Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina and other government officials said repeatedly this week that they are considering legalizing and regulating opium poppy production in areas where it is already being grown illicitly.

"We started exploring the capacity that we could have for controlled planting," said Perez Molina. "What that means is that we would know exactly what extensions are being planted, what the production would be and that the sale would also be well controlled, especially for medicinal use."

Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez said the government was considering both regulated legal cultivation and alternative development.

"There are two paths, one is cultivated substitutes, and the other is the alternative which is controlled cultivation," Lopez explained. "This is what is already being done in other countries such as India and China, that is to say identifying hectares clearly, seeing how they are grown, carrying out the harvest, taking control of the commercialization and above all making sure this serves mainly the pharmaceutical industry."

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

Guatemala considers legalizing opium growing for medicinal market

appointed 15 high-level scientists to serve on the agency’s 

 for the period 2014–16. The selection followed a call for expressions of interest in the Official Journal of the European Union in February this year which yielded 79 eligible applications. The new members have been informed today of the Management Board’s decision. The mandate of the current Committee draws to a close at the end of 2013.

The 15 members — selected from the EU Member States and Norway — were chosen, following a public selection process, on the basis of scientific merit and independence and their expertise in the most relevant scientific fields linked to the problems of drugs and drug addiction today. One third of the scientists appointed are new members, while 10 previously served on the Committee. As members are appointed in a personal capacity, they are required to give their opinions independently of their country and of the Community institutions.

EU drugs agency announces Scientific Committee line-up for next three years


Remembering the Rio Declaration of 2011 that acknowledged the limited efficacy that repressive law enforcement policies have on the trade and use of illegal drugs. Calling on the police to develop smarter drug enforcement strategies in collaboration with other government sectors and society members.

Based on the discussions at the 2013 International Conference on Drug Policy and Policing, a set of principles on drug law enforcement practice are proposed.

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

The Frankfurt principles on drug law enforcement

With nearly a month to go before their signature-gathering deadline, organizers of an Alaska marijuana legalization initiative are well-placed to qualify for the ballot, but it's not a sure thing yet. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana told local media outlets last week they have already gathered almost 45,000 signatures, nearly half again the 31,169 valid voter signatures they need to take the issue to voters.

Campaigners said they would continue to seek signatures up until a January 21 deadline. Initiative campaigners want a healthy number of excess signatures because they must assume that some number of signatures will be deemed invalid.

A common rule of thumb is that 25% to 30% of gathered signatures will be ruled invalid. As things now stand, if 30% of the signatures were found invalid, it would barely qualify.

If the measure qualifies for the ballot, Alaska could become the next state to legalize marijuana because even if other states qualify initiatives for the November ballot, Alaskans would vote on their measure in August.

Alaska marijuana legalisation petition passes goal

The Directorate General Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) of the European Commission invites non-governmental organisations and networks to apply for a membership of the EU HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum (CSF). The involvement of civil society is one of the cornerstones of European HIV/AIDS policy as presented in the Commission communication "on combating HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries, 2009-2013" (COM/569/2009)pdf(62 KB) Choose translations of the previous link.

The HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum is composed of NGOs and other civil society organisations from EU Member States, Candidate and accession countries, EEA countries, and selected countries belonging to the European Neighborhood Policy area.

The aim of the Forum is to facilitate and improve the exchange between civil society organisations across Europe and to support the HIV/AIDS Think Tank and DG SANCO on matters related to the response HIV/AIDS. The CSF meetings are organised twice per year in close co-operation with the co-chairs, currently representatives of AIDS Action Europe (AAE) and the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG).

Call for expression of interest to become a member of the EU HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum

Needle vending machines could be rolled out for the first time in Victoria this year as part of trial to reduce infection rates among drug users.

Yarra Drug and Health Forum has been investigating a trial as an addition to existing needle exchange programs across Melbourne. The machines are unmarked and contain one-use sterile equipment and disposal bins. Syringes are either provided free or for a small fee such as $2.

Yarra Drug and Health Forum chief executive Greg Denham said restrictive opening hours of programs left a dangerous gap in which users could not access clean equipment.

Most needle exchange programs in Melbourne operate weekdays and between business hours.

''It's a logical next step to make sure we make clean syringes available when they're needed, such as weekends,'' he said.

Needle vending machines trial proposed for Melbourne, Australia

People who use drugs, often comit small crimes to obtain money for the substance. In Bulgaria there are about 2,000 drug users in prison, about 20% of all prisoners. Society expects that the prison "will do" - will punish and correct unwanted behavior. But drug dependence should be treated as a health issue. Could the drug-crime cycle be interrupted if these people had the chance to receive treatment instead of prison? "

Initiative for Health Foundation video

Injecting drug use among adolescents has been largely overlooked in responses to HIV. At Harm Reduction International we have undertaken the first global snapshot of available data on this issue – copies are available outside (And online at http://www.ihra.net/contents/1431 )

National population size estimates are exceptionally rare for this age group. Under 18s are often not included behavioural surveillance. Specific research is quite rare. A lot of what is available is isolated, one off or old. In other words most countries don’t know their epidemic

Early onset of injecting, and having recently begun injecting, have been associated with increased risks of HIV and hepatitis C transmission.

Low ages of initiation are clear across regions. In Nepal, for example,it is estimated that 20% of people who inject may be under 18.

A third of young people who inject reported starting under the age of 15 in Albania – a quarter in Romania. In Indonesia adolescents are almost twice as likely to share needles than older counterparts. They are less likely to test for HIV

In Ukraine it has been estimated that there are just over 50,000 adolescents injecting drugs. According to data from harm reduction services, about 800 were reached last year.

Injecting drug use among adolescents has been largely overlooked in responses to HIV.

At Harm Reduction International we have undertaken the first global snapshot of available data on this issue – copies are available outside (And online at http://www.ihra.net/contents/1431 )

National population size estimates are exceptionally rare for this age group.

Under 18s are often not included behavioural surveillance. Specific research is quite rare. A lot of what is available is isolated, one off or old. In other words most countries don’t know their epidemic

A third of young people who inject reported starting under the age of 15 in Albania – a quarter in Romania.

In Indonesia adolescents are almost twice as likely to share needles than older counterparts. They are less likely to test for HIV

- See more at: http://unaidspcbngo.org/?p=20779#sthash.5xlyNcQg.dpuf

Harm Reduction International’s intervention on youth thematic segment

AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) has become a network of independent local organisations working in the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The new status of AFEW is effective as of November 2013. At the moment, the AFEW Network consists of six members operating in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine; with AFEW in the Netherlands serving as the international secretariat of the Network. The local organizations are a follow up of AFEW’s representative branches that existed until the structural change, and therefore they ensure the continuation of the same high quality project implementation and staff expertise.

With the new organisational structure, AFEW Network has expanded its mission and field of engagement. The Steering Committee met in November in Amsterdam and agreed to prioritise the issues of access to quality health care and the fight against stigma and discrimination.

AFEW Network will continue to promote health and increased access to prevention, treatment and care forpublic health concerns such as HIV, TB, viral hepatitis and sexual reproductive health and rights. The focus and objectives of the members of AFEW Network also have been updated to reflect the local conditions and the needs of the local societies:

Capacity building of local NGOs and governmental organizations;

Development of informational and educational materials and events to inform the target population;

Serving as an effective liaison and partnership with community and governmental structure;

Piloting and expanding innovative approaches to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

“This change in structure will allow each member of the Network to independently make programmatic decisions in response to the changing epidemiological and social environment in the countries,” - said Anke van Dam, executive director of AFEW Network. “Additionally, the new structure will make local organisations eligible to compete for national HIV programme funds.”
The new organisational structure will retain AFEW’s highest standards of transparency and accountability by carrying out regular internal and external audits and each network member having a local board of trustees. Lastly, AFEW Network will continue providing good governance to secure success in project implementation.

AIDS foundation website will be fully launched in January 2014.

AIDS Foundation East-West becomes a network of independent local organisations

At the end of each calendar year, Youth RISE brings together a new group of young harm reduction and drug policy activists, drug users and young people affected by drug policy from around the world to join our International Working Group (IWG). The IWG play a vital role in the work of Youth RISE delivering vital elements of organisations work to ensure Youth RISE is effectively representing young people who use drugs and that the organisation is communicating the needs of young people who use drugs from around the world.

The IWG members, along with the coordinators, take major decisions regarding work plans, advocacy, and strategic planning for the network. The IWG also provide regional representation, experience, guidance and support to Youth RISE enabling it to achieve its goals as well as helping develop the infrastructure needed for the sustainability of the Youth RISE network.

If you would like to be an IWG member for 2014, please read the the terms of reference carefully and see if the role is suited to you.

Click here to have access to more information.

Join Youth RISE's International Working Group for 2014

As the open drugs market in Geneva causes loss of control over a part of the public space and is the main cause of unsafety, a Group composed of different political parties represented in the Senior Committee, meet to make some proposals. Informal meetings have held since summer 2012 and the outcomes are in presented in this document.

The cannabis market represents the main part of this open market. It generates numerous small law offenses that spoil the lives of the citizen of Geneva. This market represents 1 Billion Swiss Francs. The consumption of cannabis has been or will be legalized in many countries. Not only is consumption common in Switzerland but the sentence regarding this offence is just a fine.

After a detailed study of the different solutions experimented and implemented abroad, the Group’s proposal is to test a mock-project in Geneva and to allow the growth, the delivery and the consumption of cannabis and derivatives products like hashish and cannabis oil during three years. This framework would operate through organizations like Social Clubs in Spain and France.

Neither drug consumption nor the number of drug users has increase since the legalized cannabis consumption models have been experimented abroad. In Switzerland, we estimate that there are about 500,000 cannabis users, which represents between 6.25 % and 8.5 % of the population. In the Netherlands, where cannabis consumption is legalized, the proportion of cannabis users is 5.75%.

This solution, which will be combined with an increasing prohibition of the street market, aims at curbing the crime generated by the open market, staying as close as possible to drug users – who are confidentially registered members of cannabis social clubs - , monitoring THC, the active substance of cannabis, and being sure that the produced quantities don’t exceed individual needs. A tax will be implemented.

The Group proposes to launch this pilot project in Geneva – and if possible in cooperation with other major Swiss cities – allowing Bale’s and Zurich’s initiatives to become real, even though they have not proposed a concrete content yet. At this point, the undersigned consider that it’s necessary to make this project public in order to draft a detailed plan and to give the opportunity to political parties and civil society to discuss it.

The Group is aware that the project is limited: cannabis and its derivatives are just a part of the drug market. Undoubtedly, cocaine and heroin consumption has to be severely sentenced and healthcare facilities for drug users should be maintained. This policy will enable the police to be more efficient: they will target just cocaine and heroin. The group is also aware that alcohol consumption abuse is dangerous.

"We" are convinced that troubles regarding this issue deserve a study which is independent from the usual political game. That’s the reason why we have worked on our own behalf and according to the principles of our political parties. We hope that all this will help to launch a sound and constructive debate.

Interparty Party Group of the Geneva Canton (2013) – the cannabis social club: a model effective of regulation of access the cannabis for more of security in the city.

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Interparty Party Group of the Geneva Canton (2013) – the cannabis social club: a model effective of regulation of access the cannabis for more of security in the city

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has just released their data set on injecting drug use and HIV, for comments and review.

Please see below two spreadsheets: one with the estimates for IDU and HIV, and one with data on service access. These data will be published in the World Drug Report 2014. As you may know, there are widespread concerns about the data published in the World Drug Report 2013, and how these have been interpreted - particularly any suggestions of declines in HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs. For more information, please read this informative "Advisory Note" from Harm Reduction International on the topic.

UNODC is inviting comments and data challenges from all stakeholders - so please let them know if you disagree with the data presented for your country, or if there is more recent data available that they have missed.

Please provide comments directly to Phil Davis, from the UNODC Statistics and Surveys Section.

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