This briefing from TNI summarizes good practices in legislative reforms around the world, representing steps away from a repressive zero-tolerance model towards a more evidence-based and humane drug policy. The examples provide lessons learned in practice about less punitive approaches and their impact on levels of drug use and drug-related harm to the individual and society.
The Home Affairs Comitee visited the Netherlands on 2-3 November 2009 to see scanning operations in place at the container port in Rotterdam and at Schiphol international airport in Amsterdam.
According to a Review in The Lancet, engaging people who misuse drugs into medical care is a challenge. ear of disapproval and stigmatisation often discourages people with drug dependence from seeking health care. But over the past decade, the widespread adoption of harm reduction programmes—which include needle exchange, methadone substitution, and condom distribution—have helped health professionals to address the needs of those who inject drugs.
IHRA in conjunction with OSI have fed into the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ consideration of the State Report of Poland with a briefing to follow up on the mission to Poland of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health, Anand Grover.
The UN Human Rights Council adopted this resolution on access to medicines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health in September 2009.
The UN Human Rights Council adopted this resolution in September 2009 that recognises that a comprehensive package of services for injecting drug users is part of the right to health in the context of HIV prevention.
The International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) has recently launched this new report which brings together and documents the highly publicised and well received keynote speeches by Professor Michel Kazatchkine and Craig McClure at the international harm reduction conference in Bangkok last April.
This survey conducted by the New Zealand Drug Foundation asseses knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, including illicit drugs, prescription medicines, and alcohol in New Zealand.
This submission describes several key human rights priorities and provides recommendations for Kazakhstan’s Government to better respect, protect and fulfill human rights, consistent with its international obligations, in areas of particular relevance to an effective response to HIV.
Tensions are rising in Burma with respect to the cease-fire agreements with ethnic minority groups along the northern border. Cease-fire groups have put their armed forces on high alert. Ethnic conflict must be resolved in order to bring about a lasting political solution in Burma.