CourierMail - Cocaine Hysteria Thrives in Trash Media

I’ve read some really silly articles about drugs lately but this cracker from Jackie Sinnerton in the Courier Mail needs your attention. Not for the profound message it attempts to sell you but to brighten up your day. Maybe I’m just a sucker for accidental self parody from self righteous or ignorant twats but reading this type of article really makes my day ... and makes me laugh. It’s like watching The Office(UK) where you get pleasure from cringing at some idiot trying to be something they’re not. Which reminds me, do you remember the Fiona Connolly article in the The Daily Telegraph last year titled Cokehead Should be Ashamed? If you do then you may be forgiven if you think the authors are sisters.

Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia
Courier Mail
By Jackie Sinnerton
October 2009


A FOUR-wheel-drive makes its way to the front door of a well-loved suburban home.

It's a two-income, two-child abode. Worth a million, but heavily mortgaged. This is not rock star territory.

The mother of the house follows her fortnightly routine. She checks that the kids are distracted and pops outside, takes the envelope off the driver and exchanges pleasantries.

Nothing cloak and dagger.

No names or money are exchanged.

Apparently her husband takes care of the financial business with a guy in the city – $350 she believes. They spend $700 a month.

The transaction is completed.

It is as straight forward as someone delivering the milk.

The lady of the house then rushes upstairs and secretes the envelope in her bottom drawer – away from tiny hands.

No need to check the contents – it is always the same. A gram of cocaine folded in foil paper and tucked into a plastic bag.

Back to the kitchen to prepare school lunches. There will be no mention of the delivery until Saturday night when the guests arrive.

Looking past the manicured hedges, French doors and shop-buffed people-movers in suburban driveways unearths a shocking reality.

Sarah does not use cocaine. But her story, like a script from a bad episode of Desperate Housewives, paints a surreal picture of what family life in the 'burbs can be like when the lights in the children's rooms go out.

Sarah reluctantly discloses the happenings of the night out when she stumbled upon the drug culture lurking in the shadows of suburban streets.

Sarah's family was invited to a social evening at a friend's home on the outskirts of the city.

"My husband and I were invited to a party at a friend of a friend's," she recalls. "They live in a really nice house – they are both professional people with kids and are heavily involved in the kids school functions and sport.

"Kids were invited to the party. It all seemed quite harmless to begin with but as the evening wore on I certainly got my eyes opened.

"Early on it was just like any other family barbecue: Kids were running around everywhere and parents were enjoying a chat and a drink.

"As it got later, there seemed to be a huge urgency to get the kids settled down in makeshift beds upstairs.

"Only adults remained downstairs, and they just continued to enjoy the evening with another drink.

"Then at the top of the stairs the signal came from one of the dads. It was the all-clear. All the kids, including mine, were asleep.

"I remember looking around a little bemused, and that is when a few of the parents brought out little plastic packages of cocaine from their pockets.

"I was blown away. I may have enjoyed a joint in my youth, but hardcore drugs amongst friends of friends in a suburban house! I admit, I was very intrigued.

"I took it all in. Agreements had been made between some of the couples. 'Tonight it is your turn'. It's a bit like who is going to drive home. One parent has to remain sensible in case of child emergency."

A growing number of Australian suburban homes play out similar scenarios as parents dabble in narcotics, and Queensland's suburban sprawls are not immune.

Most of the state's cocaine use takes place in the southeast corner – but it is the affluent areas rather than the lower socio-economic areas so often tainted by drug use that have been pin-pointed as a problem.

"The people at this barbecue were mostly professional, well respected members of the community who support their children's school building funds, hold down challenging jobs, and make sure their kids eat their greens and don't talk to strangers," Sarah continues.

"Thankfully the set-up was fairly controlled, and a person was allocated to watch the kids at all times.

"But my heart was racing, I could only think about what would happen if the police came. Would I be in trouble too? I decided I would grab my kids and get out, but I didn't want to look panicked, so I chatted and smiled as I made my way through the crowd.

"During that time, as I located my husband, I watched some people disappear into the downstairs toilet. But more blatantly, a couple of the men just lined up their powder on the dining room table, using a credit card to straighten the edges.

"Then they rolled up paper money, and got into it.

"It crossed my mind how maxed out that credit card must be.

"I am not a prude by any means, and have had my fair share of alcoholic drinks over the years, but by all accounts listening to the others at the party I am obviously somewhat behind the times."

For some, having a few drinks doesn't cut it anymore. Drug-fuelled Saturday nights are the way to go.

"I felt like a scared child when offered the drug," Sarah said.

"I politely declined.

"Not everyone used drugs that night. In fact, maybe less than one-third of those at the party, but most people seemed unperturbed by the behaviour."

Sarah says some of the women sensed her horror at what was unfolding before her, and tried to talk down the implications of the activity.

"Apparently that the best thing about taking the drug was that you feel great about yourself, it increases self-confidence and it is easier to let yourself go," she said.

"Certainly the party picked up quite dramatically and before leaving I saw another person go back for more.

"I remembered hearing once that cocaine can give you seizures and I couldn't help but worry that someone was going to have to call for an ambulance.

"Imagine the scandal if all these very respected citizens ended up in the police station for doing hard core drugs? What about the poor kids then?

"No one seemed too concerned about the down sides. All I heard was it makes you feel energised, powerful and enhances the libido – it works wonders for the love life.

"I did hear the words 'recreational' and 'social' used quite a lot that night. Whether to convince me or themselves, those who chose to snort were very adamant 'I hardly ever do it, it's just for fun'."

But according to the experts there is no such thing as recreational drug taking.

There is nothing but bad news at the end of the white dust track.

Coke, crack, dust, nose candy, white lady – whatever you want to call it – cocaine kills people.

It's not called "the Addicter" or "Great Deceiver" for no reason.

When absorbed into the blood stream, it is a very potent drug.

A small amount – one to three milligrams – produces extreme stimulating effects on the brain by releasing a chemical, norepinephrine, from the nerve endings.

It elevates the mood and helps boost energy levels and mental activity.

It helps you feel invincible and wipes out fatigue.

But what goes up must come down.

This state of euphoria can be followed within 30 to 60 minutes by a "let-down feeling" of depression and dullness.

According to Drug Arm counsellor Richard Norman, cocaine is often included in cocktails of drugs and is not always the primary drug used.

It is often mixed with other drugs and alcohol – adding to the toxic mix.

"It is ridiculous to think that you can use cocaine recreationally," he said.

"It depends on the person's build, but it doesn't take long before people start to yearn for that euphoric feeling more often.

"The middle-class demographic is a difficult one to understand, because they are not likely to come to public rehabilitation or counselling centres.

"I would imagine they would go to their GPs or private counsellors – there is a lot at stake. It's illegal as well as highly dangerous."

While the drug is no longer just reserved for millionaires, there can be a huge financial impact on the user if they become dependent on cocaine.

The 2007 National Drug Strategy's Household Survey showed cocaine consumption was at its highest level since 1993.

It's a risky way to get through domestic stresses.

It is possible to build up a resistance to the drug, which means people need to take larger and larger doses to achieve the same high.

For some, there can be the opposite effect – where just small amounts are enough to prompt a rush.

Psychological withdrawal symptoms can hang around for many weeks and may include intense cravings, depression, anxiety and angry outbursts.

Physical withdrawal symptoms include tremors, nausea, insomnia and muscle pain.

Not something you'd want to deal with on the school pick-up run.

So what is it with Murdoch journalists and drugs ... especially cocaine? No, I’m not talking about the hypocrite Piers Akerman and his alleged coke habit but those who suddenly write some incredible story of drugs reeking havoc on societies values? Do they feel that they must make a contribution to the anti-drug effort regardless of whether they have something to say or not? It seems that way if you read Jackie Sinnerton’s article. First of all, is this story made up? It feels like a collection of clichés, scenes from a bad novel and moral claptrap rolled into one. Seriously, someone monitoring the kids giving the all-clear, it’s OK to do drugs now ... the kids are asleep! And designated abstainer ... in case of a child emergency? Pffft. Is this really a scene from an 80s TV movie? The bit that got me laughing loudest though was the names that cocaine is supposedly called.

It's not called "the Addicter" or "Great Deceiver" for no reason
-The Courier Mail: Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia by Jackie Sinnerton

The “Great Deceiver”? Oh, dear god, strike me down. It’s certainly not a term I am familiar with but a little bit of research on the intertubes shows that Satan is usually called The Great Deceiver along with a few examples of various drugs. Reelizations Media produced the very popular Marijuana and Recovery Counselor Guide which references marijuana as The Great Deceiver. The California Department of Justice released a video called, Meth: The Great Deceiver in 2002 and in 1990, the US Drug Czar, William Bennett wrote an article in First Things, published by The Institute on Religion and Public Life. Here’s an extract:

I continue to be amazed at how often people I speak to in treatment centers refer to drugs as the great lie, the great deception, indeed as a product of the Great Deceiver. An astonishing number of people in treatment have described crack cocaine to me simply as “the Devil.”
 -William J. Bennett : First Things - Drugs and the Face of Evil

So where the hell did Jackie Sinnerton get the idea that cocaine is commonly known as The Great Deceiver? If you think this definition is amusing then Google the other well known name, “cocaine - "the Addicter"”. The result ... oh. mmm well, there is no record anywhere of cocaine being called “The Addicter” except in her own article. The author just made it up. This should give us a clue to the authenticity of the article and what depths the Murdoch press will lower itself to. Pooeeeee! - forget all that. Who cares? It’s such a fun read and an opportunity to see how far some so called journalists will go to write an interesting story.

Coke, crack, dust, nose candy, white lady – whatever you want to call it – cocaine kills people
-The Courier Mail: Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia by Jackie Sinnerton

Dust? Crack? White Lady? Apart from crack being a different form of cocaine and comes as a rock that can’t be snorted, who the hell calls cocaine “dust” or “white lady”? Maybe in Starsky and Hutch or CHIPS but not in the real world down-under. Well as far as I know.

But according to the experts there is no such thing as recreational drug taking
-The Courier Mail: Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia by Jackie Sinnerton

There’s at least 150,000,000 recreational drug users worldwide who might disagree with this statement. And who are these experts she quotes?

It is ridiculous to think that you can use cocaine recreationally
 -Drug Arm counsellor Richard Norman

Oh, not an expert but a counsellor for an organisation(Drug Arm) that originated from the Temperance Movement 2 centuries ago. Remember the Temperance Movement? Their claim to fame is alcohol prohibition in the US and the push to ban drugs.

This article is just more drug hysteria from the Murdoch press designed to sell papers and collect webpage hits. Incidentally, the article was published simultaneously with another piece about suburban cocaine use, Housewives Turn To Cocaine Abuse In Queensland. Co-written by Sinnerton and Paula Doneman, the article is filed under that infamous Courier Mail special, The Drugs Scourge which may give us some insight into the it’s contents. The article is wrapped up nicely by one reader:

Ahead of the release of new findings from the Crime and Misconduct Commission on illicit drugs, intelligence director Chris Keen confirmed that cocaine use in Queensland "is more prevalent over a wider range of demographics"....where does this say anything specific about "housewives"...the whole article is based on the suppostions of ONE man...Richard Norman who said...""I could see how stressed-out, middle-class housewives would single out cocaine to help them perform better at work, look after a family and house and still have the energy to party," Jackie Sinnerton and Paula Doneman have taken this remark and ran with it..they and the Couriermail should be ashamed of themselves..but I suppose the headline is the thing and drug addicted housewives reads better than..increase in drug addicts in south east Queensland. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. I agree this story is plagiarised and deliberately skewed to target housewives.
Posted by: lyn of melbourne 4:09pm November 01, 2009
-Comment from Courier Mail Reader

The claims of inevitable problems like tremors, nausea, insomnia, muscle pain and addiction are what a hard core addict might suffer and not what a standard recreational cocaine user would encounter. Also, what has been left out of these articles is more important than what was included with much of it merely opinions without any evidence or backing.

There is nothing but bad news at the end of the white dust track
-The Courier Mail: Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia by Jackie Sinnerton

As cocaine use rapidly increases, the number of those requiring treatment hasn’t risen proportionally. It's probably because the addiction level of cocaine(17%) and alcohol(15%) are nearly the same. The truth is, most cocaine users take it in moderation and usually reserve it for special occasions. Similar to how most drinkers choose to exploit their drug of choice. Most drinkers don't need treatment and neither do most cocaine users.

The World Health Organisation conducted the largest ever study of global cocaine use in 1995 and stated:

Occasional cocaine use does not typically lead to severe or even minor physical or social problems … a minority of people start using cocaine or related products, use casually for a short or long period, and suffer little or no negative consequences, even after years of use
-World Health Organisation Report

Sadly, this report was just too truthful for the "War on Drugs" mindset of the US and UN. The US threatened to withdraw funding for all of the WHO’s research projects and interventions unless they "dissociated itself from the study" and withdraw the publication. The report was shelved and never released. So now we are left with articles from the trash media and the constant lies and exaggeration from anti-drug zealots. No wonder we have a drug problem.

In June 2009, an excellent article by Ben Goldacre detailed the WHO cocaine report and the subsequent coverup in the Uk newspaper, The Guardian. This is a must-read article: Cocaine study that got up the nose of the US.


Related Articles:
Housewives Turn To Cocaine Abuse In Queensland - The Courier Mail
Cocaine study that got up the nose of the US - The Guardian
Journalist Should Be Ashamed
Cocaine - Australia’s Next Drug Epidemic?
CourierMail - The Media Scourge

Cocaine - Australia’s Next Drug Epidemic?

Cocaine abuse is all the rage in the media these days. From socialites to celebrities, from growing imports to night clubs, the media has found it’s new drug sensation. And it makes sense - we are told by the government and the media that cocaine is a hard drug like heroin and will turn any mortal into a manic, aggressive, single minded snow shovelling machine. But what if the World Health Organisation (WHO) told us differently? Would governments listen or take the advice of a group like the World Health Organisation? Ben Goldacre from The Guardian (UK) exposes how in 1995, the US buried a WHO report about the largest study ever made into cocaine use. The report contradicted US/UN drug policies and may have had some effect on how we approach the cocaine problem. At minimum, the report would have exposed how the UN and some countries act in complete defiance to the facts and evidence.

Most programmes do not prevent myths, but perpetuate stereotypes and misinform the general public. Such programmes rely on sensationalised, exaggerated statements about cocaine which misinform about patterns of use, stigmatise users, and destroy the educator's credibility. -WHO Report (1995)

As cocaine use grows in Australia, Europe and Africa, some governments are reacting but are their policies going to be anything different to previous drug trends? It just seems futile to keep researching and producing scientific reports that are simply ignored by governments if it doesn’t suit their political agenda. So what about Australia? What if the WHO report came out now? Would it be ignored by the Australian government?

Australia's Country Profile (CP) and the Sydney Key Informant Study (KIS) reveal limited cocaine use and few use-related problems. Most are recreational cocaine hydrochloride users. Very few are intensive injecting users. Use tends to accompany a polydrug experience. -WHO Report (1995)

The latest reports show that cocaine use is rising in Australia and the media predict there’s a cocaine shit storm coming. But the situation today is very similar to what the WHO reported back in 1995. The bulk of cocaine use is recreational and very few are hard core injecting users. According to the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, only 5.2% of all injecting drug users chose cocaine. More importantly, only 2.4% or 2000 users chose cocaine as the first drug they injected which might indicate the level of cocaine addiction. Since the current situation reflects the WHO report from 1995, it might suggest that cocaine use is hardly a serious problem in Australia. But I can hear some minds ticking over ... what about the increase in cocaine imports?

Cocaine detections at the Australian border in 2007–08 increased slightly in weight and significantly in number compared with 2006–07. In total, 649.3 kilograms of cocaine was detected in 627 detections. This represents a six per cent increase in weight and a 71 per cent increase by number. The weight of cocaine detections in 2007–08 remained largely consistent with 2006–07. This is due to continued large detections in sea cargo, including two detections over 100 kilograms. -The Illicit Drug Data Report 2007/2008 - Australian Crime Commission (ACC)

There has been quite a bit of excitement about the recent Illicit Drug Data Report (2007/2008) produced by the Australian Crime Commission. The media highlights the news of a 71% increase in cocaine detections but dig a bit deeper and it only totals a 6% increase in weight. Surprise, surprise, this figure doesn’t make the headlines. Over 3 quarters of cocaine imports are now small packages via the post so the number of detections has increased dramatically. The important figure, weight, which has only increased slightly doesn’t make reading as interesting it seems.

AUSTRALIA is in the middle of a cocaine binge not experienced since the turn of the millennium [...] and since 2006 Australia has recorded a leap in cocaine detections of almost 400 per cent -Boom Times For Dealers As Australia Binges On Cocaine - Sydney Morning Herald

The real situation though makes these statistics almost useless. Australia only stops about 10-15% of drugs entering through our borders so the actual total amount of illicit drugs imported is never known. A small shift in unknown imports can distort the compiled statistics greatly. Even known imports can also muddy the figures. For example, 80 per cent of the total weight was from Sea cargo detections which included a single catch that accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the total weight. In other words, one big haul can make up thousands of smaller parcels sent by mail.

Cocaine use in Australia is soaring, while heroin-related arrests have dropped dramatically over the past decade, new figures show. The Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data report for 2007-08 reveals figures on arrests and seizures, along with methods of importation. There were 1,271 cocaine seizures, the highest figure on record, over the 12-month period and cocaine detections at the Australian border increased 71 per cent. "Cocaine use among the general population has increased since 2004 and is currently the highest on record," the report said. "Increases in cocaine border detections and seizures within Australia indicate a potential expansion of the domestic cocaine market." -Cocaine Use Rising In Australia: Report - Brisbane Times

From the recent media coverage, it would appear that cocaine is becoming a massive problem. But is it? 5.9% (1 million) of Australians aged 14 years or older have used cocaine at least once in their life but only 1.6% (275,000) used cocaine in the previous 12 months. Interestingly enough, of those Australians aged 14 years or older who had ever used cocaine, about 70% had not used cocaine in the last 12 months. Less than 1 in 50 teenagers have ever used cocaine. The main age group of cocaine users is 20-39 years old which might explain why very few become addicts and is largely used responsibly. I am yet to see the term “cocaine epidemic” but I guess it’s not too far away. The cocaine hysteria in the media is increasing though with stories about celebrities like Jodi Gordon and even a soft drink called Cocaine that has outraged anti-drug warriors, who claim it sends the wrong message. There’s even a dire warning about the “New Killer Cocaine On Streets” that isn’t even cocaine. As ecstasy hysteria and the cannabis/psychosis links have been done to death in the media, cocaine is ripe to take over as the media’s new scourge on society. This should play nicely into the hands of the government who love to roll out the “tough on drugs” image during a potential drug epidemic. So the big question remains - what will happen if research shows us once again that not only are current drug policies failing but they are causing more harm than good? What if research dismisses cocaine use as a major problem? I’m sure there will be many junk science reports commissioned by anti-drug warriors or biased US federal agencies to support Zero Tolerance policies . I’m sure the government will pick and choose only reports that suit their political agenda. And I’m positive the media will never print a headline like “Cocaine ... It’s Not THAT Bad”. The attitude towards the "War on Drugs" is changing rapidly and some real information is finally getting out to the public. More and more established media outlets like The Guardian are disclosing the dirty tricks that have kept the public ignorant about drugs for decades. In the end, the truth always wins out but I still get the feeling that the we have a long way to go.

Cocaine study that got up the nose of the US By Ben Goldacre The Guardian June 2009 In areas of moral and political conflict people will always behave badly with evidence, so the war on drugs is a consistent source of entertainment. We have already seen how cannabis being "25 times stronger" was a fantasy, how drugs- related deaths were quietly dropped from the measures for drugs policy, and how a trivial pile of poppies was presented by the government as a serious dent in the Taliban's heroin revenue. The Commons home affairs select committee is looking at the best way to deal with cocaine. You may wonder why they're bothering. When the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs looked at the evidence on the reclassification of cannabis it was ignored. When Professor David Nutt, the new head of the advisory council, wrote a scientific paper on the relatively modest risks of MDMA (the active ingredient in the club drug ecstasy) he was attacked by the home secretary, Jacqui Smith . In the case of cocaine there is an even more striking precedent for evidence being ignored: the World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted what is probably the largest ever study of global use. In March 1995 they released a briefing kit which summarised their conclusions, with some tantalising bullet points. "Health problems from the use of legal substances, particularly alcohol and tobacco, are greater than health problems from cocaine use," they said. "Cocaine-related problems are widely perceived to be more common and more severe for intensive, high-dosage users and very rare and much less severe for occasional, low-dosage users." The full report – which has never been published – was extremely critical of most US policies. It suggested that supply reduction and law enforcement strategies have failed, and that options such as decriminalisation might be explored, flagging up such programmes in Australia, Bolivia, Canada and Colombia. "Approaches which over-emphasise punitive drug control measures may actually contribute to the development of heath-related problems," it said, before committing heresy by recommending research into the adverse consequences of prohibition, and discussing "harm reduction" strategies. "An increase in the adoption of responses such as education, treatment and rehabilitation programmes," it said, "is a desirable counterbalance to the over-reliance on law enforcement." It singled out anti-drug adverts based on fear. "Most programmes do not prevent myths, but perpetuate stereotypes and misinform the general public. "Such programmes rely on sensationalised, exaggerated statements about cocaine which misinform about patterns of use, stigmatise users, and destroy the educator's credibility." It also dared to challenge the prevailing policy view that all drug use is harmful misuse. "An enormous variety was found in the types of people who use cocaine, the amount of drug used, the frequency of use, the duration and intensity of use, the reasons for using and any associated problems." Experimental and occasional use were by far the most common types of use, it said, and compulsive or dysfunctional use, though worthy of close attention, were much less common. It then descended into outright heresy. "Occasional cocaine use does not typically lead to severe or even minor physical or social problems … a minority of people … use casually for a short or long period, and suffer little or no negative consequences." And finally: "Use of coca leaves appears to have no negative health effects and has positive, therapeutic, sacred and social functions for indigenous Andean populations." At the point where mild cocaine use was described in positive tones the Americans presumably blew some kind of outrage fuse. This report was never published because the US representative to the WHO threatened to withdraw US funding for all its research projects and interventions unless the organisation "dissociated itself from the study" and cancelled publication. According to the WHO this document does not exist, (although you can read a leaked copy at www.tdpf.org.uk/WHOleaked.pdf). Drugs show the classic problem for evidence-based social policy. It may well be that prohibition, and distribution of drugs by criminals, gives worse results for the outcomes we think are important, such as harm to the user and to communities through crime. But equally, we may tolerate these outcomes, because we decide it is more important that we declare ourselves to disapprove of drug use. It's okay to do that. You can have policies that go against your stated outcomes, for moral or political reasons: but that doesn't mean you can hide the evidence.

Related Articles: Suppressed report raises questions about drug policy

The INCB vs. Coca ... and the World

The US "War on Drugs" has various regions in it’s sights but what some people might not know is that it also targets whole nations. The US obsession with blaming other countries for feeding their own massive consumer market for illicit drugs seems to have no boundaries where nothing is safe including traditions and culture. Traditional medicines and food substances that have been used for thousands of years like khat, coca leaves and opium poppies, have no leeway in the relentless "War on Drugs" whether the target country agrees or not. The secret weapon is the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and I mean really secret. The INCB do not have an oversight committee or have to publish minutes of their meetings. In fact they do not face any scrutiny what-so-ever and can merrily make any decisions in secret that the US dictate, all under the cover of the United Nations.

The tragic irony is that it is the board's inhumane, unjust and irrational policing of the UN drug control system that has created or exacerbated most of the problems outlined in its report. The board is complicit in gifting the illegal drug market to terror groups, paramilitaries and organized criminals, contributing to the political and economic destabilization of producer and transit countries and putting millions at risk of contracting blood-borne viruses. The INCB and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime pose a greater threat to global well-being than drugs themselves. -Danny Kushlick of Transform on the INCB. March 2009

The question is, how long will the world be bullied and made to participate in a strategy that has failed dismally and controlled by the outdated, agenda driven and secretive INCB?

Drug Use Of Innocent Coca Leaf Creates Rift With US The Irish Times March 2009 UN censure of Bolivia over the product highlights a misunderstanding of a plant employed in South American cultures for thousands of years, writes PHILIP THOMPSON in La Paz IN ITS annual report released two weeks ago, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) reminded Bolivia that “allow the cultivation and consumption of coca leaf . . . in particular coca leaf chewing . . . is contrary to the provisions of the 1961 Convention on Drug Control”. The castigation comes at a time when Bolivia’s relations with international drug control efforts and particularly the US are at an all-time low. The description of the INCB’s words as “unjust” by Bolivia’s foreign minister highlights the difference of opinion between his country and the West over the controversial leaf. Located at almost 4km above sea-level, La Paz is the world’s highest capital. A common sight on its busy and colourful streets are groups of women sitting by the pavement over huge cloth sacks filled with small green leaves. They are coca sellers and their clients are not hard to spot. The tell-tale bulge in the left cheek signals a wad of leaves slowly dissolving and providing energy, a palliative to hunger and thirst and a host of vitamins and minerals. Though cocaine (a powerful drug which can be chemically extracted from the plant) has given the plant a bad reputation, the consumption of the coca leaf is in fact beneficial to the health. Its mild alkaloids also provide a vital barrier against altitude sickness and fatigue to impoverished farm labourers working at up to 3km above sea-level. The Bolivian government estimates that as many as 1.2 million kilos of the leaf are consumed through traditional uses every month. Villa Fatima, La Paz’s largest coca market, provides an idea of the scale. In a faded green warehouse, colourfully dressed men and women preside over thousands of enormous 23kg sacks. The coca has been shipped in from the Yungas, Bolivia’s traditional coca-growing region and is considered the country’s best. A government-designed market, there are no middlemen here giving the cocaleros (coca growers) an opportunity to maximise their income and avoid selling the leaves to intermediaries who might process them into cocaine. The vendors are delighted to promote their wares and hand out samples to buyers and the public. The fresh green leaves dissolve when clenched between the back teeth, releasing a bitter – though not unpleasant – flavour which is accompanied by a slight numbing of the gums. Criminalisation of the plant is a relatively recent phenomenon. It was categorised as a drug along with marijuana and opium in a 1961 UN convention on drugs. However, Bolivia saw few consequences until Reagan’s administration, as part of its war on drugs in the late 1980s, pressured the Bolivian government to restrict coca production. The subsequent US-sponsored crop-eradication programmes led to violent conflicts with Bolivian coca growers who felt they were being unfairly labelled as drug producers. Their argument was – and still is – that they are producing a traditional crop that is occasionally processed into cocaine for the US market by dug traffickers. The campaign against eradication culminated in the 2005 election as president of Evo Morales, a union leader and former coca grower from the highlands. Though generally accepted as being more moderate, Morales was perceived as part of the Latin American hard left, along with Chavez and Castro. His defence of coca production would inevitably lead him into conflict with US drug policy. Morales’s approach to drug control is summed up in the phrase “no to zero coca, but yes to zero cocaine”. He has cracked down on illegal drugs and plans to redirect the entire coca crop into a new legal industry producing coca-based products such as tea, medicines and cosmetics. If successful, this will create a growing market for coca allowing him to enlarge the area under cultivation and thereby improve the income of coca growers. However, the US government fears that any increase in production will inevitably make its way on to the illegal market. Consequently, US government organisations such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and USaid have avoided co-operation with Morales and the coca unions on drug policy within Bolivia. This has made it more difficult for both parties to achieve their objectives. In recent months, US-Bolivian relations dropped to a new low, following the US ambassador’s expulsion from Bolivia in September, accused of interfering with internal politics. Perhaps in retaliation, the US state department marked Bolivia on its “drug blacklist” for not having “co-operated with the US in important efforts to combat drug trafficking”. Bolivia is now in the same category as Afghanistan and Burma – one a failed state, the other a totalitarian regime. Yet Columbia, a US ally whose coca crop had grown by 20,000 hectares (up to 120,000 hectares in total), received no mention. It appears a little paradoxical, considering Bolivia’s total coca crop sits at just 22,000 hectares. Joining in this apparent tit for tat argument, Morales has now suspended the activities of the US’s DEA in Bolivia, essentially opting out of the US war on drugs. On the domestic front, Bolivia is going through a very sensitive period. A controversial new constitution has just been passed in a national referendum giving greater rights to the indigenous majority. There has been widespread opposition among Bolivia’s wealthy eastern provinces and it remains to be seen whether they will accept it. Further attempts by the US government to interfere in Morales’ coca strategy will only increase the old sentiment that the US treats Latin America like its own backyard. Some observers suggest that co-operating with a popular president who has the trust of coca growers and is attempting to develop a legal industry for the crop could be a unique opportunity for the US. The alternative is seen as isolating a potential partner and hampering the economic development of South America’s poorest nation. Both of these outcomes might well lead to an increase in the amount of cocaine ending up on US streets. It would be easy to blame the coca-cocaine fiasco entirely on the US. But much of the trouble concerning Bolivia originates in unwillingness on the part of the international community to accept coca as a licit substance that is an essential part of Andean culture. The recent censure by the INCB is just one example of this. As David Choquehuanca, Bolivia’s foreign minister said, “They need to open their eyes to the reality . . . the rules should reflect that reality, not run contrary to it.” The reality he is talking about is the fact that the majority of Bolivians chew coca, drink it in their tea or use it in religious ceremonies. As Maria Carmen, a lady in her 70s on the streets of La Paz, says, (a wad of leaves bulging in her cheek): “For us, coca is life!”.

Related Articles: The Inquisition of the INCB Closed to reason: time for accountability for the International Narcotic Control Board The INCB is out of control and needs to be stopped Bolivian peasants suffer in drug war, speaker says

Journalist Should Be Ashamed

Just as I finished posting about a rare occurrence where the MSM wrote something sensible concerning drug use, I find one of the most pretentious and overdone articles I have ever seen in the Australian media. It’s probably no surprise to you that the article is from the Daily Telegraph and it’s author, Fiona Connolly has exceeded their own dismal standards and produced what seems to be, a Piers Akerman style masterpiece. Akerman and Connolly are work buddies so maybe there’s been some in-house tuition going on. How else could Connolly come up with such crap?


Cokehead Should be Ashamed
The Daily Telegraph
By Fiona Connolly
December 2008

HER heart is thumping. She can feel it pulsing in her throat, a loud wooshing sound ringing in her ears.

It's loud enough it drowns out the noise of the pokies and the dull beats spilling out of The Bourbon. Her toes are sticky. Damn it, there's blood on her foot. She hitches her micro mini and bends over to take a look. But it's no good, she can't see.

She blinks, or are her eyes actually flitting now? She can't tell. The bright lights of the Cross are as blurry as hell.

OK, try to focus on that Macca's sign then, she thinks. But she can't. The wobbling yellow sign makes her laugh out loud, even though she's alone. Even though blood is dripping from her nose.

She's been drinking for 24 hours and is still not drunk. A couple of grams will do that to you, she laughs to herself.

All right, so her nose is stuffed but if she could just scab one more line from someone, just a bit to rub on her gums even, then she'd call it a night.

This could well be the sad story of a low-life Sydney prostitute, an ice addict or speed freak. But it's not.

It is an all too typical picture of Sydney's well-heeled 20, 30 and 40-something professionals, where a weekend cocaine binge is somehow not only acceptable but something of a status symbol in this city today.

Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, doctors ("they're the worst" apparently) all "racking up" until their nostils can take no more or until the "gear" eventually runs out.

You see, it's perfectly OK because it's cocaine. Real druggos don't use cocaine, they can't afford it. Real druggos are skanky speed and ice users. Coke is glam. It's part of the scene. Rich people, celebrities use it.

The other common attitude is that they're all proud of it.

To offer someone a line of coke is to say they've got a spare $300 to throw away on a gram for the weekend. It's a badge of honour. And you're particularly popular if you're sharing your stash.

It goes some way to explaining why Young Australian of the Year contender Iktimal Hage-Ali made no attempt to apologise for her cocaine use as she testified in the District Court this week where she is suing the NSW Government for unlawful arrest and wrongful imprisonment.

Instead, she was filled with pride over her former coke habit, telling the court she had lied to her dealer and childhood friend Bruce Fahdi so she could get drugs on credit.

"I'm not ashamed of the fact that I have used cocaine. I know I took drugs but I still did a good job." she puffed.

What? Not even a hint of a "naughty me, drugs are bad" when you are talking to a judge - and an entire courtroom full of reporters?

If we didn't already know, I'd be asking what this supposedly intelligent girl was on, that she's so keen to tell the world she was an out-and-proud cokehead. I didn't hear Hage-Ali crow about the coke addicts who lick toilet seats for leftover grains of powder, or the users who suffer brain bleeds or those who have heart attacks and die after one too many lines.

I note too that in her self-assured, independent woman spiel to the court she didn't brag about the men and women rocking back and forth with severe psychosis in the corner of the state's mental institutions.

Nor did she mention the good folk who undertake the drive-by shootings and murder innocent people which allow her - and Sydney's bulging white collar cocaine crew - their illicit supply. Given she would "happily admit" to the District Court to snorting 3g of cocaine a week, I take it Hage-Ali hasn't pondered these things. After all, it's not like its grubby heroin or ice - otherwise known as "poor man's coke". She was speaking of cocaine. The expensive stuff.

This is also presumably the attitude of Assistant Director-General Michael Talbot, Hage-Ali's former boss, who yesterday gave evidence that the Attorney-General's Department wanted her back despite the criminal charges she faced.

"There was no impediment of her returning to work," he told the court.

"I would have had her back in the role that she was partaking in at the time."

In recent weeks I've heard more than a few people talk of having a "white Christmas" this year. They will do so courtesy some of Sydney's high-end clubs which perpetuate this city's rampant cocaine use with custom-made mirrored shelves in their toilet cubicles.

They will "smash" a bag or two a night, while the likes of supermax prisoner Bassam Hamzy and his crew map out a crime spree to satisfy Sydney's never-ending demand for this evil drug.

May I ask Ms Hage-Ali, what's not to be ashamed about that?


Bwhahahahahaha. Hahahahahaha. Ho Ho Ho, hahaha. [sigh] I’m sorry about that but I couldn’t help it. This is just too funny to be true. I have read some classics before but Jesus Q. Christ, this is the best of them by far. If someone should be criticised for allowing drugs to interfere with their life, it’s Fiona Connolly. I don’t see any other explanation except she must be on magic mushrooms or LSD. Maybe it’s a script for some B-grade movie or a plot for a trash novel but what it is not, is an article worthy of being taken seriously. I feel that television and cinema have been mixed up with moral outrage with a good healthy dose of Daily Telegraph mentality.


Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, doctors ("they're the worst" apparently) all "racking up" until their nostils can take no more or until the "gear" eventually runs out.

You may have noticed that journalists are left off her list. Apparently, Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals and doctors are the worst. Where the hell did she get this from? Maybe she popped her head into Akemans office and asked him considering he is supposedly a journalist and also an ex cokehead. And don’t you love the phrase, “cokehead”? Remember, the Daily Telegraph regularly uses derogatory terms for medical issues that involve drugs e.g. Akerman calls the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC), a shooting gallery, drug addicts are usually referred to as junkies and of course there’s speed freaks, cokeheads, potheads etc. Connolly makes out that Iktimal Hage-Ali is some proud, arrogant socialite who looks down on the lower classes especially those “speed freaks” and “ice addicts”. Using terminology like “out-and-proud cokehead” or “braggging” is taking a bit too much journalistic freedom. Connolly also writes that Iktimal Hage-Ali is selfish because she didn’t alert the court that cocaine can cause problems in Australia. It just shows how far she will go to make her point. It’s like criticising a drink driver for not telling the judge that alcohol abuse causes liver cirrhosis. Yes, way too much journalistic freedom.

Instead, she was filled with pride over her former coke habit [...] I note too that in her self-assured, independent woman spiel to the court she didn't brag about the men and women rocking back and forth with severe psychosis in the corner of the state's mental institutions.

Like all good moralists protesting about drug users, Connolly introduces extreme examples and images from popular culture to make her point. Sometimes it sounds more like a scene from a Superman movie

...supermax prisoner Bassam Hamzy and his crew map out a crime spree to satisfy Sydney's never-ending demand for this evil drug.

Or a scene from some gangster movie set in L.A.

Nor did she mention the good folk who undertake the drive-by shootings and murder innocent people which allow her - and Sydney's bulging white collar cocaine crew - their illicit supply.

Some times it’s from Jackie Collins new novel.

In recent weeks I've heard more than a few people talk of having a "white Christmas" this year. They will do so courtesy some of Sydney's high-end clubs which perpetuate this city's rampant cocaine use with custom-made mirrored shelves in their toilet cubicles.

Yep, it's funny, isn't it. If I didn't know the circumstances, I would assume it's satire. Cocaine, lots of money, drive-by shootouts, unrepentant Muslims, fancy night clubs with snorting mirrors in toilet cubicles, murder, glamorous professionals in mini skirts, wrongful imprisonment, a city in chaos and more. Iktimal Hage-Ali is guilty of using cocaine. She admitted to it which should score a few brownie points but for Connolly, this is her worst crime. It’s not Iktimal Hage-Ali’s job to be a role model or to fit in with Connolly’s criteria of acceptable behaviour. As some readers pointed out, Iktimal Hage-Ali is one of the 90% of drug users who don’t have a problem with their usage except when faced with contrived drug laws. Singling out well-to-do cocaine users as the core reason for street violence, severe psychosis and the downfall of society is disingenuous. In fact, these outcomes are rare in Australia compared to the US where harsher laws apply. It is obvious that Connolly is confused between the street violence in the US, Mexico etc., the world of movies/TV and the reality in Australia. Even the commitment of her previous boss, Assistant Director-General Michael Talbot, that the Attorney-General's Department wanted her back was seen as unacceptable. Was the whole world falling into a spiralling mess with no morals or heaven forbid, lack of family values? Think of the children! I also noticed she left out that Iktimal Hage-Ali was “sending the wrong message”. Hasn’t she read the politicians book of rhetoric? “Sending the wrong message” is clearly marked as vital to all public statements on drug use.

I didn't hear Hage-Ali crow about the coke addicts who lick toilet seats for leftover grains of powder, or the users who suffer brain bleeds or those who have heart attacks and die after one too many lines.

The fact is, most drug use is uninteresting so without moral judgement or dressing it up, it is unlikely to make for compelling reading. A good NEWS.com writer needs to follow the in-house procedures and introduce moral decay or sinister sub plots to make it into the published pages. Fiona Connolly certainly did that.


Some sample comments from The Daily Telegraph readers.
There are some mighty fine comments here. Read on.

The article makes the same mistake that ineffective government anti-drug advertising does. It goes too far in demonising the experience of taking drugs, and in the process reads as fake. Most people who use recreational drugs hold steady jobs, maintain responsibilities, and generally have a great time on the drugs which is why they keep on using them. They may be aware of the longer term issues, but like smokers and drinkers, negotiate these risks with the great feeling they get in the present. The tawdry piece of fiction that intros the piece is just that - fiction - and would represent less than 1% of the experiences of regular drug users. The journalist maintains this piece of fiction is the experience of young professionals in Sydney. Really? Where is the evidence? Who was interviewed? This is not journalism, it is moralising rubbish. 
-Posted by: Fred of Petersham of Sydney [My choice for best comment]

A quick search of Fiona Connelly in google shows some quality journalism for quality publications. You owe your living to drugs my dear, as no straight person would pay you for this drivel. -Posted by: dave Everyone uses coke, you only hear the bad stories of it. Get a life and mind your own business. Smoking and alcohol is legal and a hell of a lot worse. Stop telling people how to live their lives. 
-Posted by: Steve of Sydney 

fiona- Who made you the arbiter of public morality? If someone can use a substance and still function in thier life then who are they harming.. all of the gang violence, drivebys, and other sensationalist pap you mentioned are actually a result of prohibition of drugs, and nothing to do with the substances themselves. 
-Posted by: Johnston of Sydney 

What a sensationalist article. Look out! every where you turn, surrounded by evil drug fiends, ready to murder for their next hit!!!! You should give up writing news and turn to pulp fiction crime thrillers! Take a reality check, if that's a typical picture of your average drug user, and drug use is as rampant as you suggest then why hasn't society collapsed in a drug addled heap? Perhaps its because most people use recreational drugs responsibly, hold down jobs and have normal lives. People like getting intoxicated - on legal drugs or otherwise. It's more normal than you think. If you doubt it go to your local pub and see how many people there are drinking non-alcoholic drinks (probably not many!) 
-Posted by: Paul of Sydney 

The article mentions use of cocaine by "Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, doctors" But no mention of journalists. Maybe that's for another article, one where you detail how a drunk person looks and then refer back to those journalists who are proud to proclaim their drinking capacity. 
-Posted by: adam of null 

Fiona - no mention of journalists on your list of coke taking scum? 
-Posted by: Mick 

Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, doctors ... Yeah I'm sure they're into it, but you left out a few other groups that are extremely well represented, though some don't do it as publicly for obvious reasons. Add reporters, real estate agents, police officers, Labor MPs and their staffers to your list and you'd be closer to the mark. 
-Posted by: Julie A of Sydney 

Bankers, lawyers, engineers, IT professionals, doctors ("they're the worst" apparently)....I note your forgot Journailsts! 
-Posted by: Andrew of Canberra 

Plenty of people get off their faces on alcohol and make a disgrace of themselves. This is a much larger social problem than cocaine. Where are the outraged articles about that? This moral distinction between potentially harmful substances because some are legal and others not doesn't work for me. -Posted by: rucksack I'm not ashamed of the fact that I drink water, but I wouldn't say I'm proud of it either. Iktimal Hage-Ali has said she's not ashamed of using cocaine. That means she's not ashamed. And that's all it means. 
-Posted by: Sylvia Else of Forestville 

I blame the touchy feely left wing ALP government who have allowed this behavious to occur. People who are caught with any drugs should be immediately and summarily incarcerated for 30 days hard labour out in the states central west where they can brak rocks, dig holes, etc. No appeals, no phone a friend, nothing. Invite Channel 7, 9 or 10 to film them. Make a reality show out of it. Shame them so that their family and friends know what junkies they are. When they get released, how many of these so called 'professioanls' will still hold their job? Not many I presume. Garbage people like Iktimal Hage-Ali should be washed down the sewer where they belong. 'nuff said!! 
-Posted by: Stefano of Sydney 

Strip her of the award, and lock her up for a couple of nights. There's nothing like tough love! She only won the award in the first place as an appeasement to the left, so that the chardonnay crowd can pat themselves on the back and tell all those who care to hear about the success of immigration and how well they've assimilated 
-Posted by: Chappy of The Rocks 

Go to any nightclub in sydney on the weekend and you will find people like Iktimal Hage-Ali everywhere. Young succesful people just letting their hair down and its back to work as normal on monday. These people are not addicts and most of them grow out of it as they get older. They are probably doing less damage than binge drinking to the point of oblivion and starting fights and damaging property. Yes some people do become addicts but these people probably had problems before they even tried drugs. 
-Posted by: anna bella of sydney 

good on you girl for being proud of your achievements. i wonder if your parents reprimand u everynight for not wearing a burqa, taking drugs and drinking alcohol. repent, if u still want half an ounce of your ex-reputation returned. 
-Posted by: Clayton of Sydney 

You'll find that the people who have a harsh opinion of cocaine like the stories above are mostly the uneducated ones, talking about drivebys and junkies and etc. There are many high profile professionals that recreationally use - not harming anyone. Its the illiterate, niave and uneducated that are always just quick to pass judgement. Drawing parralells between gotham city and sydney i mean come on. 
-Posted by: Simon Westaway of Sydney 

High profile users - not harming anyone. Simon W comment 47 you are the muppet in serious need of an education. Tell that to the thousands that end up on the wrong end of a gun because they're in the way of the drug cartel supplying you with your "recreational hobby". 
-Posted by: Jako of Sydney