The federal government on Monday approved research into the use of marijuana as a treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Department of Health and Human Services' decision was hailed as a major victory by marijuana researchers, who have struggled for decades to secure approval for research into marijuana's medical uses.

The proposal from the University of Arizona was long ago cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, but its researchers had been unable to purchase marijuana from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The agency's Mississippi research farm is the drug's only federally-sanctioned source.

In a letter last week, HHS cleared the purchase of medical marijuana by the studies' chief financial backer, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which supports legalization of marijuana and other drugs.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.

Marijuana study in war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder wins US backing

In Romania, the first harm reduction programs appeared in the context of an imminent HIV epidemic among heroin users, through injection. So, the first initiatives were developed in order to attract injecting drug users to specialized medical and social services through needle exchange. In 1999, Romanian Association Against AIDS (ARAS) started in Bucharest the first HIV prevention program among sex workers, a program which also contacted drug users and provided them sterile syringes. In parallel, Alliance for the Fight Against Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ALIAT) opened a fixed needle exchange service, which became the first permanent system specifically created to help these people.

In Romania harm reduction services can't cover all drug users that face many other challenges such as limited access to social and medical services and police violence.

Harm reduction services in Romania

In the past year, civil society organizations worldwide from different fields of work have closely followed United Nations Member States’ deliberations on the post 2015 development agenda. We have welcomed invitations to contribute through online or in-person consultations and have been suggesting development alternatives, analysis, and comprehensive recommendations throughout this process.

Despite our efforts, we are alarmed that within the post 2015 discussions, little seems to be underway to reverse the trend of doing business as usual and that the UN is about to lose the opportunity to transform the current vicious cycle of development focused on economic growth alone that fuels inequalities, inequities, environmental degradation and marginalization into a virtuous cycle where human rights and justice prevail. Despite the statement of the UN Secretary General that “no one will be left behind,” the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] are not on track to be built on the essential priorities for a sound and effective post 2015 global agenda, namely human rights and dignity for all.

Civil society organisations are calling on Member States and UN Agencies to sustain the leadership and political will to ensure that the post 2015 development agenda is based on realizing the protection of human rights, equality, non-discrimination, and social justice for all.

News

Marijuana study in war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder wins US backing

Harm reduction services in Romania

The actions we need for the future we want – a civil society red flag