Prosecutor: Venezuela First Lady's Nephews Confess Drug Deal

from nytimes

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJULY 24, 2016, 1:51 A.M. E.D.T.

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CARACAS, Venezuela — Two nephews of Venezuela's powerful first lady allegedly confessed to trying to smuggle 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds) of cocaine into the U.S. following their arrest last year in Haiti, according to prosecutors in the politically-charged case.

The court filings Friday by prosecutors shed new light on the case that has sounded alarm bells about high-level corruption and drug trafficking by Venezuela's political elite at a time of increasing economic and political turmoil in the South American nation.

Efrain Campo and Francisco Flores were arrested last November in Haiti in a sting operation coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. They were then flown to New York, where they are in jail awaiting trial for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. Both have pleaded not guilty.

The documents filed Friday seek to refute a motion by the defendants' attorneys to suppress their post-arrest statements to DEA agents on their way to New York because they allegedly hadn't been informed of their rights and were coerced after being taken into custody by armed men in ski masks in what they at first thought was a kidnapping.

Prosecutors allege Campo and Flores hatched the drug deal in about two months. They said it was first brought to the attention of the DEA by a wheelchair-bound cooperating witness nicknamed "El Sentado," who met Campo and Flores in Honduras and ended up killed three weeks after their arrest.

As part of the DEA investigation, confidential sources were sent to Caracas to meet with the two young men. The court documents include photographs allegedly taken from a secret video of those meetings that prosecutors say show Campo examining a brick of cocaine with plastic gloves as Flores looks on. Campo allegedly said the narcotics came from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

During the meetings, Campo allegedly brags about owning several Ferraris and being at "war" with the U.S. and Venezuela's opposition. He also describes high-level connections with the government that will make it easy to move drugs through Caracas' international airport and prevent any cocaine-laden plane from being follow by law enforcement because, he said, "it departs as if .... someone from our family was on the plane," according to a statement by U.S. attorneys for the southern district of New York.

In the court filings, Campo first suggested to agents that the cocaine deal was to fund Cilia Flores' congressional campaign.

"I know I said that but in reality it was for me," a court document quotes Campo as telling a DEA agent.

"Campo stated that friends in the drug business had told him to be careful not to get robbed so he made the statement regarding his Mom's campaign for protection," the DEA agent wrote in his post-arrest report.

In reality, Campo said he was struggling financially, earning just $800 a week from a fleet of taxis he owned in Panama, according to the documents. He also described being rebuffed by his cousin, Erick Malpica-Flores, then finance director of state-run oil giant PDVSA, in a plan to charge commissions to businesses trying to collect on debts owed them by the company.

Campo, 29, said he and his wanted to make $20 million from multiple drug shipments, enough to go live in the U.S. with his wife and child. He said his family would "kill him" if they knew what he was up to, according to the documents.

Campo's lawyer didn't immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

The U.S has been steadily stepping up pressure on high-ranking members of Venezuela's military, police and government officials for their role in making the country an important transit zone for narcotics. Several Venezuelan officials, including a former defense minister and head of military intelligence, have been indicted or sanctioned in the U.S., and many more are under investigation.

Cilia Flores, who President Nicolas Maduro calls the "First Combatant," is one of the most influential members of Venezuela's socialist government and a constant presence alongside her husband.

The single time she commented on her nephews' case in January she said they had been kidnapped by the DEA, which was kicked out of Venezuela a decade ago, in an attempt to destabilize her husband's rule.

___

Joshua Goodman is on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjoshgoodman His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/joshua-goodman

Libertarian Gary Johnson: Drug war 'root cause' of police shootings

from politico

By Burgess Everett

07/08/16 11:55 AM EDT

Poor relations between police and African-Americans stems from the criminalization of drug use, Gary Johnson said. | Getty

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/gary-johnson-dallas-shooting-225294#ixzz4E26k2NML 
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Gary Johnson believes the tensions between police and minorities that led to two high-profile police shootings and the deaths of five Dallas police officers has a root cause: The long-running war on drugs.

The libertarian nominee for president did not directly tie the drug war to the shooting deaths in Minnesota and Louisiana by police or the sniper killings of five officers in Texas this week. But poor relations between police and African-Americans stems from the criminalization of drug use, he said.

“That’s the common thread. Shootings are occurring with black people, black people are dying,” he added. “This is an escalation.”“The root is the war on drugs, I believe. Police knocking down doors, shooting first,” Johnson said in an interview Friday in Washington. “If you are (black and) arrested in a drug-related crime, there is four times more likelihood of going to prison than if you are white. And shooting is part of the same phenomenon.”

The former Republican governor of New Mexico is pitching a complete rewrite of the nation’s drug policy as part of his underdog run for the presidency alongside his running mate, former Massachusetts GOP Gov. Bill Weld. Johnson wants to legalize marijuana and find other ways to deal with harder drugs than long periods of incarceration.

He said that will soon happen, predicting that California will vote this fall to legalize marijuana and President Barack Obama will remove cannabis from its listing as a Class 1 drug. "I think Obama’s going to do that going out the door," Johnson said.

“The focus on drugs needs to be as a health issue, not a criminal justice issue. It can be illegal but does it need to be criminal? Do you need to go to jail for drugs?” Johnson said. “I do believe that the root of the militarization, knocking on doors, is a drug war phenomenon.”

The laid-back libertarian, dressed in jeans and an open-collared button-down in a hotel dining room, declined to join Republicans in criticizing Obama for pointing to “powerful weapons” this week as a cause of violence between police officers and minorities. But Johnson said the focus on assault rifles is misguided.

“That is a category of rifle that contains 30 million rifles. If you ban those rifles tomorrow and said hand ‘em in," only half of the weapons would actually be turned over, Johnson said. "And we’re going to have a whole new criminal class of people.”

Johnson said that as president he’d be open to proposals designed to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists and the mentally ill. But he said he’d seen no such workable proposals in Congress, despite unsuccessful attempts by both Democrats and Republicans.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/gary-johnson-dallas-shooting-225294#ixzz4E25u93n3 
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Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/gary-johnson-dallas-shooting-225294#ixzz4E25KKABO 
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Carrots and sticks fail to change behaviour in cocaine addiction

from medicalpress.com


June 16, 2016

A pile of cocaine hydrochloride. Credit: DEA Drug Enforcement Agency, public domain

People who are addicted to cocaine are particularly prone to developing habits that render their behaviour resistant to change, regardless of the potentially devastating consequences, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The findings may have important implications for the treatment of cocaine addiction as they help explain why such individuals take drugs even when they are aware of the negative consequences, and why they find their behaviour so difficult to change.

"Addiction does not happen overnight but develops from behaviour that has been repeated over and over again until individuals lose control," said Dr Karen Ersche from the Department of Psychiatry, who led the research.

In a study reported today in the journal Science, Dr Ersche and colleagues tested 125 participants, of whom 72 were addicted to cocaine and 53 had no history of drug addiction, on their inclination to develop habits. They found that people with cocaine addiction were much more likely than healthy participants to make responses in an automatic fashion, but only if they had previously been rewarded for responding in the same way. The addicted individuals simply continued repeating the same responses they had previously learned, regardless of whether their actions made sense or not.

In a different context, however, where participants had to perform an action to avoid electrical shocks, people with cocaine addiction did not develop habits. In fact, they were much less inclined than the control participants to make an effort to avoid the electric shock in the first place.

"Our experiments highlight the particular difficulties faced when it comes to changing behaviour in people with cocaine addiction: they are highly responsive if their behaviour is rewarded - for example a 'high' from drug use - but then quickly switch to autopilot, becoming unable to change that behaviour in light of different consequences," said Dr Ersche. "By contrast, when cocaine users are facing adversity, they are less inclined than healthy people to do something about it.

"These findings have significant implications for the treatment of people with cocaine addiction. Clearly punitive approaches are ineffective, as the prospect of something bad happening to them won't make cocaine users more likely to change their behaviour. Interventions that build on their particular strength in developing habits, by training the implementation of more desirable habits to replace drug-taking habits, are likely to be more effective. Our findings also suggest that cocaine users would need to be actively protected from - rather than simply warned about - adverse consequences, because they will likely fail to avoid them if left to their own devices."

There is currently no medical treatment for cocaine addiction - most individuals are treated with talking or cognitive therapy. According to Dr Ersche, the results show that a different approach to treating cocaine addiction might be of enhanced benefit to cocaine users. The researchers are now aiming to better understand the brain systems underlying cocaine users' proneness to habits and their lack of avoidance, and to use this knowledge to develop more effective treatments for cocaine addiction.

In the first experiment conducted by Ersche and her colleagues, participants were asked to learn the relationship between pictures, and a correct response was rewarded with points. After a long training period, participants were informed that some pictures were no longer worth any points. Participants with cocaine addiction were less likely to take on board the information about the change in reward, and were also more likely to continue responding in an automatic way, regardless of whether they were rewarded or not.
In a second experiment, the same participants were shown two different pictures on a screen, which they learned to associate with receiving an electric shock. Participants were then taught a strategy on how they could avoid the shocks by pressing a foot pedal. Those participants with cocaine addiction were less good at avoiding the electric shocks in the first place, possibly due to learning and/or motivational impairment, and subsequently did not develop avoidance habits.

 Explore further: Abnormal brain structure linked to chronic cocaine abuse
More information: "Carrots and sticks fail to change behavior in cocaine addiction," Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf3700 
Journal reference: Science  

What are hallucinogens?

What are hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter perception (awareness of surrounding objects and conditions), thoughts, and feelings. They cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Hallucinogens can be found in some plants and mushrooms (or their extracts) or can be human-made. People have used hallucinogens for centuries, mostly for religious rituals. Common hallucinogens include the following:

Photo by DEA
Blotter sheet of LSD-soaked paper squares that users take by mouth

• Ayahuasca is a tea made from one of several Amazonian plants containingdimethyltryptamine(DMT), the primary mind-altering ingredient. Ayahuasca is also known as Hoasca, Aya, and Yagé.
• DMT is a powerful chemical found in some Amazonian plants. Manufacturers can also make DMT in a lab. The drug is usually a white crystalline powder. A popular name for DMT is Dimitri.
• D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is one of the most powerful mood-changing chemicals. It is a clear or white odorless material made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD has many other names, including Acid, Blotter, Dots, and Yellow Sunshine.
• Peyote (mescaline) is a small, spineless cactus with mescaline as its main ingredient. Peyote can also be synthetic. Buttons, Cactus, and Mesc are common names for peyote.
• 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine(psilocybin) comes from certain types of mushrooms found in tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. Other names for psilocybin include Little Smoke, Magic Mushrooms, Purple Passion, and Shrooms.

Some hallucinogens also cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment. Common examples include the following:

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/CC0
Ketamine

• Dextromethorphan(DXM) is a cough suppressant and mucus-clearing ingredient in some over-the-counter cold and cough medicines (syrups, tablets, and gel capsules). Robo is another popular name for DXM.
• Ketamine is used as a surgery anesthetic for humans and animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the streets comes from veterinary offices. While available as an injectable liquid, manufacturers mostly sell it as a powder or as pills. Other names for ketamine include K, Special K, or Cat Valium.
• Phencyclidine (PCP) was developed in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for surgery. It’s no longer used for this purpose due to serious side effects. While PCP can be found in a variety of forms, including tablets or capsules, liquid and white crystal powder are the most common forms. PCP has various other names, such as Angel Dust, Hog, Love Boat, and Peace Pill.
• Salvia divinorum (salvia) is a plant common to southern Mexico and Central and South America. Other names for salvia are Diviner's Sage, Maria Pastora, Sally-D, and Magic Mint.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/CC0
Salvia

How do people use hallucinogens?

People use hallucinogens in a wide variety of ways, as shown in the following chart:

Text Description of Chart

How do hallucinogens affect the brain?

Research suggests that hallucinogens work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between brain chemical systems throughout the brain and spinal cord. Some hallucinogens interfere with the action of the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates:

• mood
• sensory perception
• sleep
• hunger
• body temperature
• sexual behavior
• muscle control

Other hallucinogens interfere with the action of the brain chemical glutamate, which regulates:

• pain perception
• responses to the environment
• emotion
• learning and memory

Short-Term Effects

The effects of hallucinogens can begin within 20 to 90 minutes and can last as long as 6 to 12 hours. Salvia's effects are more short-lived, appearing in less than 1 minute and lasting less than 30 minutes. Hallucinogen users refer to the experiences brought on by these drugs as "trips," calling the unpleasant experiences "bad trips."

Along with hallucinations, other short-term general effects include:

• increased heart rate
• nausea
• intensified feelings and sensory experiences
• changes in sense of time (for example, time passing by slowly)

Specific short-term effects of some hallucinogens include:

• increased blood pressure, breathing rate, or body temperature
• loss of appetite
• dry mouth
• sleep problems
• mixed senses (such as "seeing" sounds or "hearing" colors)
• spiritual experiences
• feelings of relaxation or detachment from self/environment
• uncoordinated movements
• excessive sweating
• panic
• paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others
• psychosis—disordered thinking detached from reality

Long-Term Effects

Little is known about the long-term effects of hallucinogens. Researchers do know that ketamine users may develop symptoms that include ulcers in the bladder, kidney problems, and poor memory. Repeated use of PCP can result in long-term effects that may continue for a year or more after use stops, such as:

• speech problems
• memory loss
• weight loss
• anxiety
• depression and suicidal thoughts

Hallucinogens can cause severe visual disturbances.
Photo by Steve Johnson/CC BY/

Though rare, long-term effects of some hallucinogens include the following:

• Persistent psychosis—a series of continuing mental problems, including:
  • visual disturbances
  • disorganized thinking
  • paranoia
  • mood changes
• Flashbacks—recurrences of certain drug experiences. They often happen without warning and may occur within a few days or more than a year after drug use. In some users, flashbacks can persist and affect daily functioning, a condition known as hallucinogen persisting perceptual disorder (HPPD). These people continue to have hallucinations and other visual disturbances, such as seeing trails attached to moving objects.
• Symptoms that are sometimes mistaken for other disorders, such as stroke or a brain tumor

What are other risks of hallucinogens?

Other risks or health effects of many hallucinogens remain unclear and need more research. Known risks include the following:

• Some psilocybin users risk poisoning and possibly death from using a poisonous mushroom by mistake.
• High doses of PCP can cause seizures, coma, and death, though death more often results from accidental injury or suicide during PCP intoxication. Interactions between PCP and depressants such as alcohol and benzodiazepines (prescribed to relieve anxiety or promote sleep—alprazolam [Xanax®], for instance) can also lead to coma.
• Some bizarre behaviors resulting from hallucinogens that users display in public places may prompt public health or law enforcement personnel intervention.
• While hallucinogens' effects on the developing fetus are unknown, researchers do know that mescaline in peyote may affect the fetus of a pregnant woman using the drug.

Are hallucinogens addictive?

Evidence indicates that certain hallucinogens can be addictive or that people can develop a tolerance to them. Use of some hallucinogens also produces tolerance to other similar drugs.

For example, LSD is not considered an addictive drug because it doesn't cause uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior. However, LSD does produce tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher doses to achieve the same effect. This is an extremely dangerous practice, given the unpredictability of the drug. In addition, LSD produces tolerance to other hallucinogens, including psilocybin.

On the other hand, PCP is a hallucinogen that can be addictive. People who stop repeated use of PCP experience drug cravings, headaches, and sweating as common withdrawal symptoms.

Scientists need more research into the tolerance or addiction potential of hallucinogens.

How can people get treatment for addiction to hallucinogens?

There are no government-approved medications to treat addiction to hallucinogens. While inpatient and/or behavioral treatments can be helpful for patients with a variety of addictions, scientists need more research to find out if behavioral therapies are effective for addiction to hallucinogens.

Points to Remember

• Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter perception, thoughts, and feelings. They causehallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Some hallucinogens also cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment.
• People use hallucinogens in a wide variety of ways, including smoking, snorting, and absorbing through the lining in the mouth.
• Hallucinogens interfere with actions of brain chemicals responsible for functions that include:
  • mood
  • sensory perception
  • sleep
  • body temperature
  • muscle control
  • pain perception
  • memory
• The effects of hallucinogens can begin within 20 to 90 minutes and can last as long as 6 to 12 hours.
• Along with hallucinations, other short-term general effects of hallucinogens include:
  • increased heart rate
  • nausea
  • intensified feelings and sensory experiences
  • changes in sense of time
• Persistent psychosis and flashbacks are two long-term effects associated with some hallucinogens.
• Evidence indicates that certain hallucinogens can be addictive or that people can develop a tolerance to them.
• There are no government-approved medications to treat addiction to hallucinogens. Scientists need more research to find out if behavioral therapies are effective for addiction to hallucinogens.

Learn More

For more information about hallucinogens, please visit:

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/hallucinogens

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts

This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated, using the following language: Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This page was last updated January 2016