Many members of the expert Civil Society Forum on Drugs (inlcuding the outgoing chair, Eberhard Schatz) expressed their concern about the Action Plan on Drugs (2013-16), failure to adequately cover, and give clear indicators in regard to, harm reduction inteventions. Harm reduction objectives are subordinated to treatment and recovery objectives. This is a step back from the political commitment of the previous Action Plan, which had more specific objectives and indicators to ensure that harm reduction programs are scaled up. For instance, the previous Action Plan had specific objectives to scale up opiate substitution treatment in prisons – this is missing from the current plan.

The Civil Society Forum on Drugs is an expert group of the European Commission. It serves as a platform for dialogue between the EC and civil society. In 2013, 40 NGOs (including our own Drug Policy Program) were selected to be members of the Forum for a two-year period. A rich diversity of groups are represented at the Forum, covering most regions, professional fields and ideological approaches. Some NGOs focus on harm reduction, others on primary prevention. There are representatives of drug user communities and those who self-identify as recovered addicts. There are members who support drug prohibition, while others speak out for drug regulation. This diversity gives the Forum an advantage, because it enables it to express the complexity of the drug phenomenon.

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

Civil society expresses concerns over EU Action Plan on Drugs

In order to expand coverage of harm reduction by reaching hidden people who inject drugs (PWID) (out of any intervention inclusive of MMT or NSP service), an innovative approach, the Peer Driven Intervention (PDI) is adopted and applied since June 2013 in Chenghua district, one of three sites of CAHR project in China (two in Chengdu city and one in Yunnan) where the pilot project is run by #4 hospital in partnership with AIDS Care China.

PDI concept and methodology are of a “chain-referral” outreach model to educate PWID in the community along with provision of safe injection products and other relevant services to prevent HIV and related diseases spread. PDI approach in Chenghua aims to reach 1000 PWID minimum in communities who are out of MMT in the next 6 months.

Peer Driven Intervention delivers first results in China

To provide technical support to HAARP Cambodia Program to enable the Country Support Unit (CSU) to effectively and efficiently manage and implement the program in Cambodia. In doing so, contribute to the achievement of high quality development outcomes for AusAID.

The annual remuneration package is 80,000 USD commensurate with skills and experience.

AusAID’s HIV/AIDS Asia Regional Program (HAARP) in Cambodia recruits harm reduction specialist

Earlier this year I visited the San Patrignano drug rehabilitation centre in northern Italy. I am pleased to meet Mrs. Letizia Moratti again,who is the President of San Patrignano, who kindly introduced and showed all the facilities and allowed me to meet the people.

There, more than 1,200 young women and men from 28 countries are learning how to free themselves from the curse of addiction so they can enjoy dignified, productive lives.

Today, in Vienna, at a special meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the United Nations launched the World Drug Report 2013. The Report is the foundation for understanding and responding to this transnational challenge.

It shows heroin and cocaine use declining in some areas, but other threats emerging, such as new psychoactive substances and prescription drug abuse. It highlights how, in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras between 2004 and 2011, the homicide rate was more than double the rate seen in Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan. And it shows how, in Guinea-Bissau, corruption and organised crime networks are undermining development, the rule of law and the democratic process. This is a critical, transnational problem that demands a global response.

They must include robust law enforcement, and use all the tools of the conventions on drugs, corruption, transnational organized crime and terrorism. But the rule of law is only part of the equation. We also need prevention and treatment approaches rooted in science, public health and human rights.

Ban Ki-Moon remarks on the International Day against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking

New psychoactive substances (NPS) have changed the nature of the global drugs market. Substances that are not under international control, but mimic the effects of controlled substances, are now widely available.

G8 member states, the UN and the EU are committed to work together in developing a better understanding of NPS, and are committed to reducing the production, manufacture, distribution and demand for NPS.

New psychoactive substances in the UK: G8 statement on collection and sharing of data

On the occasion of June 26, 2013; the "International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" and the "International Day in Support of Victims of Torture", the Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association (MENAHRA) commends the countries of the region that have moved towards the adoption and implementation of harm reduction strategies.

Drug use: A public health and human rights problem

Drug trafficking in the so-called Golden Triangle region of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand is an evolving threat. A China-led anti-drug campaign in the three countries has helped stem the surging drug activity, with more than 1,000 arrests and 3 tonnes of drugs seized since April. But for Thailand, the war against narcotics appears to be far from won.

Thailand war on drugs failure

Last week, the Deputy PM Chalerm Yoobumrung visited the Northeast of Thailand, where he pressured provincial officers to make their province a “white province” (drug-free province) within 90 days. The Deputy PM has called on all officers to urgently address their weaknesses in drug control, in terms of suppressing the supply of drugs and reducing the numbers of people who use drugs. The Deputy PM also stated that he is preparing to propose amendments to the Narcotics Act to change the period of execution for drug-related offences after the Supreme Court hands down its verdict imposing the death penalty from within 60 days to 7 days. Last year, he had proposed to shorten the period within which execution would take place to 15 days.

This is a summary of a news article in The DPM entitled “Chalerm tightens drug suppression in Korat (Nakorn Ratchasima) province”, published on 11 June 2013. (in Thai only)

Thailand to shorten time to execute drug dealers

The following advertisement, paraphrased for brevity, is currently running in the US state of Colorado, and in slightly edited form across the entire United States: "Needed urgently, 64 tonnes of marijuana, FOB payment $84.48 million, completely legal, opportunity to build business 50-fold."

The question is whether Thailand should answer the advert, and further, should Thailand sue the United States at the World Trade Organisation when Washington gets all huffy that another country's farmers.

Comparisons with the serious drug trade are difficult, because criminals have a lot more expenses (and stress) than government-licensed drug traffickers. But in 1988, the "Super Star gang" from Bangkok was caught while trying to smuggle 72 tonnes of marijuana into the United States, which supposedly would gross the gang $280 million _ "supposedly" being an important word.


A Thai outlet in cannabis drug law reforms in USA

A police working group led by Royal Thai Police adviser Wuthi Liptapallop has found that 292 Thai women have been charged with drug smuggling offences in 35 countries since 2010.

Police have launched a campaign to prevent Thai women from being lured into working for foreign drug networks.

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

Hundreds of Thai women jailed abroad with drug trafficking charges

"เฉลิม" ลงพื้นที่ จ.นครราชสีมา มอบนโยบายยาเสพติด หวังทำจังหวัดสีขาว ขู่ 90 วัน แก้ปัญหาไม่เป็นผล เชือดผู้ว่าฯ-ผู้การ โวเตรียมเสนอแก้กฎหมายยาเสพติดประหารชีวิตหลังพิพากษาใน 7 วัน...

วันนี้ (11 มิ.ย. 56) ที่อาคารสุรพัฒน์ 2 ภายในมหาวิทยาลัยเทคโนโลยีสุรนารี อ.เมือง จ.นครราชสีมา ร.ต.อ.เฉลิม อยู่บำรุง รองนายกรัฐมนตรี ในฐานะผู้อำนวยการศูนย์อำนวยการพลังแผ่นดินเอาชนะยาเสพติดแห่งชาติ (ศพส.) เป็นประธานมอบนโยบาย และเร่งรัดการดำเนินงานตามปฏิบัติการพลังแผ่นดินเอาชนะยาเสพติดอย่างยั่งยืน ปี 2556 พร้อมด้วย พล.ต.อ.อดุลย์ แสงสิงแก้ว ผบ.ตร. พล.ต.อ.พงศพัศ พงษ์เจริญ เลขาธิการ ป.ป.ส. พล.ต.อ.วุฒิ ลิปตพัลลภ รอง ผบ.ตร. (ที่ปรึกษา สบ10) รวมทั้ง ส.ส.พรรคเพื่อไทย อาทิ นายวิรัช รัตนเศรษฐ นายศิรสิทธิ์ เลิศด้วยลาภ และ ส.ส.พรรคภูมิใจไทย นายประนอม โพธิ์คำ ให้กับผู้ว่าราชการจังหวัดนครราชสีมา ผู้บังคับการตำรวจภูธรจังหวัด ผู้กำกับการสถานีตำรวจภูธร และเจ้าหน้าที่ฝ่ายปกครอง ในพื้นที่ทั้ง 32 อำเภอของ จ.นครราชสีมา รวม 4,800 คน

อ่านบทความเต็มรูปแบบที่นี่

สมัครสมาชิก แจ้งเตือนทุกเดือน IDPC จะได้รับข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับประเด็นที่เกี่ยวข้องกับนโยบายยาเสพติด

รองนายกฯ ขันนอตปราบยาเสพติดโคราชชูจังหวัดสีขาว

On June 4, 5, and 6, the Organization of American States (OAS) held a meeting of its General Assembly in Antigua, Guatemala. The meeting concluded with agreement that an extraordinary session of the General Assembly would be convened in 2014 to discuss drug policy. Although drug policy was clearly the focus of the session, Latin American opposition to U.S. policy toward Cuba was also on display, with Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela and Haiti leading the call for change. The foreign minister of Panama (which will host the Summit of the Americas in 2015) called for the formation of an ad hoc commission to address the issue of Cuba’s inclusion. These statements came at the same time that several Caribbean countries issued a joint statement opposing Cuba’s inclusion on the U.S. State Department’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

In a podcast recorded on June 11, WOLA senior associates Adam Isacson and John Walsh, together with WOLA program director Geoff Thale, discussed the complex political dynamics at play in the OAS and the state of the drug policy debate. Thale, who coordinates WOLA’s Cuba program, highlighted the ways that the United States’ rigid approach to Cuba policy undercuts its other foreign policy goals in the region.

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