PUBLISHER CONDEMNS ATTEMPTED DRUG BOOK SEIZURES

A controversial publishing house accused the Federal Anti-Drug Service
of censorship Tuesday after it ordered that a book about marijuana be
pulled from the shelves.

The service issued the order last week, citing a ruling two weeks ago
by an Ulyanovsk court that declared the book "Marijuana, the Forbidden
Medicine" to be drug propaganda.

At a press conference Tuesday, Ultra Kultura, which published the
Russian translation, said the order was reminiscent of Soviet censorship.

"Society has a right to access to information," Ultra Kultura editor
Vladimir Kharitonov said. "The government is starting to interfere in
ways we have not seen for a long, long time."

The 1993 book, by Lester Grinspoon and James Bakalar, is a compilation
of testimonials on the medical uses of marijuana. Article 6.13 of the
Administrative Code prohibits "propaganda or illegal advertisement of
narcotics."

Ultra Kultura editor-in-chief Ilya Kormiltsev, speaking at the press
conference via telephone from London, said the Anti-Drug Service was
too late: Almost all of the 2,000 copies of the book that were printed
have already been sold.

But "Marijuana, the Forbidden Medicine" was not the only book
targeted, the publishing house said. Kormiltsev said the Anti-Drug
Service, without legal grounds, told the book distribution company
Stolitsa-Service to pull two other drug-themed books published by
Ultra Kultura, and that the Federal Security Service had made similar
recommendations regarding four Ultra Kultura books on terrorism,
including the Russian translation of Adam Parfrey's "Extreme Islam,"
or "Allah Dislikes America" in Russian.

An FSB spokesperson declined to comment Tuesday.

In an interview with Kommersant published Tuesday, Alexander
Mikhailov, depu ty director of the Anti-Drug Service, denied it was
censorship.

"We're tracking adherence to laws and leading an uncompromising battle
against drugs," he said. "Censorship is interference in the stage of
preparation to publish books and printed materials. We don't do that."

Mikhailov said that if Kormiltsev does not change his publishing
policy, sanctions may be imposed on him personally.

Kormiltsev was undeterred. "I haven't made any changes so far, and I
don't plan to."

Ultra Kultura is known for publishing controversial authors, including
National Bolshevik Party leader Eduard Limonov.