Drug checking, a key harm reduction tool which enables users to have their synthetic drugs chemically analyzed in order to increase safety of their use, could be set up in Geneva in 2017.

Regional newspaper Geneva Tribune reported last year that 

 -- an organization offering harm reduction services at festivals -- has submitted a project proposal seeking to create a laboratory which will allow people to find out exactly what is in their products prior to using.

Prepared in cooperation with the addictology unit of the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), the project proposes two possible structures:

A mobile facility that Nuit Blanche? will take to festivals and which will offer results on testing to be available within 20 to 30 minutes;

A static facility where people will be able to send their drugs to for checking.

According to Geneva Tribune -- the only source on this news for the moment -- the consultative commission on addictions has accepted the project and a study launched in May 2015 by the State Council is being conducted to question its feasibility and determine its legal framework. The results of this should be available by spring 2016, and if everything is approved then drug checking could be set up in 2017, estimates Geneva Tribune.

Nuit Blanche? has previously reported that on average one test in every six in Zurich -- which has had a drug checking program, "Saferparty

 in place since 2001 -- detects a dangerous, even potentially fatal substance contained within recreational drugs.

In addition to helping reduce the number of drug-related accidents because of the unknown purity of illegal drugs, Nuit Blanche? argues that drug checking will facilitate the dissemination of information and harm reduction messaging through interviews with each user. It will also encourage access to consultation or treatment facilities, and provide information on the substances currently used. Detecting new trends of drugs and drugs use is important to quickly respond to dangerous new substances, Nuit Blance? stress.

Corine Kibora, the spokeswoman of the organization Addiction Suisse, highlights that drug checking furthermore facilitates contact with drug users that would not normally approach drug programs.

Drug checking is not a particularly novel idea, but has only successfully been rolled out through a handful of local initiatives across European countries including Spain, Portugal, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.

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

Could Geneva introduce drug checking in 2017?

What was the new bill submitted to the parliament about, and who submitted it?

: The new bill, L 112 (downloadable in Danish only), was submitted two weeks ago by our current conservative minority government – an amendment which provides that local authorities can decide to permit people who use drugs to bring a friend with them into a drug consumption room, to assist them with injecting.

Why is it important to allow people to be assisted in a drug consumption room?

: Since sanctioned public drug consumption rooms opened in Denmark in 2012, it has been observed that a relatively small group of extremely vulnerable injecting drug users are not able (or find it very difficult) to inject – either because of withdrawal symptoms (shaking), or because the individual no longer has easily-accessible veins. To ensure that this very vulnerable group of users can also benefit from the many health advantages of using as safely as possible inside a drug consumption rooms, the new law makes it possible for local government to allow assisted injecting.

What was the decision made by the parliament?

: Today was only the first of three obligatory readings, but eight out of nine parties, amounting to 142 out of 179 MPs, declared explicit support for the bill. In all likelihood, it will therefore be passed and come into force from 1st July, 2016.

Watch this video we produced about a Danish mobile injection room in 2012!

: Users in need of assisted injecting will no longer be excluded from the DCRs. They will no longer be forced to use in public, but will be able to inject inside the DCRs. They will be more safe, and we would expect a reduction in overdose-related deaths, and also a reduction in harm resulting from non-fatal ODs, reduced transmissions of hepatitis C and HIV, and a lower rate of infections.

Danish Parliament discusses bill to allow assisted injections

A conference of world MPs at the United Nations in New York has highlighted the need for fresh thinking to meet the challenges of the world drug problem.

The parliamentary hearing, jointly organized by IPU and the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly, drew MPs and other experts from around the world to evaluate current drug policy and search for new solutions.

The meeting concluded that greater international cooperation was useful, but that countries should take advantage of the flexibility provided by existing conventions to tailor their own solutions to the drug problem. This may include decriminalizing the use and possession of light drugs like cannabis, within a strict regulatory system, as several countries have done. The meeting urged countries to focus on the root causes of why people used drugs, as well as tackling the traffickers who are the main culprits, and to develop a people-centred approach toward the problem in line with the new Sustainable Development Goals.

The hearing, on 8-9 February, was part of the preparations for a UN General Assembly special session on the world drug problem, UNGASS 2016, which takes place in April.

The MPs, joined by representatives from international organizations and civil society, examined the complex drivers of drug production and consumption, including links with terrorism and organized crime, and the challenges posed by new types of drugs. They reviewed the progress made by parliaments since a plan of action was adopted by governments in 2009, setting 2019 as a target date for eliminating or significantly reducing supply, demand and associated criminal activity such as money laundering.

They also questioned whether the so-called “war on drugs”, which relies on a law-enforcement approach, diverts valuable resources from healthcare to law enforcement, and has a disproportionate impact on poorer sections of society, women and individual users.

IPU President Saber Chowdhury praised delegates for their open and passionate debate, and stressed the need for more compassion and less judgement in dealing with people using drugs.

IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong added: “if we help people out of poverty, provide health care and education, make institutions more transparent and representative, and indeed do all the things the SDGs ask us to do, then we will undercut the drivers of the drug problem. The most important message from this hearing is that each country needs a comprehensive debate with all constituencies, and to draw up strategies appropriate to its own situation.”

The President of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, closing the hearing, urged MPs and parliaments to place the issue high on their national agendas. He said: “Whatever the various national positions, we have to engage with the number one question – are our efforts succeeding for the families and individuals most affected, for societies, for your countries, and for our inter-connected world? And how can we work more closely together to strengthen our global response?”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also spoke to delegates during a reception at IPU offices, while the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Yuri Fedotov, addressed the opening of the hearing.

IPU-UN parliamentary hearings enable MPs to feed their views and experiences into UN work and decision-making processes, as well as increasing their understanding of those processes.

IPU-UN hearing sheds fresh light on drug policy debate

CANBERRA, Australia — Australian lawmakers committed on Wednesday to legalize the growing of marijuana for medical use within a part of the world renowned for zero-tolerance and harsh penalties for illegal drugs. The government introduced a bill to Parliament that would amend the Narcotics Drugs Act 1967 and create a licensing scheme for growing medicinal cannabis. Marijuana is currently illegal throughout Australia, but two states are considering making the drug available for therapeutic uses.

“This government understands that there are some Australians suffering from severe conditions for which cannabis may have applications and we want to enable access to the most effective medical treatments available,” Health Minister Sussan Ley told Parliament. The bill is guaranteed to become law, with the main opposition party immediately pledging support.

Southeast Asia has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Indonesia, Australia’s nearest neighbor after Papua New Guinea, created a diplomatic rift last year by rejecting Australian pleas to spare the lives of two Australian heroin traffickers. The Australians were among eight drug convicts executed by firing squad in April. Indonesia argued that the tough response was needed because narcotics abuse among Indonesians had reached a crisis level. Edward Aspinall, an Australian National University expert on Indonesian politics, did not expect marijuana crops growing legally in Australia would damage relations with Indonesia. “If it even rates notice among the Indonesian authorities or politicians, it will just be seen as an example of the inappropriately liberal and permissive nature of Western societies,” Aspinall said.

The government said the proposed amendment would meet Australia’s international obligations to ensure that production, manufacture and distribution of marijuana was for medical and scientific purposes only.

A government survey of 24,000 Australians nationwide found in 2013 that 69 percent of respondents supported a change of law to permit cannabis use for medicinal purposes.

Australia commits to legal growing of medicinal marijuana

Representatives from the cities met in Bern on Thursday to discuss how to regulate the sale of cannabis, which is illegal to possess in Switzerland.

If the project is accepted up to 2,000 people will be able to legally use cannabis in the venues - a small share of the 500,000 people who smoke marijuana in Switzerland despite the threat of prison time and fines, 

The projects are proposed to run over four years and will be scientifically monitored, SRF said. Implementation of the clubs, however, is still subject to approval by cantonal governments and the federal office of public health.

Reports of so-called "clubs" offering “state-certified” cannabis for personal use have been circulating since 2014. It has previously been suggested the venues would be adult-only and called “associations of cannabis users”, according to 

At present cannabis bought illegally on the “black market” cannot be taxed by the state, Snadro Cattacin, sociology professor at the University of Geneva an Geneva representatives told SFR. Neither can the government place controls on cannabis products or conduct proper prevention programmes - problems the proposed clubs hope to counter.

According to previous reports, other benefits of the proposed scheme include greater control of elements such as the level of THC, an active ingredient in cannabis, and the use of pesticides.

The proposed pilot plan would also authorise the controlled use of cannabis for young people and adults suffering from problems linked to the drug.

The use and possession of cannabis remains illegal in Switzerland, although enforcement differs widely across the country.

According to the Federal Law on Drugs in Switzerland, production, culture, use and possession of cannabis is punishable by up to three years in prison.

The government liberalised its policies with a law that took effect in October 2013 making the possession of small amounts of cannabis punishable by a set fine of 100 Swiss francs.

The change aimed to reduce the 30,000 or so cannabis-related cases clogging Swiss courts annually.

‘Cannabis clubs’ may be opening in four Swiss cities

, African Experts and practitioners talks about the problematic issue of drug use. They call for support for the drug users instead of punishing them. The documentary also features reformed drug users sharing their experiences on how rehabilitation centres have helped them to come out of their addiction. Drug policy must be grounded on human rights and public health.

Support Don't Punish drug users in West Africa - Ghana Chapter

The initial text of the recommendation called on the municipality to implement this measure "immediately" but the wording was eventually changed at the request of Members of Citizens For Lisbon. Also, it was added that civil society and professional service providers working in the area should be consulted before the opening of DCRs.

On behalf of BE, James Ivo Cruz stressed that the measure "is unanimously embraced by professionals," and has already been introduced "in more than 70 towns and cities." The representative regretted the delay in implementing this initiative in Lisbon.

The president of the Board of the Lumiar district, who is supposed to open the first drug consumption room, stressed that "it is essential" to have the support of the community living next to these services. "We have to win over the community to support the cause," said Pedro Delgado Alves, who emphasised that in his case it has been already achieved.

He said that in his neighborhood in Lumiar, residents are often confronted with people using drugs on the stairways of buildings. "It is a dramatic reality," noted Pedro Delgado Alves.

He explained that the creation of a consumption room in the area of Alta de Lisboa has been planned by the Drug Group of the Social Committee of the Lumiar District, with the involvement of local institutions and organisations such as the General-Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (SICAD), a governmental agency coordinating drug policies in Portugal.

The recommendation divided the Social Democratic Party (PSD): one deputy voted against, five abstained, and the rest voted in favor. The Conservative People's Party (CDS) and the centre-right Green Party (MPT) abstained, while Socialists (PS) and other parties voted in favor.

The municipals assembly of Lisbon decided to open drug consumption rooms as soon as possible

In April, the world will come together to talk about drugs. The United Nations will host a General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS), the most significant high-level international drug policy event in almost two decades. At the last UNGASS in 1998, the international community met under the slogan "A drug free world - We can do it!" and committed itself to this unrealistic goal. Fortunately, we've come a long way since then. This time, when global leaders meet at the UN to discuss drugs once again, the farce of a drug free world will be far away. Influential voices from around the world are calling for new approaches to drug policy, countries and cities are experimenting with innovative reforms, and a global movement has emerged calling for an end to the failed prohibitionist policies of the past. From April 18 to 21, people from all over the world will be descending upon New York City to demand change.

The UN shapes international drug policy. National drug laws must adhere to three UN treaties on drugs that prohibit the production and supply of certain drugs, and criminalize people who use them. The most significant of these treaties, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, was ratified in 1961, over half a century ago. These treaties represent an outdated framework from a bygone time. There is ample evidence of the overwhelming failure of drug prohibition, and the human costs associated with it. This includes mass incarceration for drug offenses in the US, hundreds of thousands killed in drug war violence in Latin America, insufficient access to treatment and harm reduction services around the world, environments and livelihoods destroyed in forced crop eradication, and thousands executed for drug offenses, not to mention the fact that neither drug use nor supply has diminished.

At the 1998 UNGASS, instead of using the opportunity to critically evaluate the global drug control regime, countries decided to perpetuate the failed policies of the past. But things have since shifted. There is growing consensus even within the UN that these policies do not work. And we have a strong movement of individuals and groups affected by the war on drugs that will come to NY in April to appeal to the UN to use the historic opportunity of this UNGASS to charter a different path for international drug policy. These groups will be rallying under Stop the Harm, a diverse, broad, and powerful movement of organizations from around the world who have united around one common purpose: rectifying the catastrophic failures of the current global drug policy regime through campaigning for a new course firmly grounded in health, compassion, and human rights.

The war on drugs takes a center stage at the United Nations as global leaders and international activists assemble in NY

In 2001 the use of all drugs was decriminalised meaning possession of drugs was now identified as a public health issue rather than a criminal offence. Today, whilst drugs remain illegal, users do not receive a criminal record and are instead referred to rehabilitation and treatment programmes. Drug related deaths, HIV infection rates and use of legal highs are at an all-time low.

This edition of My Perfect Country traces the development of the policy over the last 15 years and asks whether other countries should use this model for their own legislation on drug control. The architect of Portugal’s policy Joao Goulao explains how the policy was implemented and Doctor Rodrigo Coutinho explains how it was taken on by health services. Our roving ambassador hears from the volunteers of mobile units that doesn’t wait for patients to come to them and hears emotional recovery stories from former users. The My Perfect Country panel of presenter Fi Glover, academic Henrietta Moore, professor Alex Stevens from Kent University of Tony Duffin of the Ana Liffey drug project in Ireland discuss how far Portugal’s policy has been successful and whether it would work in the perfect country.

My perfect country: Portugal

The Special Session of the General Assembly on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS 2016) will be convened from 19 – 21 April 2016 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The UNGASS will feature a general debate plenary and five interactive, multi-stakeholder round tables conducted in parallel with the plenary.

A selection process is now open to identify speakers from civil society, the scientific community, academia, youth groups and other relevant stakeholders that may participate in the special session. Eleven (11) speakers will be selected: six (6) for the plenary and five (5) - one for each of the interactive round tables. Please note that travel funding is available for speakers chosen through this process. The final selection of speakers will be made by the Office of the President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with the Civil Society Task Force (CSTF) for UNGASS 2016. For more information on the CSTF, please click here.

The following criteria will be used when selecting speakers:

Must represent an organization actively working in the drug field and be authorized to speak on behalf of that organization;

Geographical balance and in the case of equal qualification, representatives from the Global South will be prioritised;

Thematic balance in terms of approaches to drug policies;

The call is open to representatives of ECOSOC and non-ECOSOC accredited NGOs.

In addition, selected representatives must:

be able to speak compellingly within the context of an intergovernmental plenary or the respective round table;

be available to be in New York on 19 April;

have a visa for travel to New York, if applicable, or be able to obtain one within 4 weeks for travel to New York. The selected speakers will be responsible for obtaining the visa for travel and for any costs associated with obtaining the visa.

To apply to speak at UNGASS 2016, please complete the form available here.

For more information about the special session, please visit the website.

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

Applications for speakers at the Special Session of the General Assembly on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS 2016) now open

It wasn’t until several years after the birth of the couple's daughter that they learned the mother had contracted the hepatitis C virus (HCV) during an operation shortly after her pregnancy.

They also soon learned that, in Kyrgyzstan, the best options for treating hepatitis C were only for the rich—an effective medicine called Pegasys (pegylated interferon) would cost as much as $25,000 for the treatment cycle. But help came in the nick of time—a representative from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health was going to India to secure access to an affordable generic version of sofosbuvir, a new hepatitis C treatment. After a month of treatment on these generics, the mother's viral load was down to zero.

They were lucky—there are 220,000 other people in Kyrgyzstan infected with hepatitis C, the vast majority of whom can’t afford $25,000 worth of treatment.

Sofosbuvir is on the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines. At the end of 2015, three generic versions of this high-efficiency drug were registered in the Kyrgyz Republic. Two versions are made in India and one in Egypt, all permitted by Gilead Sciences, the drug company holding the patent. Supply of these generics in Kyrgyzstan is planned for the near future.

The introduction of the Egyptian drug was made possible by amendments to Kyrgyzstan’s patent law, which were adopted by the parliament after advocacy work by patients suffering from hepatitis C, as well as civil society organizations, including the Open Society Foundations.

The amendments to the patent law not only helped to resolve the issue of HCV treatment, but will also facilitate the supply of high-quality generic drugs for the treatment of cancers, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and other diseases in the future. The previous revision of the law had made it impossible to import high-quality generic versions of drugs protected by manufacturers’ patents. High-quality generics have the same efficiency as “original” drugs, but are affordable for far more patients.

When we began this work in 2011, we were criticized by various organizations and experts who said that HCV treatment will always be expensive for patients in poor countries. But beginning this year, a full three-month HCV treatment course of generic sofosbuvir will cost about $1,000—a small fraction of the cycle of branded pegylated interferon. In addition, the sofosbuvir generics have fewer side effects and are easier to administer than pegylated interferon’s intramuscular injection. Moreover, the new drugs boast 95 percent curability of any HCV genotype, whereas the old treatment regimen curability rate was as low as 45 percent.

Patient organizations and the Open Society Foundations will continue working to reduce drug prices and to secure state funding for treatment of vulnerable groups. The lives of people suffering from HCV and other diseases shouldn’t hang in the balance when affordable generic medicines are merely a legislative victory away.

Kyrgyzstan’s long fight for generic drugs is finally paying off

In my experience, good public policy is best shaped by the dispassionate analysis of what in practice has worked, or not. Policy based on common assumptions and popular sentiments can become a recipe for mistaken prescriptions and misguided interventions.

Nowhere is this divorce between rhetoric and reality more evident than in the formulation of global drug policies, where too often emotions and ideology rather than evidence have prevailed.

Take the case of the medical use of cannabis. By looking carefully at the evidence from the United States, we now know that legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes has not, as opponents argued, led to an increase in its use by teenagers. By contrast, there has been a near tripling of American deaths from heroin overdoses between 2010 and 2013, even though the law and its severe punishments remain unchanged.

This year, between April 19 and 21, the United Nations General Assembly will hold a special session on drugs and the world will have a chance to change course. As we approach that event, we need to ask ourselves if we are on the right policy path. More specifically, how do we deal with what the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has called the "unintended consequences" of the policies of the last 50 years, which have helped, among other things, to create a vast, international criminal market in drugs that fuels violence, corruption and instability? Just think of the 16,000 murders in Mexico in 2013, many of which are directly linked to drug trafficking.

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