Medical professionals have a key role to play in managing the harms associated with illicit drug dependence. This can be in a clinical setting (ie directly managing withdrawal and relapse and in maintenance prescribing) or in advocating for the provision of evidence-based interventions in local areas with a high level of need. There are, however, a limited number of treatment options available for individuals dependent on illicit drugs. Within drug and alcohol treatment services, opiate dependence (including heroin) has the lowest rate of successful treatment, around 28% of those who access services. Despite this, there is strong and consistent evidence to support the approach of OST (opioid substitution treatment), which is routinely used in addiction services throughout the UK. Other substance use treatment options – including supervised consumption rooms and HAT (heroin assisted treatment) – are not routinely used, despite being associated with reduced levels of harm for users. This short briefing aims to raise awareness about these treatments that are being underused, by explaining what they are, what evidence exists for their effectiveness, and what their role is in a UK context.

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

Reducing harm associated with illicit drug use

The mandate on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings has evolved over the years through various resolutions of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission and Council, and in response to violations of the right to life that member States have determined required a response.No international treaty explicitly defines extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. However, such violations of the right to life have been commonly characterized as falling within the “public” domain, i.e., the domain of the State and its institutions, and understood to encompass killings involving State officials or private actors connected to the State, and to include armed conflict situations. While many steps have been taken over the past 20 years to broaden the reach and relevance of international human rights law, including by special procedure mandate holders, historically common characterizations have worked to exclude gender-related killings, which take place mainly in the so-called “private” sphere. When, in its application, the human rights framework fails to regard equally all loss of life, the consequences may be — however unintentionally — the perception that some arbitrary loss of life is of a lesser degree of gravity than other instances of arbitrary death.

Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions 

There are more than 3,100 drug courts operating in the United States. But while the courts’ proponents say they reduce recidivism for people with substance use disorders, critics say the system abuses due process, often mandates treatment for people who don’t actually need it – people without drug dependence – and fails to provide quality care to many who do. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) assessed the availability and quality of substance use disorder treatment through drug courts in three states – Florida, New Hampshire, and New York – and found major obstacles in all three states.

Neither justice nor treatment: Drug courts in the United States

The EU and its Member States reiterated their commitment to the fulfilment of the outcomes of the UNGA Special Session and to the UNGA resolution 71/211, adopted in December 2016; as well as to the work to be implemented by WHO in addressing and countering the world drug problem.

European Union statement at the World Health Assembly on the public health dimension of the world drug problem

The NGO Delegation brings the unique, first-hand experiences and perspectives of people living with HIV and key populations to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Programme Coordinating Board (PCB). Each year, it presents a nongovernmental organizations’ (NGO) report that focuses on a critical emerging issue for affected communities and that is informed by the Delegation’s constituencies. The 2016 NGO Report is entitled An unlikely ending: ending AIDS by 2030 without sustainable funding for the community-led response. This report provides an overview of the global consensus on the need for a well-resourced community response to HIV. It outlines some of the key barriers faced by communities in terms of accessing funding from donors, and provides practical recommendations for improving financing systems so as to better support the community response.

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

Report by the NGO representative: An unlikely ending: ending AIDS by 2030 without sustainable funding for the community-led response

What do the latest data tell us about the European drug market? What are the new trends in drug use among European adults and school students? What are the harms associated with drug use and what is being done to counter them? These and other questions are explored in the 2017 European Drug Report, our annual overview of the drug situation in Europe. 

European Drug Report 2017

In recent years, environmental signals from both formal and informal research and monitoring sources have been indicating critical new developments within Europe’s new psychoactive substances (NPS) market. These include signs of increased and problem use of NPS among a range of demographic groups, including the use of synthetic cathinones by opioid and amphetamine injectors, the injection of synthetic cathinones by certain subgroups of men who have sex with men, reports of potent new synthetic opioids found in heroin products, and the use of synthetic cannabinoids by marginalised populations in some countries. To investigate the circumstances and impact of these developments, a targeted rapid information assessment or ‘trendspotter’ study was initiated by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and carried out between July and October 2016.

High-risk drug use and new psychoactive substances

O presente relatório apresenta um ponto da situação do fenómeno da droga na Europa, com base nas últimas informações disponíveis decorrentes das atividades de monitorização na UE. O corpo do relatório apresenta uma panorâmica europeia do mercado da droga, bem como do consumo de drogas e dos danos e respostas a nível europeu. Esta panorâmica é acompanhada por 30 relatórios nacionais complementares, bem como um extenso conjunto de dados em linha e informação metodológica. Esta secção introdutória apresenta um breve comentário analítico sobre alguns dos principais temas que emergiram dos dados deste ano. Uma vez que os problemas de drogas que a Europa enfrenta são cada vez mais influenciados por acontecimentos a nível internacional e interagem com esses acontecimentos, a análise ganha importância pelo facto de ser efetuada num contexto global mais vasto. No que respeita a dois tópicos importantes, o consumo de canábis entre os jovens e as alterações no mercado de opiáceos, a atual situação na Europa e a sua evolução são comparadas e contrastadas com as da América do Norte e conclui-se que existem semelhanças e diferenças significativas.

Registe-se para recever as Alertas mensais do IDPC e obter informação sobre questões relacionadas com as políticas de drogas.

Relatório Europeu sobre Drogas

La presente relazione offre un’istantanea della situazione delle droghe in Europa sulla base delle informazioni più recenti ottenute dalle attività di monitoraggio dell’UE. Si compone principalmente di una panoramica del mercato della droga, del consumo di sostanze stupefacenti e delle relative risposte a livello europeo. La integrano 30 relazioni nazionali complementari, un’ampia mole di dati online e informazioni di carattere metodologico. La presente sezione introduttiva riporta brevi osservazioni analitiche su alcuni dei temi chiave emersi dai dati di quest’anno. Poiché sui problemi che l’Europa si trova ad affrontare in materia di droga incidono sempre più gli sviluppi a livello internazionale, con i quali interagiscono, l’analisi acquista maggior valore se inserita in un più ampio contesto globale. Per due temi rilevanti, vale a dire il consumo di cannabis tra i giovani e i cambiamenti osservati nel mercato degli oppiacei, l’attuale situazione europea e la sua evoluzione sono confrontate e contrapposte con quelle dell’America settentrionale, desumendone similitudini e differenze significative.

Mantenere up-to-date con gli sviluppi politici droga iscrivendoti al IDPC mensile Alert.

Relazione europea sulla droga

Across the Americas, drug policies have failed to make a significant dent in the drug trade, while corruption and organized crime continue to thrive. At the same time, these harmful drug policies disproportionately fall on the most vulnerable, including poor women who often enter the drug trade because of desperation, lack of opportunity, and coercion. Stuck in a vicious cycle, the incarceration of these women only heightens their situation of vulnerability and takes a toll on their families and communities.

highlights various programs and legal reforms from around the world that promote more effective and humane drug policies. The examples include alternatives to incarceration for low-level, non-violent drug offenders, policy reforms, and health and social programs. Many of the briefs analyze programs specifically tailored toward women in conditions of vulnerability. While the details of each approach vary, their goal is to reduce incarceration rates, protect human rights, address public health concerns related to drug use, and assist individuals in transitioning back into their communities after their release.

 includes background information and a description of the program or reform, in addition to a section detailing outcomes and results. It is important to note, however, that while some of the approaches highlighted in this series have gone through rigorous review processes, others lack the resources to carry out formal evaluations. Despite this reality, the examples put forward in this series have all shown promise in their results.

While these programs are promising, they should not come at the expense of broader drug policy reform. Yet, in the absence of more comprehensive reforms, these innovations can assist communities caught up in vicious cycles of poverty, social exclusion, drug use, involvement in the drug trade, and incarceration.

Gender and drug policy: Exploring global innovative approaches to drug policy and incarceration

In February 2017, a delegation of 8 coca growers from across Colombia traveled to Bolivia to learn about the country’s shift from forced eradication and conditioned alternative development to community coca control and integrated development. Through meetings with civil society, social organizations, and government ministries, the delegation was encouraged to envision how Bolivia’s experiences could apply to Colombia, where coca reduction has emerged as a critical point in the historic post-conflict transition.

Colombia’s government-FARC peace agreement, signed in September 2016, brought renewed vigor to crop reduction programs. Accordingly, officials assert that unlike coca reduction strategies of the past, “alternative development” in a post-conflict environment will achieve unprecedented success. President Santos said “with the FARC’s commitment to help substitute illicit crops we can reach a solution to the drug trafficking problem.”[2] However, a look at the experience of neighbor Bolivia demonstrates that crop substitution programs have failed to combat illicit cultivation in Colombia for structural reasons beyond the armed conflict. Since the agreement, the coexistence of crop substitution programs with violent forced eradication has generated mistrust, and sparked protest among coca farming communities across the country.

Although completely eradicating illicit crop production is impossible given the demand-driven nature of the industry, transforming development programs cooperatively with affected communities could both reduce coca cultivation and secure social peace. To do this, there are a number of lessons Colombia can learn from Bolivia.

Lessons from Bolivia

In that regard, the Hemispheric Plan of Action on Drugs 2016-2020 is a supporting guide for continuing the implementation of the established guidelines in the Hemispheric Drug Strategy (2010) and the commitments undertaken by member states in the Declaration of Antigua, Guatemala, “For a comprehensive policy against the world drug problem in the Americas” (2013); in the Resolution of Guatemala, “Reflections and guidelines to formulate and follow up on comprehensive policies to address the world drug problem in the Americas” (2014); and in the outcome document of the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the world drug problem, held from April 19-21, 2016 in New York City, entitled, “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem” (2016), among other relevant resolutions approved in this area during the past four years. Additionally, the Plan of Action acknowledges the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and notes that the efforts made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to effectively address the world drug problem are complementary and mutually reinforcing.

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