peter Dunne, Jim Anderton, and now Winston Peters et al convincing themselves and spreading disinformation, while never having to answer questions about the absolute ineffectiveness, injustice, dishonesty and damage of their policy.” [more]

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

UK Police ‘can’t cope’ with cultivation

Police ‘can’t cope’ as Vietnamese flood drugs trade
http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/Story/0,2763,1567385,00.html

Gangs make millions by targeting London with cannabis grown in houses rented from unsuspecting landlords

Senior officers believe the sharp rise is at least partly due to the decision to reclassify cannabis from a class B to a class C drug which led to an increase in demand.
Tighter border controls as a result of the terrorist threat have also made the domestic product more sought after. Gangs who grow cannabis make far higher profits now because they do not have to smuggle the drugs across borders.

This is the predicted outcome of the half baked notion that decriminalizing possession and legislating increasing sentences for supply brings about.

The Canadian Senate Inquiry called decriminalisation (and instant fines) the worst possible scenario. Perhaps the London experience will assist people to understand why! Regrettably, the Canadian Senators also predicted such an anomalous system would be hard to ‘correct’ with the required liberal adjustement as prohibitors coalesce round the failures with the ‘we told you so” chant.

When reason prevails, it will be seen that the right to possess without the right to cultivate, process, trade and transport is a barren right.

/Blair Anderson

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

Christian Parties a political enigma.

Christian Parties purporting moral standards are a political enigma.

Scoop and Blogger “Big News“

It was the Christian ‘temperance’ movement that enabled universal suffrage to achieve its end game of prohibition, yet it was the very same ‘now vote enabled’ constituency who voted that prohibition was unchristian (failed all efficacy).

It is the morality based parties who support the USA led war on drugs.. yet again we now find that the pragmatic established churches are ‘reform minded’.

The societal implications is the ‘game is up’ – prohibition is now seen as unchristian. (cf. Church Council of Greater Seattle, Unitarian Church etc. )

Only the radicalized political theosophy as witnessed by struggle of the Brethren, Destiny and other family values minority stake holders behind United Future (polling <2%) to influence outcomes suggests such blanket prohibitions are increasingly in collapse.

Like the 1930’s church focused and organised movement to destroy alcohol laws with a dangerous anti-family context, the world is waking up to the USA lead impositional ‘last grasp’ at moral straws.

Its only a matter time.

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

It Is Time for Marijuana to Be Reclassified

“People obey laws they believe to be just; they do not obey the marijuana laws because they know they are unjust, even absurd. Kids quickly see through lies. Many kids may discount the proper scare tactics about really dangerous drugs, like heroin and PCP, because the dangers of marijuana have been so overstated.” – That’s my opinion. I’m Dr. George Lundberg, Editor of MedGenMed.

George D. Lundberg, MD, is Editor-in-Chief, Medscape General Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Health Policy, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts mailto:glundberg@medscape.net

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

Tory contender calls for more liberal drug laws

“David Cameron, the Tory leadership contender, believes the UN should consider legalising drugs and wants hard-core addicts to be provided with legal ‘shooting galleries’ and state-prescribed heroin.

He also supported calls for ecstasy to be downgraded from the class-A status it shares with cocaine and heroin and said it would be ‘disappointing’ if radical options on the law on cannabis were not looked at.”

-snip-

His remarks will shock many Tories MPs who have traditionally taken a hard line on drug possession and use. The leadership contender said he favoured “fresh thinking and a new approach” towards drugs policy

-snip-

Now here is a chalenge for New Zealand – a debate on drug policy?

While the tyranny of the minority Peter Dunne is chatting with Prime Minister Helen Clark and Leader of the Opposition Don Brash about “maintaining cannabis prohibition’ in the face of exonerative evidence for change the drug isse remains undiscussed on the hustings.

No wonder we have ‘non-participation’ in society!

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

New research fund targets health priorities – Yeah Right!

New Zealand�s 21 District Health Boards have established a $6M health research fund to address key knowledge gaps for DHBs.”

Save your money DHB’s, the public health gap that needs closed is currently occupied by Peter Dunne, Jim Anderton and company..

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

Jails failing says criminologist

crime.co.nz: “Victoria University criminologist Dr Trevor Bradley says New Zealand’s imprisonment rate is embarrassing and should not be talked up by politicians as evidence of dealing with crime effectively. “

see also http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/2005/09/labour-to-target-drug-fuelled.html

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion

Alternative fuels solution to petrol price hikes

“Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is calling on the Government to make faster progress in introducing alternative fuels, such as bio-diesel and bio-ethanol,”

And not before time!

However, until ethanol can be produced (and it can be, it just needs commercialisation) in one pass processing the cost of producing a litre of ethanol is currently estimated to be 1.3 litres of ethanol. Coperative Biofuel and Biodiesel is the resource to peg income and outgoings at the ‘farm gate’. Its like having OPEC on your doorstep!

We need some infrastructural changes to accomodate for carbon credits and emmissions accounting, but mandating biofuel as an additive is not the answer. Its a ‘signal’ to the markets but it may be the wrong one!

Biofueling our rural productivity has immense opportunity but the principle beneficiary’s will be to everyone as public health costs diminish.

While Biofuels may yet be the enduring tax cut we all need, sunlight to liquid fuels energy resources remains a bulk material handling problem that the rural farmer may yet be collectively able to make a significant and creative contribution. Future mapping biofuels into the an Alternative energy economy is about science, economics, confidence, will power and committment, not wish lists says the Ilam Candidate who is keen to take the issue to the floor of the house. If we internalise the benefits, its WIN WIN WIN. Like our farming folk, I cannot understand why the commitement to progress beyond cheapo talk hasnt been taken seriously when millions of ‘sustainable’ development money from Japan and the USA has already been offered.

The financial security of our nation may depend on it.

se also:economics of biofuels at
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/2005/09/christchurch-air-quality-study.html

/Blair

Get Blairs Brain on Newsfeed…
http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlairsBrain-CanvassingForOpinion