News

A really vicious heroin substitute is now circulating.  The drug is made from codeine-so expect it to show up where codeine is readily available over-the-counter (Canada, Mexico, etc.).   The drug is about 4x more addictive than Heroin and virtually impossible to stop using once addicted.  Life expectancy for an addict is about 1 year. 

A short introduction to a cheap powerful Heroin replacement drug is attached Here

A graphic YouTube video of its physical effects is attached here. 

A very good overview of how we are doing nationally in fatal crashes.  The full report is here:

2010 Motor Vehicle Crashes-Overview.pdf

A new report has just been published that provides an overview of synthetic drugs and the various bills that have been recently introduced to Congress. 

The report was prepared by the Congressional Research Service, which is a legislative branch within the Library of Congress and which provides policy and legal analysis to the members of Congress.   Please find this report attached here:  SyntheticDrug_2011.pdf

Synthetic Drugs: Overview and Issues for Congress

Lisa N. Sacco (Analyst in Illicit Drugs/Crime Policy); Kristin M. Finklea (Specialist in Domestic Security) Congressional Research Service; October 28, 2011

The National Drug Intelligence Center has just released the following report:

Domestic Cannabis Cultivation Assessment 2010

U.S. Department of Justice; National Drug Intelligence Center; 2011

You can download the entire report  here (9MB file)

The October issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin is available.

You can download the full issue here.

“The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today exercised its emergency scheduling authority to control three synthetic stimulants (Mephedrone, 3,4 methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and Methylone) used to make products marketed as “bath salts” and “plant food”. Except as authorized by law, this action makes possessing and selling these chemicals, or the products that contain them, illegal in the United States.”

Find today’s DEA press release here.

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers is working hard to resume operations in Washington.  A fundraiser at Green Lake is scheduled for October 29.  Please consider joining us! For more information, click Here.

As I am sure you are aware, the Supreme Court is currently accepting comments regarding proposed Standards for Indigent Defense Services which the Court intends to incorporate into CrRLJ 3.1(4).  The Standards being considered by the Court were proposed by the Washington State Bar Association.  The comment period of the Standards closes on October 31.  These Standards do not include misdemeanor caseload limits.  A recommendation regarding misdemeanor caseload limits was recently delivered by the WSBA to the Supreme Court, and we are awaiting the opening of the comment period on those limits. 

Last week, WSAMA, jointly with the Association of Washington Cities, delivered the attached letter to the Supreme Court as a comment to the Standards for Indigent Defense Services currently under consideration by the Court.  LetterToSupremeCourt October13 2011 FinalVersion _4_.pdf  The letter is quite lengthy, and provides an alternative Standard as well as a technical critique of each section of the Standards.   Some cities have shown interest in providing individual comments as well.  In addition, a coalition of cities is working towards hiring a constitutional expert to provide a constitutionally based rebuttal to the Standards (please contact Ramsey Ramerman at Everett by the close of businesses Thursday for information on this issue).