All drug users need to have a secure, quiet place for safe use instead of shooting up in the streets and getting chased by police and citizens who often throw their substances and leave them sick. They need sterilised injecting material in order to stop sharing syringes and taking the risk of getting infected. They urgently need doctors to intervene in case of an overdose or any other emergency which would cause an inevitable death in the streets of a city that ambulances rarely hurry up when they hear the call has to do with a 'junkie'.

They need equal health services to any other human being who has the right to get medical care, especially when their veins are clogged, their circulation is in a terrible shape, they have even suffered an amputation or they are in some other pathological condition that needs to be immediately checked. Drug users who, in their majority, are homeless due to the turmoil of the Greek crisis, only ask a room to rest for some minutes and use their substance with care, relieved from any harm.

Drug users need to be treated with respect to their needs because they really experience a harsh life. They also have families like you and people who share the pain and hope for them to stay safe and alive. This is the spirit of Harm Reduction, believe in it because it's worth it, it really reduces the harm these people are exposed to.

Vote for ODYSSEAS to give them the standard of a safer life and also the information on the benefits of substitution.

Whatever the case is, always remember: Support, don't punish! 40 years of punishment was a complete failure.

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

Greek Minister of Health & Justice: We ask the full re-function of the Greek drug consumption room ODYSSEAS

The impact of drug policy on human rights is gaining attention worldwide. The violence linked to trafficking worsens while prisons strain at the seams due to the prohibitionist approach toward drugs that targets minor players for prosecution. At the same time, the problem´s health and social ramifications are largely ignored. In this context, the UN General Assembly´s Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) in 2016 represents a crucial opportunity to explore new approaches and center the global debate on the respect for human rights. CELS and many other groups are working toward this, and drug policy is being actively discussed in forums such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Last Friday, the OAS held its first-ever Special General Assembly to analyze the impact of the global drug problem on the region. The Assembly passed a resolution reinforcing that this problem must be addressed from a broad human rights perspective. The resolution also calls on States to assess the results of innovative policies in the region, such as those of Uruguay; it requests that the organization´s Committee on Hemispheric Security investigate the structural causes that contribute to violence and crime; and it proposes that the resolution itself serve as a contribution to the UNGASS in 2016.

The document also references a resolution presented by Argentina and Uruguay and adopted by the OAS General Assembly in June, which specifically addressed the need to promote and protect human rights while working toward new, effective policy solutions to the drug problem in the region. In this resolution, the General Assembly underscored the important role that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) can play on the issue of drug policy.

Now the region must broaden this debate and take action to contribute to meaningful reform. Countries should rethink policy objectives and current norms, working to reduce violence and militarization while also strengthening public health responses. Latin America has suffered the consequences of the failed “War on Drugs” in the last 50 years, and the region´s experiences must inform the global debate.

At the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, Argentina and 15 other countries from various regions made a statement urging the body to take a leading role in preparations for the UNGASS. “It is important to analyze the different dimensions of the issue beyond the traditional approach, which still relies heavily on the reduction of drug demand and supply through prohibition, law enforcement and criminal justice,” the countries stated, emphasizing the "pressing need to take into account a human rights and public health approach.”

The process leading up to the UNGASS represents a unique opportunity to reflect on the existing model, evaluate its successes and failures, and propose new strategies or alternatives. The ongoing debate on drug policy must be expanded, incorporating other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, scholars and scientists to discuss profound changes and insist upon a human rights focus. Latin American countries are playing a key role in promoting this debate and should continue supporting efforts to reassess policies rooted in criminal prosecution. Human rights groups from the region have participated constructively in these discussions and will keep working to reduce the damage done under the current, misguided approach.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the

Drug policy and human rights: The latest international debates

The prevalence of HIV in prison populations has been estimated to be up to 10 times higher than in the general population according to a new UNAIDS report. Prisons in Moldova have implemented an innovative programme and are helping prisoners to get a new lease on life.

Innovative drug treatment programme for prisoners in Moldova

Every year, 13 million to 14 million Americans have major depression. Of those who seek treatment, 30% to 40% will not get better or fully recover with standard anti-depressants.

That puts them at greater risk of alcohol and drug abuse, hospitalization, and suicide attempts. Now, though, a growing body of research shows there may be new hope: the anesthetic drug ketamine.

Ketamine has a reputation as an illicit party drug due to its hallucinogenic effects. But in a handful of ketamine clinics around the country, people who weren't helped by standard treatments are getting a series of infusions to ease their depression. The drug has also been used in emergency rooms for curbing suicidal thoughts, making it a potential lifesaver.

“The benefits I’ve seen are pretty impressive, and the data are very strong,” says psychiatrist Kyle Lapidus, MD, PhD. He's an assistant professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Stony Brook University. Lapidus says there have been a large number of positive studies, though the number of participants in those studies has been small.

Ketamine: The future of depression treatment?

Latin American countries continue to demonstrate courage and vision regarding drug policy. The latest improvements are taking place at the National House of Representatives, where two bills (See the two bills here: 9471-11 & 9496) are being debated at the Health and Public Security committees. On the latest developments, the Health Committee agreed to mix the two bills into one in order to better channel the debate. These bills aim to legalize the growth of cannabis when its intended to be used for medicinal purposes together with the depenalization of its use, not only for medicinal purposes but also for recreational ones.

It is important to note that while personal drug use is allowed in Chile, a series of limitations present in the current law, make it almost impossible, generating a series of negative externalities and the eventual criminalization of users. Other debates that have taken place at Congress, have to do with possession, the amounts of drugs that a person should be allowed to carry for personal use.

News

Greek Minister of Health & Justice: We ask the full re-function of the Greek drug consumption room ODYSSEAS

Drug policy and human rights: The latest international debates

Innovative drug treatment programme for prisoners in Moldova

Ketamine: The future of depression treatment?

Drug policy reform getting closer in Chile