North America

US President Nixon launched the "war on drugs" in the 1970s. Today, incarceration, social marginalisation and drug-related deaths have led North America to rethink this strategy. However, although positive developments are happening locally in the fields of harm reduction, alternatives to incarceration, new drug law enforcement approaches and cannabis regulation, the US and Canadian federal governments remain resistant to drug policy reform.

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Results 1 to 20 of 985.

'Safe supply' at heart of regulating illicit drug use, say experts in Canada

International experts urged the Canadian government to tackle 'poisoned' supply, move away from prohibition.

News Alerts June 4, 2019

New US airstrikes obscure a dramatic development in the Afghan drugs industry – the proliferation of low cost methamphetamine

As the US continues its futile laboratory bombing campaign, a growing methamphetamine market flourishes in Afghanistan and its vicinity.

News Alerts June 3, 2019

Women who use drugs: Challenges demand self-led harm reduction

Community-led and gender-specific spaces and services remain incredibly rare.

News Alerts June 3, 2019

Reframing the blame for the war on drugs

#ReframeTheBlame asks for people to look critically at drug policies and push for reform.

News Alerts June 3, 2019

The implementation of overdose prevention sites as a novel and nimble response during an illegal drug overdose public health emergency

The successful implementation of OPS in British Columbia questions the pertinence of lengthy bureaucratic hurdles to life-saving harm reduction initiatives.

Publications May 30, 2019

Dossier: The Violation of a Nation

CIAAG denounces obstructive CDC opioid guidelines and their negative impact on patient's physical condition and quality of life.

Publications May 8, 2019

10,000 opioid-related deaths recorded in Canada from 2016 to 2018

The federal government has announced it will provide an additional $30.5 million over five years to tackle the ongoing crisis.

News Alerts April 24, 2019

Effort to legalize marijuana in New Jersey collapses

Due to domestic party disagreement, the Democrats were unable to pass a bill to legalise cannabis and that to many was an 'urgent' civil rights issue and an opportunity to deal with the consequences of the war on drugs on minorities.

News Alerts April 17, 2019

New cannabis-amnesty bill could pardon 10,000 people, Ottawa says

Critics suggest a better move would be to expunge all convictions.

News Alerts April 15, 2019

We need more focus on how the drug war attacks parents of color

The disproportionate impact of the war on drugs on communities of colour has destructive knock-on effects on families.

News Alerts April 4, 2019

Next-generation single-dose antidotes for opioid overdoses

A promising drug delivery system could improve overdose reversal outcomes.

News Alerts April 4, 2019

Heroin compassion clubs - A cooperative model to reduce opioid overdose deaths & disrupt organized crime’s role in fentanyl, money laundering & housing unaffordability

The BC Centre on Substance Use suggests a membership-based cooperative model would reduce the public health consequences stemming from the poisoning of the illicit drug supply.

Publications March 1, 2019

Is policy ‘liberalization’ associated with higher odds of adolescent cannabis use? A re-analysis of data from 38 countries

Alex Stevens suggests that the impact of cannabis policy "liberalisation" on adolescent cannabis use has been drastically overestimated in previous research.

Publications March 1, 2019

Responding to America's opioids crisis

28 February 2019 15:00-17:00

Washington Office on Latin America, 1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 400

The discussion will discuss options on how to deal with this ever-growing challenge, including the future direction of domestic policy.

Events 20 February 2019

White House priorities opioid abuse in first national drug control strategy

"It lacks imagination, urgency or any real innovation when it comes to tackling one of the biggest crises of our time -- the overdose crisis," (M.Collins, Drug Policy Alliance)

News Alerts February 11, 2019

8th International Conference on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users

11 - 13 September 2019

Le Westin, Montréal, Canada

The objective of the Conference is to create a global network that works with local partners to support health care workers, policy makers, researchers and people who use drugs to increase hepatitis C prevention and care.

Events 11 February 2019

Rethinking drug courts: International experiences of a US policy export

The LSE IDPU argue question the effectiveness of drug courts courts, proposing instead a direction that aims to divert individuals involved with drugs, from the criminal justice system.

Publications February 6, 2019

United States national drug control strategy - 2019

The White House publishes its long-awaited drug control strategy, with the overarching objective of 'building a stronger, healthier, drug free society'.

Publications February 1, 2019

Rights-based approach to overdose epidemic must include decriminalisation

The criminalisation of people who use drugs is inconsistent with human rights norms.

News Alerts February 1, 2019

US Attorney General nominee says he’s “not going after” marijuana in states where it’s legal

Barr would end looming threat posed by predecessor's stance on cannabis regulation.

News Alerts January 30, 2019

International Drug Policy Consortium

North America

'Safe supply' at heart of regulating illicit drug use, say experts in Canada

New US airstrikes obscure a dramatic development in the Afghan drugs industry – the proliferation of low cost methamphetamine

Women who use drugs: Challenges demand self-led harm reduction

Reframing the blame for the war on drugs

The implementation of overdose prevention sites as a novel and nimble response during an illegal drug overdose public health emergency

Dossier: The Violation of a Nation

10,000 opioid-related deaths recorded in Canada from 2016 to 2018

Effort to legalize marijuana in New Jersey collapses

New cannabis-amnesty bill could pardon 10,000 people, Ottawa says

We need more focus on how the drug war attacks parents of color

Next-generation single-dose antidotes for opioid overdoses

Heroin compassion clubs - A cooperative model to reduce opioid overdose deaths & disrupt organized crime’s role in fentanyl, money laundering & housing unaffordability

Is policy ‘liberalization’ associated with higher odds of adolescent cannabis use? A re-analysis of data from 38 countries

Responding to America's opioids crisis

White House priorities opioid abuse in first national drug control strategy

8th International Conference on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users

Rethinking drug courts: International experiences of a US policy export

United States national drug control strategy - 2019

Rights-based approach to overdose epidemic must include decriminalisation

US Attorney General nominee says he’s “not going after” marijuana in states where it’s legal

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