IDPC September Alert 2021

The latest news, publications and events from the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC).

September 2021

Welcome to the IDPC Alert. On 31 August, we joined thousands worldwide in grief and solidarity as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. The untimely and preventable departure of so many of our loved ones reinforces our commitment to bring about fairer drug policies. And reminds us to stand in solidarity with communities disproportionately targeted by intersecting forms of oppression, including Indigenous peoples, as highlighted in this powerful blog post. This Friday, we invite you to join us for a fantastic panel of women leading the charge against the harms of incarceration and punitive drug control. Finally, we encourage civil society colleagues to apply for speaking slots at the upcoming CND thematic discussions on topics related to criminalised economies, corruption and new technologies (Deadline: 20 September).

The IDPC team.

Share your experiences, perspectives and ideas about drug policy issues on the IDPC blog.

Beyond drugs and drug policy: Towards transformative Indigenous liberation

How the global human rights community can further push drug policy reform

Beyond increased cooperation and attention, there is a need to dismantle the idea at the heart of prohibition: that drugs are an 'evil' to be combatted.

INCB, UNODC and WHO joint statement on access to controlled medicines in emergencies

Urgent action is needed to ensure that national systems improve access to controlled medicines for people affected by emergencies, including pandemics.

International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 - WHRIN statement

WHRIN grieves the hundreds of thousands of women who have lost their lives to the war on people who use drugs.

#MoreThan Video Contest – Call for Applications

The video contest is part of the #MoreThan campaign, highlighting that people who use drugs are more than the sum of all labels attached to them by society.

Key principles of harm reduction in homeless settings

The seven principles hinge on: human rights-compliance, meaningful engagement, focus on risks and harms, pragmatism, person-centredness, evidence, and accountability.

South Africa’s cannabis master plan will finally establish a regulated industry

Plans have been criticised for not going far enough in ensuring reparations and the participation of traditional farmers.

Teen use of marijuana does not increase with legalisation, US top drug researcher admits

Head of NIDA concedes pessimistic forecasts on the legal regulation of cannabis have failed to materialise.

Not on the same team: Police presence in health-care settings is at odds with professional obligations and trauma-informed care

The involvement of police may compromise the doctor-patient relationship, patient confidentiality, and the quality and safety of care that all patients deserve.

'An unprecedented achievement anywhere' - Thailand’s decriminalisation of kratom

Scientific research and an unbroken tradition of use are undoing decades of prohibition.

The Philippines' Duterte on International Criminal Court probe: Over my dead body

Duterte rejects offering accountability for the thousands of extrajudicial killings in the country's 'war on drugs'.

Big pharma seizes Brazilian market while medical cannabis bill is stalled

Many investors are prioritising expensive imported medical cannabis products, exploiting patients' needs for profit.

Read more News

How to decriminalise drugs: Design features of a non-criminal response to the personal possession of drugs

Greer et al. discuss non-criminal responses to drug possession through three analytical categories: reform architecture, eligibility criteria, and actions taken upon detection.

Young women and drug use

WHRIN and YouthRISE set out core issues and recommendations to end the harms of punitive drug policy on young women.

Legal regulation of drugs through a social justice lens

HPA outline 15 priorities to ensure social justice remains at the heart of regulatory initiatives.

Cannabis legalisation and social equity: Opportunities, puzzles, and trade-offs

Kilmer et al. discuss the inequities of prohibition, including as a result of the policing of racialised communities, and consider opportunities to overcome them.

Expert Task Force on Substance Use in Canada

The Task Force’s recommendation include alternatives to criminal penalties for the simple possession of controlled substances.

Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce: Report on drug law reform

The Taskforce recommends immediate legislative reform to mitigate the destructive drug deaths crisis in Scotland.

Drug control Sri Lanka - A broken system: Drug control, detention and treatment of people who use drugs in Sri Lanka

HRI report on the inhumane, disproportionate, militarised drug control policies of Sri Lanka, from its discriminatory legal framework to its use of the death penalty.

Situation analysis of substance use among LGBT communities in Thailand

UNDP discuss Thailand-specific data on drug use–related behaviours of the LGBT community and provide recommendations to promote safety.

Bridging the Gap: a practitioner’s guide to harm reduction in drug courts

The Center for Court Innovation argues that drug courts should integrate the practices and principles of harm reduction.