Workers' Liberty

The recent survey of all the existing evidence for the effectiveness of the anti-depressants of the type made famous by Prozac has demonstrated how easily drug companies can get away with cherry picking studies that highlight the effectiveness of their drugs whilst hiding any negative results.

The survey revealed that none of these drugs had an effect better than a placebo in any but the most depressed patients.

From binge drinking and the problems associated with it, to privatisation, the dumbing down of education and low paid, “flexible for the bosses” work, life under New Labour has a bit of everything bad for working class youth. At work, millions of working people are paid a pittance, and the younger you are the worse it is.

With so many Government ministers making admissions of youthful dope smoking and Gordon Brown’s announcement that he’s getting “tough on the puff”, isn’t it time that socialists should once again unfurl their “Free the Weed” banners and raise them high? At least I think so.

Last week, a report suggested that shoplifters should not be sent to prison.

Sounds sensible to me. I can't see that the general public needs 'protecting' from a serious and imminent threat from shoplifters, and prison is more effective at turning shoplifters into burglars or multi-functional criminals than into 'reformed characters'.

By David Broder

The recent media furore over the “revelation” that Kate Moss uses cocaine is a cynical bid to undermine the model’s career and a show of totally feigned “moral outrage” at her behaviour.

Mick Duncan examines the life and times of Hunter s Thompson, who killed himself on 20 February.

Cathy Nugent reviews “Cocaine”, Channel Four, and “If… drugs were legal”, 12 January, BBC2

BBC News Online, 29/01/04

Three people have been charged with drugs offences at Scotland's first cannabis café, police said. The two men and a woman were arrested for alleged possession of
cannabis at the Purple Haze Cafe in Edinburgh.