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22. US Repressed Marijuana Tumour Research 24. Pentagon Seeks Mega-Mergers Between Spanish medical team's study released in Madrid in February _ International Arms Corporations 2000 has shown that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active US Government task force has released its final report to the chemical in marijuana, destroys tumours in lab rats. The research public, recommending globalisation of the US defence indus- was conducted by a medical team led by Dr Manuel Guzman of __ try, even if it results in proliferation of conventional weapons. Complutence University in Madrid. The Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Globalization These findings, however, are not news to the US Government. and Security is a 27-member appointed board, composed mostly A study in Virginia in 1974 yielded similar results but was sup- of Department of Defense (DoD) and private industry representa- pressed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The tives. The DSB encourages the Pentagon to facilitate transnation- 1974 study—published in an article, "Antineoplastic Activity of al mergers of defence corporations in order to avoid eventual con- Cannabinoids", in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in flicts with European countries over global arms market shares. 1975—does not mention breast cancer tumours. These were fea- Overall, the DSB Task Force advocates reducing the DoD's role tured in the only newspaper story ever to appear about the 1974 in controlling arms exports. study. The Washington Post story (August 18, 1974) read in part: A few large companies already dominate the American arms "The active chemical agent in marijuana curbs the growth of three —_ industry, and Europe's defence firms are rapidly consolidating as kinds of cancer in mice and may also suppress well. Germany's Daimler-Chrysler and the immunity reaction that causes rejection of France's Aérospatiale announced a planned organ transplants... The researchers found that merger to form the European Aeronautics, THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, Defence and Space Co. (EADS), and BAE breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in Systems now monopolises the UK defence laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by . industry. as much as 36 percent." ... transnational Increased partnership between US and EU In 1976, President Ford put an end to all A defence corporations is needed, DSB warns, to public cannabis research and granted exclu- arms mergers will avoid a protectionist "Fortress America" from sive research rights to major pharmaceutical create very powerful going to war with a hostile "Fortress Europe" varation ied to persuade US universities and defence companies, Nhe Federation of American Scientists is researchers to destroy all cannabis research further shifting concerned that transnational arms mergers will wellas compendium in ibraries. control away from further shifling contol away from gov. a Commas media coverage: AP and UPI ee and Reference fonaegs pee NGS ; owards private industry. news wires, February 29, 2000 * Federation of American Scientists, "Arms * Raymond Cushing (raymondcushing@ire - Company of the Future: land.com), "Pot Shrinks Tumors; BoeingBAELockheedEADS, Inc?", Arms Government Knew in '74", Alternet, May Sales Monitor, January 2000, www.fas.org 31, 2000, www.alternet.org/ 25. Community Activists Outsit McDonald's oO Sunday December 13, 1998, local residents of Hinchley Wood, England, occupied the parking lot of their 23. Very Small Levels of Chemical Exposures Can be Dangerous F” years, the public has been told that a low level of chemical exposure holds no significant risk to humans. However, the results of local pub to prevent McDonald's from building on the site. Their recent studies show that even small amounts of chemicals (in 24-hours-a-day sit-in campaign lasted 18 months, received nation- drinking water, in foods) may in fact be very damaging. al publicity and galvanised community support against New research in the field of endocrine disrupters has shown McDonald's. that chemicals like dioxin, PCBs and DDT act at very low levels The community organised to become Residents Against to interfere with normal hormone functions of the body. Very low McDonald's (RAM). Their campaign forced McDonald's onto the levels of these chemicals have been linked to a wide variety of defensive, stopping all work on the site. RAM exposed how local health problems, such as neurological and developmental prob- planning laws allow companies to steamroll over the wishes of lems, immune system disruption, learning disabilities, birth communities, ignoring expressed concerns over the quality of defects and other reproductive anomalies. local lives and environment. According to Dr Pete Myers, co-author of Our Stolen Future, When McDonald's leases or purchases neighbourhood pubs to chemical attacks against foetal development work because some avoid the usual local planning applications and guidelines, local chemicals act as imposters, insinuating themselves in the body's residents become outraged and feel compelled to resist. This time natural hormone system that normally directs foetal development. the residents were successful. What is becoming apparent is that important low-level effects, After RAM's incredible 552-day continuous occupation, such as disruption of a hormone signalling system, may be hidden McDonald's threw in the towel and handed back the lease on the by higher levels of chemical exposure, which cause more obvious pub to the original owners. RAM celebrated an historic victory. impacts that are easier to measure. Reference Reference * McLibel Support Campaign, "Residents defeat McDonald's after * Stephen Lester, "Understanding ‘Low Level' Chemical Exposures", mammoth 552-day occupation", A-Infos New Service, June 16, 2000, Everyone's Backyard, Summer 2000 www.mespotlight.org defence companies, further shifting control away from governments and towards private industry. JUNE — JULY 2001 NEXUS +19 ... transnational arms mergers will create very powerful www.nexusmagazine.com