There are clear signs that the global consensus on drugs is becoming increasingly fractured, writes Ann Fordham, who says the last 18 months have seen several exciting watershed moments on the long road towards a rational and less damaging approach to the control of drugs.

The community representatives who took part in the workshop developed a short list of challenges to harm reduction policies, coverage and accessibility, and selected issues on which to focus future advocacy.

After several marathon inter-sessional meetings in 2013, where a slightly different cohort of delegates debated contentious paragraphs of the proposed ‘Joint Ministerial Statement’, many representatives voiced disbelief that they were having to go over it all again and somehow come to a new…

Ahead of the High-Level Segment on the world drug problem to take place on 13th and 14th January 2014, the UNODC Executive Director, Yuri Fedotov, has released his "contributions" to the debate.

In the month of December 2013, the Policy Team under the European Union-funded Asia Action project organized two events aimed towards improving the human rights environment surrounding people living with HIV and people who use drugs.

Different voices recognised in the latest session of CICAD th legal regulation and harm reduction as possible political options.

A worrying bill proposes an increase in the administrative fines imposed for the possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use up to a minimum of 1,001 euros and a maximum of 30,000 euros.

The research and Communications officer of IDPC, Marie Nougier, explains why drug consumption rooms are a very efficient harm reduction intervention.

The 17th ICASA, held in Cape Town, was more focused on drug use and drug policy than the 2011 conference, but much more needs to be done at the upcoming 2015 conference in Tunisia.

Mauritius has one of the highest prevalence of drug use per capita, with high rates of heroin injection, but the possession of a syringe is considered as a criminal offence.

The Lithuanian EU presidency invited civil society members to present their views on UNGASS 2016 at the meeting of the Horizontal Working Party on Drugs

The “war on drugs” has had a devastating impact on those in the region on the front-lines, including poor farmers pushed deeper into poverty when their coca plants are eradicated.

People who inject drugs face widespread discrimination, physical violence, hostility and harassment that limits their access to lifesaving health services.

As Tuesday,10 December is Human Rights Day, the Blue Point Foundation reformulates its will to provide a range of services for people who inject drugs.

Engaging in a range of ‘impact’ oriented activities, the recently established Observatory operates with the goal of promoting evidence and human rights based drug policy.

The final Ministerial Joint Statement will be presented at a High Level Segment of CND next March, and aims to review achievements and challenges since the 2009 Political Declaration on drugs was adopted.

Amid much celebration, encouraged partly by the Obama Administration's decision not to hinder the regulation, provided certain minimum conditions are met, the conference also addressed many other unresolved issues on drug policy, not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world.

This event aimed to promote debate around the current challenges to drug law enforcement, the concept of managing drug markets to minimize harm and the implications for future law enforcement strategies.

At this most recent inter-sessional meeting though, some delegates drew “red lines” and staked out non-negotiable positions on key issues.

This day aims to raise awareness and increase action to address the needs of people who use drugs.