Following the dramatic executions of drug traffickers in April 2015, the Indonesian government decided to step up its anti-narcotics efforts, reinforcing public condemnation of drugs while slashing activists' hopes for progressive reforms.
In Moscow alone there are more than 30,000 people who use drugs and activists there allege that people who use drugs are frequently denied their rights.
A recent ruling in Australia could result in naloxone, the life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses, being available without prescription from February 2016.
Civil society organisations in West Africa have been urged to effectively strategise and work together and with their respective governments to influence better policies aimed at addressing the drug problem in the region.
The launch of the network has solidified the traditionally conservative country’s reputation as a regional leader amid fears that increased exposure to drug trafficking routes could see a rise in national drug use.
This south–south drug policy dialogue allowed for key stakeholders in Latin America and Africa to exchange expertise and best practices on drug policy.