Latin America

News19 May 2025

The Harm Reduction International Conference has come to an end: what happens next?

HR25 showcased the power of community, civil society and governmental leadership to advance justice and rights-affirming drug policies and services.

News16 April 2025

La ventana que se cierra: crónica política y legal de la cannabis en el México del Siglo XXI

El impulso para la regulación del cannabis ha ido creciendo durante décadas en México, pero un régimen político reacio y una retórica punitiva en aumento están amenazando ese progreso.

News7 April 2025

Facts, not fear: Inside Mexico’s pioneering drug harm reduction programs

Organisations like Instituto RIA and PrevenCasa offer free, non-judgemental services, despite a near-total lack of public funding.

News5 March 2025

What you need to know about the criminal groups the US just labeled ‘terrorists’

Criminalised supply networks are harmful, but designating them as terrorist groups is an ill-fitting response that will disproportionately harm vulnerabilised people.

Publications26 February 2025

Righting a historical wrong: The UN review of the international status of the coca leaf

IDPC provides background information on the scheduling of the coca leaf in the international drug control treaties, outlines the ECDD coca review process, and makes the human rights case for the removal of the plant from the treaty schedules.

Events

Understanding the coca leaf review process: A conversation with experts about the cultural and scientific value of the coca plant and the WHO review process

New York, United States / Online

31 January 2025

The event will explore the cultural, scientific, and policy dimensions of the coca WHO review process.

News19 December 2024

Bolivia: Despite progress, tackling overcrowding in prisons remains pressing

The delegation of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture noted how private drug treatment facilities are not subject to adequate control and supervision, fueling violence and injustice against people who use drugs.

News13 November 2024

Coca leaf review: a reckoning for global drug control — IDPC statement at the 2024 CND thematic discussions

IDPC calls on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to right a historical wrong by supporting the critical review of the coca leaf and ultimately approve its descheduling.

Events

76th regular session of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)

Washington D.C., United States

19 November 2024 - 22 November 2024

The session's agenda includes discussions on related issues, including synthetic drug use, intersections with human rights, and a gender-focused approach.

News13 October 2024

Indigenous rights, knowledge and expertise should be centred in coca leaf review - IDPC statement to the 47th WHO ECDD

IDPC calls on WHO's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) to rectify the historical error of the coca leaf scheduling, affirming Indigenous rights, and ensuring their involvement throughout the review process.

Events

Addressing the fentanyl overdose crisis effectively: evidence from the border and beyond

Online

10 October 2024 - 10 October 2024

Join experts in a webinar hosted by WOLA as they explore adverse effects of militarised drug policies and the need for effective, rights-based solutions to the overdose crisis.

Publications2 October 2024

Visit to Mexico - Report of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

The expert group recommended the government abandons the punitive approach to drug use and dealing, and seek alternatives to detention.

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