police

Indentifying drug abusers

This video harks back to an innocent age when a mass culture of illicit drug use seemed to be a new phenomena. The idea that police and other authorities would need to be educated about how to spot drugs and drug users seems very strange, we are now inundated with images of drug use in popular culture even if we have no personal experience of drug use ourselves.

Why did this change happen? What were the drivers for this change? Does it represent a change in perception or a real change? The history of the 'war on drug' is very confusing.

Festival Security Bamboozled when Police Refuse to make Drug Arrest

Found on a forum for the security industry is the account of a young man discovered trying to enter a festival with “1 ounze (sic) of white powder in one packet, loads of wraps of another white powder, a number of acid tabs (enough to qualify as dealing by themselves) and digital scales.”

Wait for it, there’s more to the story.

Glastonbury's new image

Much has been written about the evolution of the Glastonbury festival. Where the entrance ticket once cost a £1 and you were given a free pint of milk from the farm when you entered, to today’s sprawling tent-city home to some 250,000 temporary residents. Indeed, the festival is almost unrecognisable from what it was 40 years ago and as the site, music, price and culture of the event has changed, so has the drugs culture of the site.

Danish policeman speaks out against drug prohibition

A Danish policeman speaks out against drug prohibition on a television show saying that the "War on Drugs" is futile.

Danish cop speaks out about the futile war on drugs (ENG subtitle)

Submitted by Cubensis on Thu, 17/06/2010 - 23:06

This clip aired on Danish national television - 11. June 2010. He gets the message across pretty well, don't you think? :)

Violent pacification

Last Saturday the Million Marijuana March took place in Warsaw, Poland. A few people were caught in possesion of drugs during the demonstration and taken to the nearby police station.

After the March some protesters went to the station, asking the police to release their friends.

This is what happened next...

Transportation Of IV Equipment And Police Stop And Search Procedure

I am writing this article because, I am extemely concerened about the practice of police in relation to stop and search procedures and the transportation of safe injecting equipment from needle exchanges to home, or other place of use.

I myself was recently searched whilst travelling in a car, along with two other passengers. A small amount of cannabis resin, about 1.75 gm's was found on one person. I myself was not carrying any controled substances, but I was carrying a packet of injecting equipment, obtained from a needle exchange.

Snitchville, USA

Imagine this: a police force that makes its living on commissions alone, in other words, the more arrests they make the more money they earn. Violent offenders aren’t easy to catch red-handed and they usually are in possession of few items of value, whereas drug-related offenders (who are essentially either consumers or merchants) are easier to catch in the act and are often in possession of large sums of money, cars and/or contraband substances.

A drug mule is busted at Gatwick airport

‘The time is 10.25 and you are placed under arrest’.

Politicians take drugs too

Politicians’ new willingness to admit drug use highlights not only the hypocrisy of current drug law, but also the reality of an unjust society where some individuals are punished for using illicit drugs while others can use them with relative impunity.

All of the content on TalkingDrugs is produced by volunteers, if you would like to get involved email: volunteers@talkingdrugs.org