The 8th Thailand National Conference on Substance Abuse covered current debates such as the voluntary, community-based treatment, the trends of drug use in the country or the decriminalisation of kratom.

This conference focused on the lack of access to opioid analgesics and very scarce resources to care for AIDS and cancer patients in Africa.

The International Society for the Study of Drug Policy meeting explored further collaboration with criminologists on drug policy in Europe.

Links between HIV and overdose are close and overdose prevention programmes help to strengthen HIV programmes and prevent the spread of HIV among people who inject drugs.

A reform in the Costa Rican criminal drug law aims to include proportionality and a gender-sensitive approach in drugs legislation.

Much work remains to be done but, after years of frustration, it is clear that an improved working relationship between civil society and the UNODC HIV section is emerging.

On 31 July, the Uruguayan House of Representatives approved a marijuana regulation bill, bringing it one step closer to becoming the first country in the world to legally regulate the production, distribution and sale of marijuana.

Against evidences in the Caribbean experience, the scientific evidence in support of therapeutic cannabis use has largely been ignored by the scientific community.

Pope Francis’ confused statement about drug “liberalization” not being the solution to the problem of drug dependence, shows the need for more targeted education of both the press and key public opinion leaders.

On 26 June 2013, activists in 41 cities from all around the world took part in the SUPPORT. DON’T PUNISH. “Global Day of Action” – a collective show of force that illustrates the ever growing support for drastically changing the way we approach drug control.

The government’s lack of support for harm reduction services is a short-sighted calculation with deadly consequences for drug users.

The UK government drew its conclusions on khat classification based on moral assumptions, rather than on scientific evidence.

The forum aimed to learn more about the challenges faced by people who grow crops declared illicit, and to give a voice to this vulnerable population in the design and implementation of national drug policies.

IDPC co-organised an expert roundtable with the Thailand Ministry of Justice Rights and Liberties Protection Department to discuss and review effective legal frameworks for managing drug-related problems.

When planning the Washington and Colorado campaigns on cannabis, lessons were learned from an unsuccessful bill in California a few years previously.

The membership meeting focused on a presentation of the new VNGOC Strategic Plan.

Acción Social Technical analyses illegal psychoactive substances as, 2CB, MDMA, amphetamines and cocaine, as part of its harm reduction programmes.

On the Day of Action in Thailand, the 12D Network had prepared a letter to the Prime Minister, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, demanding that the government reform its drug control policies.

The Obama administration’s statement, 'A Drug Policy for the 21st Century', is accepting publicly that the decades of US harsh drug policies have been an expensive mistake.

Around 800 participants attended the conference from all around the world to share the latest experiences, developments and evidence on drug policy and harm reduction.