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GLOBAL NEWS had expressed scepticism about Portugal's decriminalisation, which removed criminal penalties in 2001 for personal drug possession and emphasised treatment over incarceration. The UN had suggested the policy was in violation of international drug treaties and would encourage “drug concession to backers of legalisation who have long argued that it is prohibition policies that lead to violence and the growth of shadowy, underground networks. Jack Cole, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and a retired undercover narcotics detective, says: "We are demanding that governments replace the failed policy of prohibition with a system hat actually regulates and controls drugs, including their purity and prices, as well as who produces hem and who they can be sold to. You can't have effective control under prohibition, as we should ave learned from our failed experiment with alcohol in the US between 1920 and 1933." Source: World Drug Report 2009, Attp://tinyurl.com/ngssaa; The Huffington Post, 24 June 2009, http://tinyurl.com/ myf4p3) that magnetism originates in a molten core is a central tenet. However, the origin of the magnetism was a mystery until early last century when Albert Einstein said that to understand the phenomenon was one of science's most important tasks. This provoked a debate which concluded with scientists agreeing that magnetism must originate in the Earth's core. over had UN tourism". But in its World Drug Report 2009, the UN had little but kind words for Portugal's radical (by US standards) approach. The report, released in June at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, also puts to rest concerns that decriminalisation doesn't comply with international treaties which prevent countries from legalising drugs. "The International Narcotics Control Board was _ initially apprehensive when Portugal changed its law in 2001, but after a mission to Portugal in 2004 it "noted that the acquisition, possession and abuse of drugs had remained prohibited" and said that "the practice of exempting small quantities of drugs from criminal prosecution is consistent with the international drug control treaties", "Everyone accepted this, but in reality there has never been any proof," said Gregory Ryskin, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering a Northwestern University in Illinois, USA. "It is just an idea we have accepted for a long time withou questioning it enough." Ryskin's research suggests that the Earth’s magnetism is actually linked 0 ocean movements. The salt in sea water allows it to conduc electricity, meaning that the ocean generates electric and magnetic ields as it moves. (Source: The Sunday Times, UK, 14 June 2009, http://tinyurl.com/noktwz) OCEANS CHARGE UP NEW THEORY OF MAGNETISM arth's magnetic field, long thought to be generated by molten metals swirling around its core, may instead be linked to ocean currents, according to controversial new research. If proved, the research would revolutionise geophysics, the study of the Earth's physical properties and behaviour, in which the idea THE NEXT HACKING FRONTIER: YOUR BRAIN? Hes who commandeer your computer are bad enough. Now scientists worry that someday they'l try to take over your brain. In the past year, researchers have developed technology that makes i possible to use thoughts to operate a computer, manoeuvre a wheelchair or even use Twitter. "Neural devices are innovating a an extremely rapid rate and hold tremendous promise for the future,” said computer security exper Tadayoshi Kohno of the University o' Washington. “But if we don't star paying attention to security, we're worried that we might find ourselves in five or 10 years saying we've made a big mistake." (Source: Wired.com, 9 July, 2009. http://tinyurl.com/Isqowy) report. The UN report also dives head first into the debate over full drug legalisation, and makes a significant & ; IDEA, TLL Sect 66 eelle’. \_ Ano GooGle 'N ~~ a = J ie iin aie. /AIT... PE GOT A nerveR \ we ao ee 1 ( walt. rye 6eT A BErreR. pIDEA. Tt JusT GO HEME \_ And Google Need 5 Ne = C2 8 ¢ NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2009