the good, the bad and the tiny

i am so glad i took the time on the bus to read the ABA journal this month from cover to cover. might have missed this gem!

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/the_good_the_bad_and_the_tiny/
The [Nanotechnology] committee expects to include ethics topics on its nanotech agenda, says Hsieh, who notes that some scientists believe nano-scale biology has the potential to significantly enhance the performance, durability and health of the human body.
"So there is the question: Is it ethical to do so?" says Hsieh, a member of the advisory board of the Nano­ethics Group, an independent research organization based at Cali­fornia Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. "And who would benefit—just the rich people who can afford it? It would be like cosmetic surgery, only more so."
WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK?
Experts say Congress ultimately will have to play a greater role in ensuring that concerns about nano­technology issues are addressed sufficiently. Otherwise, they say, public doubts about the field will grow.
Bergeson expects Congress, sometime soon, to review whether the Toxic Substances Control Act in its current form is adequate to deal with nano-scale materials.
In April, public interest groups and the chemical industry wound up on the same side in support of a 10 percent set-aside to fund environmental, health and safety research as part of a roughly $1.5 billion reauthorization of the National Nano­technology Initiative.
"Public trust is the dark horse in nanotechnology's future," said David Rejeski, director of the Project on Emerging Technologies, in testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Tech­nology and In­no­vation. "If government and industry do not work to build public confidence in nanotechnology, consumers may reach for the 'No nano' label in the future, and investors will put their money elsewhere. Public perceptions about risks—real and perceived—can have large economic impacts."
Referring to the kinds of coalitions that are developing on the issue, Bergeson says, "Nanotechnology forges alliances where you might not expect them."
That's just one of the surprises in a field that promises many more to come.

Panel encourages legalization of drugs

Panel encourages legalization of drugs
February 14, 2007
By Timothy Mensing
The Daily - University of Washington newspaper
http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/article/2007/2/14/panelEncouragesLegalizationOfDrugs
Leading members from the King County community met last night in the HUB Auditorium to discuss what has been coined the "War on Drugs."
The discussion included socioeconomic and interpersonal effects of current U.S. drug policy.
Those present, other than interested students, included a lawyer, a former Seattle police chief and a Seattle city council member, the three making up the panel.
Students attended in pursuit of a better understanding of the subject, along with the hope that discussions like these would spur alternative paths to current U.S. drug policy.
"[The consequences] of the current state of things is simply not represented enough in the mainstream," said junior Anton Sirotin.
The panel focused on discussing these consequences and providing alternatives. All supported the legalization of drug use with regulation.
Several organizations, including Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), sponsored the event.
The first to speak was Norm Stamper. With a Ph.D. in leadership and human behavior, Stamper has 34 years of police experience, seven of which consisted of overseeing Seattle law enforcement as Seattle police chief.
His speech began by recalling the beginning of the War on Drugs, enacted and named by former President Richard Nixon.
This War on Drugs came to represent, moreover, "a war on people," without any clear victories to be had, Stamper said.
In a country with 5 percent of the world's population, 25 percent of those incarcerated in the world are housed in U.S. prisons, Stamper said.
Thirty five percent of those jailed are in on charges of drug possession. Along these lines, there are more illegal drugs at cheaper prices now than at any time in history, he said. In the last year, 1.7 million people were jailed on non-violent drug charges.
"What I choose to put in my body is my own decision," Stamper said. "It is only when that decision affects others in a negative way should there be legal intervention."
Larry Gossett, chair of the King County Council, expanded on this idea.
"A 17-year-old goes to jail on charges of possession for 16-21 months and comes out harder than the rock he sold," he said.
Although consisting of only 12 percent of the U.S. population, more than 50 percent of those in jail are African Americans. Of these, 40 percent are there on drug charges, he said.
Rachel Kurtz, deputy director of the King County Bar Association, offered alternatives to the current U.S. drug policy.
Rather than leave the contents of the drug unknown, legalized drugs would offer substance information, she said.
These drugs would share the same laws as alcohol, such as limiting purchasing power to those 21 years old and older.
All panel members supported the idea of diverting law enforcement funds into community programs, such as clinics dealing with addictions.
Audience members resonated Sirotin's sentiment about increasing awareness.
"More people need to hear about the issue," said senior Daren Keck.
Reach contributing writer Timothy Mensing at development@thedaily.washington.edu.