A high-profile criminal trial, involving a group of young people and a young woman’s tragic death following MDMA use, has gripped Belarus.

On 4 August 2018, eight young people gathered in the apartment of Diana L (full name withheld) and took around 300mg of MDMA each (spread over two doses of MDMA), an amount considered to be heavy dosage.

After taking the second dose, Diana felt sick, began having spasms, and died soon after; she had been taking antidepressant drugs, and was likely unaware that combining such medication with MDMA can lead to serotonin syndrome – a potentially deadly condition. Her friends attempted to resuscitate her, but did not call emergency services for about an hour due to their fear of prosecution under the country’s repressive drug laws.

Belarus MDMA death case highlights danger of prohibition

4 December 2018 - Finland, Germany and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Myanmar Country Programme have signed agreements for a total of 6.1 million euro to extend the alternative development programme which provides farmers in drug-crop growing areas with viable alternatives to producing illicit crops. The programme runs in Southern Shan State Myanmar and will be extended for a second phase until December 2022.

In 2012, the Government of Myanmar requested UNODC to support the implementation of a cease-fire arrangement between the Government and some Ethnic Armed Groups through the provision of alternative development projects in South Shan State, which accounts for 90 per cent of the opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar. These projects can help the cease-fire by both reducing illicit drugs that fuel and finance conflict, and by enabling farmers to secure their livelihoods by legal means, such as planting licit crops such as coffee.

In South Shan State the first coffee was planted in 2014 and since then, the alternative development programme in Myanmar achieved significant results. UNODC now works with farmers in 55 villages, implementing a long-term strategy that involves supporting the shift from opium production to high-value permanent and sustainable cash crops, while respecting the environment and promoting gender equality.

Finland and Germany support UNODC programme that helps Myanmar farmers shift from opium production to coffee cultivation

Our actions are aimed to ensure that the following measures are taken in the countries of CEECA: Drug use, possession and purchase of drugs should no longer be a criminal or administrative crime; Drug dependence should no longer be an aggravation but should be considered as a basis for social and medical care provision» – that is how our Position Paper on Drug Policy was formulated after hot and long discussions between EHRA members. It is first time when members are developing joint position needed for developing concrite advocacy steps on regional and national levels.

Criminalization of drugs use and possession costs to society too much, in some countries it could be 5-10 times more expensive then support person in freedom with harm reduction services and unemployment wages – that are conclusions of assessment conducted by EHRA in 26 countries in CEECA region – Criminalization cost.

EHRA2018 in pictures

The Israeli Parliament (the "Knesset"), passed the 16th amendment to Dangerous Drugs Ordinance on December 25, that concerns the governance and regulatory aspects of exporting medical cannabis from Israel. Subsequently, Israel is poised to be a top-earning, global hub in the marijuana market.

The Knesset's measure was approved unanimously by 21 votes. Following the vote, the Minister of Internal Security, Gilad Erdan, approved. (Minister Gilad previously disapproved such actions; however, his party is currently up for re-election.)

The bill passed the Knesset's internal affairs committee and two additional votes in the Knesset's grand hall. The legislation authorizes the Israeli Police to conduct supervision of cannabis farms, and grant approvals for cultivating, growing and exporting of cannabis and cannabis-related products. Police involvement clears a legal obstacle necessary for the final approval of export of medical marijuana from the country, during 2019, expectedly.

Israeli parliament passes bill allowing export of medical marijuana

This week the Hawks received all-round praise after 706kg of cocaine was found on a ship in transit from Brazil to India. Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeva, national head of the Hawks, said: "By confiscating this cargo, we have severed the supply chain. But the war on drugs has neither been lost nor won. We are still going to put more effort in targeting the supply of these dangerous dependence producing substances.

But he is wrong, the supply chain has not been severed, and the war on drugs has, by its own measure, been lost. The seizure was big by any standards, but 700kg of seized cocaine will not make an iota of difference to the price or availability of drugs in the local or global market.

Tom Wainwright, in Narconomics, his excellent book describing the way drug cartels operate, explains that demand is so high that attempts to increase the cost of drugs to the end user, through supply reduction, do not work. The total production of cocaine in 2016 (the latest figures available in the UN Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report) was up 25% from 2015 figures, and hectares under coca cultivation increased from 156,900 to 213.000 between 2006 and 2017,

Despite international law enforcement spending billions on countering the cultivation of crops of opium poppy, coca and cannabis, there has been no reduction in supply or increase in price, and purity has risen. About 18.2 million people between 16 and 64 used cocaine and a quarter of a billion people used unregulated drugs. That is a lot of demand, a lot of supply, and a lot of money to fund political campaigns, buy protection and Influence law enforcement.

By request a better picture of my article, hopefully it can be read! pic.twitter.com/vffEejWFZ2

— shaun shelly (@shaunshelly) January 14, 2019

The war on drugs is a war on the poor - It's time to rethink policies that don't work

The Malaysian Law Minister, Liew Vui Keong, has urged the government to review the country's Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 to ensure that law enforcement efforts focus on drug supply, rather than punishing people with addiction.

An unofficial translation of the press release published today, on 17 January, follows:

At a meeting of the Cabinet Committee to Combat Drugs, chaired by the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Dato 'Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Binti Dr. Wan Ismail, and held this morning in Putrajaya, discussions took place on matters raised during a previous meeting of the Committee.



The meeting was attended by the Honourable Minister of Interior, Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Yassin; the Youth and Sports Minister, Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman; the Honourable Minister of Law, Datuk Liew Vui Keong; the Minister of National Unity and Social Wellbeing, National Integrity, Waythamoorthy Ponnusamy; and the National Anti-Drugs Agency and Royal Malaysian Police.



The Law Minister, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, expressed the view that drug use needs to be understood as a health issue and managed by the health sector, rather than the criminal justice system.



He said drug use and addiction were the result of complex biological and social factors, such as genetic predispositions, psychological factors and environmental influences. And, thus, that law enforcement should focus on drug trafficking instead of punishing people who use drugs.



He further added that the dominance of law enforcement on matters of illicit drug use was not only ineffective, but has created adverse health consequences for those affected and led to huge government spending.



This is evident when people who live with addiction are discharged from compulsory drug rehabilitation centres, only to relapse due to a lack of continued support and encouragement to help them fight this illness.



Thus, the Minister said, some sections of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 should be reviewed to amend the current punitive approach.







Datuk Liew Vui Keong



Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law)



Putrajaya

17 January 2019

'Enforcement should be focused on drug smuggling, not punishing people who use drugs' - Malaysian Law Minister

Bangkok (14 January 2019) – The Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD) has released 11 short films that are developed around issues of people who use drugs, particularly in the countries in South and Southeast Asian regions. The short films were submitted by filmmakers who have been part of the event “ANPUD Short Films Competition 2018”. The competition was launched in July 2018 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of ANPUD.

One of the viewers of ANPUD’s YouTube channel commented on a short film from the Philippines saying,

“While watching, the only way to not get my heart shattered into million pieces is to pretend I don’t have one…. pretending to be heartless, as heartless as President Duterte!!!”.

The short films depict the environmental (or contextual) realities in which drug using communities have been compelled to suffer from many forms of human rights abuses. These realities have been told in many platforms and are only one small aspect of the lives of people who use drugs. Each short film that ANPUD has released will tell or reveal truths about various aspects of their lives that have either been generally ignored or painted as evil and inhuman with moral/political inks.

Visit ANPUD's website to access all 11 short films.

“Our stories have a lot more to offer than how we have been painted for decades”: ANPUD releases 11 short films that can change your perspective on people who use drugs

The Government has passed its medicinal cannabis bill, which will establish a regulated scheme within a year and give those close to death a legal defence before then.

After a long road to third reading the bill passed on Tuesday afternoon with the support of Labour, the Greens, and NZ First.

Both the Greens and NZ First won some concessions to the bill, which has been criticised by medicinal marijuana advocates for not going far enough - and by National as "decriminalisation by stealth".

New Zealand: Medicinal cannabis bill passes, with regulated market promised within a year and a legal defence until then

A new study from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shines a light on the escalating opioid crisis. Last year, more than 70,000 people died because of drug overdoses in the United States. Opioids were responsible for nearly 50,000 of those deaths. Those numbers, which are the highest on record, are behind a three-year decline in the country’s life expectancy.

Still, few major foundations work on substance abuse while top philanthropists have been reluctant to get involved in combating the crisis. Michael Bloomberg recently emerged as an exception to that rule.

Bloomberg Philanthropies has pledged $50 million to fighting the epidemic. Vital Strategies, the Pew Charitable Trust, Johns Hopkins University and the CDC join Bloomberg on the endeavor, which will span 10 states, starting with Pennsylvania.

USA: Finally, a leading mega-giver steps up for the opioid crisis as the death toll rises


Under Pennsylvania’s drug delivery resulting in death statute, a man faces up to 40 years in prison for sharing heroin with a woman who overdosed.
On Nov. 2, 2016, Shannon Fashian died inside the home of Glenn Perella in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, from a heroin overdose. Fashian’s overdose was treated like a crime scene by the police who searched Perella’s home while medical personnel attempted to revive the 28-year-old.
Even though Perella, 54, tried to save Fashian’s life by administering opioid reversal drug naloxone, calling 911, and remaining by her side until help arrived, the Bethel Park Police Department charged him with felony drug delivery resulting in death. Police said Perella bought heroin for Fashian, who then shared half the purchase with him.
Under Pennsylvania’s drug delivery resulting in death statute, Perella faces up to 40 years in state prison if convicted. In order to be charged with the crime, which is considered a criminal homicide, a defendant has to only provide or sell drugs to another person who used them, overdosed, and died. There is no requirement that the individual who sold or shared drugs ever intended to cause the death.

USA: Man charged with homicide for sharing drugs with woman who later died

State and territory leaders will face a national campaign calling for pill-testing led by young people, the group that might argue it has the most to lose from governments baulking at the idea.

A day after the New South Wales coroner announced it would investigate five recent deaths at music festivals, Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia will launch the Be Heard Not Harmed campaign at Melbourne’s Revolver nightclub.

“Young people are going to be the ones to make this change happen,” said Nick Kent, the national director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. “We’re going around in circles with this debate and it’s remarkable to hear people talking about it whilst excluding those who are most affected.”

 Australian students launch national campaign to pressure MPs to allow pill-testing

Uganda Harm Reduction Network calls for a quick intervention in the human rights violations against people who use drugs and other psychotropic substances.

This follows the brutal arrest humiliation and detention of 17 drug users including foreign signatories by police on allegations of using drugs in different bars on 5th/01/2019 in Kabalagala Suburbs of Kampala. UHRN works to advocate for practical interventions aimed at supporting and addressing issues of human rights violations among people who use drugs.

We are deeply concerned by the deteriorating circumstances in which punitive enforcement of laws including; inhuman treatment and torture of drug users undermines their public health While there are no express provisions in the constitution protecting drug users` rights, there are basic protections that are enshrined in the constitution and in the laws of Uganda which protect the rights of all persons.

For instance; The right to freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment: the constitution in Article 24 requires respect for human dignity and provides that no person shall be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. This provision finds particular application in the context of arrests of drug users

Article 20 (1) of the convention on Psychotropic Substance of 1971 requires all state parties to take all practical measures for the prevention of abuse and psychotropic substances and for the early identification, treatment and education after care rehabilitation and social reintegration of all persons who use drugs.

The Uganda Harm Reduction Network is concerned that the criminalization and increased brutal arrests and degrading treatment of drug users will continue to push people who use drugs into the shadows since the government has positioned drug use as a criminal justice issue rather than a health issue.

We call for: Respect of the rights of people who use drugs; A human rights and public health approach in dealing with drug use; and Adoption of harm reduction interventions for people who use drugs

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