Acknowledge the human rights abuses against people who use drugs

Beyond 2008 Declaration and Resolutions.pdF

... Acknowledge the human rights abuses against people who use drugs as an affected population and encourage Member States, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other relevant organisations to solicit the participation of all affected and stigmatised populations in identifying and responding to these human rights abuses, to illicit/harmful drug use1 and to its adverse health, social and economic consequences...

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English/Russian: Statement Eurasian Harm Reduction Network for the CND in Vienna (by HCLU)

ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ НПО от имени Евразийской сети снижения вреда (ЕССВ) по поводу тематической секции дебатов (i) (Общая ответственность как основа интегрированного, сбалансированного и устойчивого подхода к борьбе против наркотиков в национальной и международной политике).

Докладчик:

Г-н Балаш Денеш

Член Руководящего комитета ЕССВ

Исполнительный директор Венгерского союза гражданских свобод (Hungarian Civil Liberties Union - HCLU)

Благодарю г-на председателя! Для меня большое удовольствие выступать на Комиссии по наркотическим средствам от имени Евразийской сети снижения вреда. Спасибо за предоставленную возможность обратиться к делегатам.

Как представитель гражданского общества, мне очень приятно видеть позитивные изменения в языке и подходе данной встречи.

В ходе этой сессии много раз прозвучали заявления о необходимости сбалансированного подхода в наркополитике, что подразумевает достижение баланса между снижением поставок и спроса на наркотики; между уголовным правосудием и общественным здравоохранением. Но в реальности, дамы и господа, соответствующий баланс редко виден в докладах институций ООН или Международного совета по контролю над наркотиками. Также не сбалансированы бюджеты и действия на местном, национальном и международном уровнях. В то время как УНП ООН и Международный совет по контролю над наркотиками превозносят сбалансированный подход, создается впечатление, что они более обеспокоены знаменитостями, которые нюхают кокаин, чем здоровьем и правами человека миллионов потребителей инъекционных наркотиков, живущих с ВИЧ, которые не имеют доступа к спасительным услугам и медикаментам. Исполнительный директор УНП ООН критикует дома мод, так как модели употребляют наркотики, как и миллионы других молодых людей. В то же время, не поступает критики в адрес России, где запрещено заместительное лечение ПИН метадоном – медикаментом, который включен в Список необходимых медикаментов ВОЗ еще два года назад. Многие страны, которые восхваляются Международным советом по контролю над наркотиками за их достижения в сфере снижения поставок, не соответствуют международным стандартам по правам человека и внедрению экономически эффективных услуг по снижению вреда, которые могут уменьшить степень преступности, смертности и заболеваемости. Я не могу найти баланс даже в своей стране, в Болгарии, где правительство тратит 50 миллионов долларов на снижение поставок и только 12 миллионов долларов на снижение спроса и вреда от наркотиков; где тысячи непостоянных потребителей марихуаны принуждаются к лечению, которое им не нужно, в то время как зависимые от героина должны стоять в очередях для получения особо необходимого лечения.

Нынешняя система по контролю над наркотиками не кажется мне ни сбалансированной, ни основанной на доказательствах. Также не похоже, что она способна „сдерживать“ проблему наркотиков, как заявил г-н Коста в своем выступлении. Эта система придает особое значение уголовному правосудию, пренебрегая правами человека и общественным здоровьем; правительства непропорционально распределяют ресурсы в пользу снижения поставок, за счет снижения спроса и вреда от наркотиков. Я хочу воспользоваться этой возможностью и призвать делегатов настаивать ни просто на том, чтобы их правительства использовали „сбалансированный подход“ как пустой лозунг, но чтобы общественному здоровью уделялось такое же внимание, как и уголовному правосудию, что касается права, бюджета и координации.

Request for NGO STATEMENT on behalf of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) regarding the thematic debate Section (i) (Shared responsibility as a basis for an integrated, balanced and sustainable approach in the fight against drugs through domestic and international policies)

Presenter:

Mr. Balázs Dénes

member of the Steering Committee of EHRN

Executive Director of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU)

Thank you Mr. Chair! It is a big pleasure to speak on behalf of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and I appreciate the opportunity to adress the delegates.

As a representative of civil society, I am very pleased to see the positive changes in the language and approach of this meeting.

At this session there is a lot of talk about the need of the balanced approach in drug policies, which means a balance between supply and demand reduction, criminal justice and public health. But in reality, ladies and gentlemen, we rarely find the appropriate balance in the reports of UN institutions or in the reports of INCB, neither in drug policy budgets and activities in local, national and international level. While UNODC and INCB praises balanced approach, it seems to be more concerned about celebrities snorting cocaine than about the health and human rights of millions of injecting drug users living with HIV – without access to live saving services and medications. The Executive Director of UNODC criticises fashion houses because their models use drugs just as a millions of other young people do, but it fails to criticise Russia for prohibiting methadone substitution treatment for IDUs, a medication included to the List of Essential Medicines by WHO two years ago. Most countries praised by INCB for their achievments in the field of suppy reduction do not comply with international standards with regard to human rights and cost-effective harm reduction services, which can reduce the risks of crime, death and disease. I cannot find the balance in my own country, Hungary, where government spends 50 million dollars on supply reduction and only 12 million dollars on demand and harm reduction, and thousands of occasional marijuana users are coerced into treatment which they don’t need, while heroin addicts are put on waiting lists to get into much needed treatment.

The current drug control system does not seem to have a balanced and evidence based approach, or that it can „contain“ the drug problem, as Mr. Costa put it in his speech. The drug control system overemphasizes criminal justice at the expense of human rights and public health, governments allocate resources in a disproportianate way on supply reduction at the expense of demand and harm reduction. I would like to use this opportunity to ask delegates to urge their governments not to simply use „balanced approach“ as an empty slogan, but to put as much emphasis on publich health as on criminal justice in terms of legislation, budget and coordination.

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Statement by UNAIDS for the 51st session of the CND in Vienna

Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Fifty-first Session
Vienna, 10-14 March 2008

Speaker Susan Timberlake, UNAIDS

Statement by the

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Chair, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen,

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is pleased to have this opportunity to address the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to seek your support in breaking the dangerous link between injecting drug use and the HIV epidemic. As measures to control drugs and measures to control HIV are critically intertwined, the steps governments take in drug control are likely to have significant impact on progress against HIV.

In most regions of the world, unsafe injecting drug use is a major vector of HIV transmission. It has been estimated that up to 10% of all HIV infections worldwide result from injecting drug use, up to 30% if infections in Sub-Saharan Africa are excluded. Once HIV enters a community of people who inject drugs, it can move to the rest of the population if appropriate steps are not taken.

UNODC, WHO and UNAIDS recommend a comprehensive set of measures for people who use drugs that includes the following:

(1) needle and syringe programmes;

(2) opioid substitution therapy;

(3) voluntary HIV counselling and testing;

(4) anti-retroviral therapy;

(5) prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections;

(6) condom programming;

(7) targeted information, education and communication;

(8) hepatitis diagnosis, treatment and vaccination; and

(9) tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The efficacy of these interventions is supported by overwhelming evidence.

Yet in spite of the fact that we know how to address the close links between HIV infection and unsafe injecting drug use, many countries fail to provide this comprehensive set of measures to drug users, who instead continue to face discrimination and other human rights violations. In 2006, fewer than 20% of people who inject drugs received some type of HIV prevention service, with coverage of less than 10% reported in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Even fewer have access to opioid substitution therapy, needle and syringe programmes, or anti-retroviral therapy, despite the fact that people who use drugs can achieve the same levels of adherence to treatment as other patients with HIV.

In the 3:1 ratio mentioned by Mr. Costa – where enforcement receives three times the resources that prevention and treatment receive – it is clear that many countries take an approach to drug use that focuses on criminalization while neglecting a public health response. A public health response would provide treatment to people who evidence drug dependency and illness and would employ health and social interventions, which have been shown to reduce the harms associated with drug use. Instead, legal and social barriers severely impede access to such health and social interventions. For instance, many countries criminalize possession of syringes without prescriptions and continue to classify methadone and other opioid substitutes as illegal. In many countries, imprisonment and forced treatment with ineffective methods are the primary responses to drug use, with little to nothing being done about HIV. And in some countries, imprisonment is compounded by killings, rape, unwarranted use of force, arbitrary arrests, harassment, extortion, and violation of medical privacy and confidentiality.

Chair, distinguished delegates,

UNAIDS supports countries to implement a rights-based response to the HIV epidemic for two reasons: first, because it fulfills obligations under human rights law, and secondly, because it is the most effective way to address HIV. In our efforts against the epidemic, we recognize that all people, even those engaged in activities that are deemed criminal, have human rights, including people who use drugs. Even where drug use is criminalized, people who use drugs have the rights to be free from violence and murder, to benefit from full due process before the law, to be free from discrimination and any forced treatment that violates medical ethics, and to receive comprehensive and voluntary health and social services of good quality, including for drug-related illness and for infections, such as HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis.

In the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS (2001) and in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS (2006), governments have also committed themselves to an approach to HIV that is based on human rights and the full participation of those affected. In particular, they committed themselves “to intensify efforts to ensure a wide range of prevention programmes, including harm-reduction”, “to overcoming legal...or other barriers that block access to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, medicines, commodities and services”, and “to intensify efforts to enact, strengthen or enforce legislation….to eliminate all forms of discrimination against and to ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights of… members of vulnerable groups”. All this in the context of committing “to scale up efforts…with full and active participation of people living with HIV, vulnerable groups.. towards the goal of universal access to…prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010”.

UNAIDS is working hard to support governments to fulfill these commitments, and much progress is being made. In this context, we ask that those engaged in drug control efforts:

(1) respect and protect human rights, including the rights of people who use drugs,

(2) ensure access to HIV and health and social services to people who use drugs and remove impediments to such access, and (3) allow people who use drugs or their representatives to participate in the design and delivery of HIV and harm-reduction services so that programmes will be as effective as possible.

Progress towards universal access will be reviewed at the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June where UNAIDS is also supporting the involvement of civil society as critical partners for accountability. In this regard, a representative of people who use drugs is included in the President of the General Assembly's Civil Society Task Force for the High Level Meeting. In order to provide leadership and guidance to governments in the area of HIV and drug use, UNAIDS urges the consideration by the Commission of measures to:

· Help establish a process by which States’ obligations relating to drug control are clarified to ensure that they conform to human rights obligations, and indeed support the achievement of public health and human rights, including universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

· Support States to enact and implement domestic legislation and policy in the area of drug control that will protect human rights and the public health, including of that of people who use drugs, either vulnerable to HIV or already infected.

· Finally, encourage States to use the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June and the current review based on the UNGASS on Drugs (1998) to consider and intensify their efforts to address HIV in the context of drug use, including greatly increasing voluntary and effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes for people who use drugs.

UNAIDS thanks the Commission and its valuable Cosponsor, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and offers its full support in any manner possible.

References

􀂃 Aceijas, Friedman, Cooper, Wiessing, Stimson, Hickman, Estimates of injecting drug users at the national and local level in developing and transitional countries, and gender and age

distribution, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Volume 82, Suppl III, June, 2006.

􀂃 IPU/UNDP/UNAIDS (2007). Taking action against HIV. A handbook for parliamentarians. Geneva.

􀂃 Lert F, Kazatchkine M (2007). Antiretroviral HIV treatment and care for injecting drug users: An evidence-based overview. International Journal of Drug Policy 18: 255-261.

􀂃 Materials produced for UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights, Eighth

Meeting, December, 2007.

􀂃 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS (2006).

International guidelines on HIV/AIDS and human rights (2006 consolidated version). Geneva.

􀂃 UNAIDS (2005). Intensifying HIV prevention: a UNAIDS policy position paper. Geneva.

􀂃 UNAIDS (2006). Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Geneva.

􀂃 UNAIDS (2007). Practical guidelines for intensifying HIV prevention: Towards universal

access. Geneva.

􀂃 UNAIDS/WHO AIDS epidemic update, December, 2007

􀂃 WHO/UNODC Evidence for action series and policy briefs available at

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/idu/en/: Ball et al. (2005)

􀂃 WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2007). Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS

interventions in the health sector: progress report, April 2007. Geneva.

􀂃 WHO/UNODC/UNAIDS. Technical Guide for Countries to Set Targets for Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care for Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) (in draft)

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Report back from Daniel Wolfe of OSI on the 51st session of the CND in Vienna, March 2008,

Report back from Daniel Wolfe of OSI:

Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) Opens:

Start of Year of Reflection on Progress in Drug Control since 1998

--UNODC head Costa says more attention and funding needed for harm reduction, health, and human rights; stops short of condemning death penalty

-- Thai representatives say drug war will not mean violation of international human rights standards, and pledge increased harm reduction

--Bolivia rejects INCB condemnation, says it will request rescheduling of coca leaf

--US calls for "SBIRT" to address drug use; is joined by Japan in opposing harm reduction

The 51st session of the CND, which opened in Vienna on March 10, marks the start of a year of reflection since the 1998 General Assembly session convened under the motto "A Drug Free World-We can Do it!"

The session was attended by the greatest number of health and human rights NGOs in recent years, including representatives from Alternative Georgia, the Asian Harm Reduction Network, the Beckley Foundation, Break the Chains, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, Human Rights Watch, Intercambios, the International Drug Policy Consortium, the International Harm Reduction Association, the Open Society Institute, the Transnational Institute, Virtus (Ukraine), and others. The five-day session will include multiple NGO side events and satellites, including a briefing on human rights and drug control, another on the effects of drug law enforcement on women, and a daylong NGO forum with representatives of regional focal points from Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America reporting on consultations held since 2007. All of these, as well as a large NGO meeting to be held at UNODC headquarters in July, will feed into the 2009 high level meeting where countries will assess a decade of progress and likely issue a new declaration to direct drug control efforts.

UNODC Director Calls for more attention and funding for harm reduction, health, and human rights; stops short of condemning death penalty

Antonio Costa, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, opened the session by stressing issues including the need for greater attention to grass roots mobilization, alternative development, health, and harm reduction. On harm reduction, he urged that countries not get caught up in sensitivities about words, and referred attendees to the UNODC discussion paper ("Reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse," available at www.unodc.org) supporting pragmatic and comprehensive approaches such as those in Australia, Canada or parts of Asia. Mr. Costa also noted that health was a basic human right and a foundation of international drug control, that too many were in prison and that too few were in treatment for illicit drugs, and that the "health principle" was a cornerstone of drug control and required greater money and commitment. Mr. Costa, however, saluted drug control in Southeast Asia without noting Thailand's recent declaration of a return to the war on drugs, said that everything UNODC did was harm reduction, and described safer injection sites as problematic while ignoring evidence showing their positive effect. While urging consideration of executions in the name of drug control-"Although drugs kill," he said, "I don't believe we need to kill because of drugs"-Mr. Costa fell well short of previous findings by UN human rights experts that drug crimes were clearly not serious enough offenses to justify death. Instead, Costa urged member states to "give serious consideration to whether capital punishment for drug-related crimes is a best practice." Some member states, including Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands and Norway, called upon UNODC and the INCB to leave no doubt about the importance of opposition to the death penalty for drug offenses.

-- Thai representatives say drug war will not mean violation of international human rights standards, and pledge increased harm reduction

More than fifty country and NGO representatives attended a side event titled "Recalibrating the Regime: Drug Control, Health, and Human Rights." Responding to comments by representatives of the International Harm Reduction Association, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, and
Human Rights Watch, Thai representatives defended the government's return to 2003 drug war strategies, saying that the government was committed to following principles of international human rights standards; that the Prime Minister had made it clear that it was never the intention of the government to use killing as a means of suppression; that Thailand had not declared war on particular segment of the population; and that Thailand would likely adopt harm reduction measures such as methadone and "even needle exchange" in the near future, perhaps this fiscal year, in light of the increasing share of HIV cases among IDUs. At the same time, one representative said that "we cannot sit back and let things slide without taking particular measures," and observed-not happily-that the event should have been subtitled "the case of Thailand."

--Bolivia rejects INCB condemnation, says it will request rescheduling of coca leaf

Noting that the coca leaf had been a sacred and integral part of Andean culture for centuries, Bolivia delivered a strongly worded rebuke to the International Narcotics Control Board, whose 2007 report condemned coca leaf chewing as a violation of international law. Bolivia pledged to submit a request to the Secretary General to reschedule the coca leaf, based on the plants medicinal and traditional uses.

--US calls for "SBIRT" to address drug use; is joined by Japan in opposing harm reduction

The United States, noting that it supported treatment and rehabilitation and opposed harm reduction, urged all member states to endorse its resolution for "SBIRT"--screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for drug abuse. While many member states asked privately what exactly the U.S. meant, or why such a particular intervention was being proposed as a global standard-the U.S. delegation had apparently not provided much explanation-countries from Argentina to the Netherlands expressed support for a comprehensive integrated approach, including harm reduction. Japan strongly opposed promotion of needle exchange by UNODC, noting that drug abuse itself was the fundamental problem, and Sweden noted that harm reduction would always be secondary to prevention and treatment measures.

Daniel Wolfe

Director

International Harm Reduction Development Program

Open Society Institute

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INPUD Statement For The 51st Session Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Statement:
Contribution to the CND related to the promotion of
health and human rights of people who use drugs

Statement written by Luiz Guanabara (Brazil) and Stijn Goossens (Belgium)
International Network Of People Who Use Drugs

Name: Stijn Goossens
Delegation: Civil Society Delegation International Harm Reduction Association

Thank you, Mr Chairman, for allowing me a slot to speak, and to the Commission and its secretariat for expanding the opportunities for Civil Society organizations to contribute to these debates, and to the discussions at the CND in general.

I speak here as civil society representative on the delegation of the International Harm Reduction Association and as spokesman for the International Network Of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD vzw). Also I am a member of the UN Civil Society Task Force that's preparing the High-Level Meeting on AIDS to be held in New York June, 10-11, representing one of UNAIDS named key-population: the people who use drugs. Maybe this is difficult to grasp but we beg the Commission and the organizations present here to open their hearts and minds to our words.

Civil Society organizations have an important contribution to make in this area of policy. Civil society involvement can help to improve the policy discussions and help governments to engage with, and have the direct and valuable input from representatives of organizations of people who use drugs, academics, drug policy analysts, farmers organizations and so on.

We are plainly aware of the suffering and harms drugs can cause to individuals and understand the need of drug control, most specially to keep children away from drugs – legal or illegal.

People who use drugs are considered to be a part of the problem. People who use drugs themselves are the most affected by the policies on drugs. Let us be a part of the solution.

In his speech on Monday, Mr Costa talked about a 'stabilization' of the world drug problem, at around 200 million users. We at INPUD do not know how accurate this figure is or whether it is increasing or decreasing, but if it is true then we are talking about 200 million citizens who do not forfeit their humanity and human rights simply because they choose to use substances covered by the international drug control system. There are not 200 million threats to social order - most of us wish to get on with our lives without harming others. Some of us have problems with our use, and may need help. We cannot all be treated as criminals. Many of us want to help develop drug policies that are more effective in reducing harm to both users and non-users. This is why INPUD is here.

We believe that the Commission and the other institutions of drug control would greatly benefit from the involvement of People who use drugs as part of the civil society engagement in the process of drugs policy making:

• To work together for improvement and to make more cost-effective the treatment and harm reduction measures for people who use drugs.

• To cooperate closely together in the global fight against AIDS, Hepatitis C and other blood born diseases.

• To avoid peoples unnecessary dying.

• To avoid the unnecessary, but socially harmful and expensive incarceration of people just because of the consumption of drugs that are considered to be illegal.

• To cooperate closely together in the fight against the criminalization, stigma, discrimination and marginalization of people who use drugs and to work together for social inclusion and health.

• And to avoid violations of the human rights of people who use drugs.

Thank you

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WENEN 2008: Tien Jaar Later

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published vrijdag 7 september 2007 10:10, door Martin Veltjen. update dinsdag 11 september 2007 11:25

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NEEM DEEL AAN HET WERELDDORP VOOR EEN ANDER DRUGBELEID

Op de speciale sessie van de VN Algemene Vergadering in New-York in juni 1998 stippelden de regeringen van de wereld een 10 jarenplan uit om belangrijke en meetbare resultaten voor te leggen in de strijd tegen drugs tegen 2008.

Zo werd er onder andere een strategie ontworpen om de illegale kweek van coca, cannabis en opium tegen 2008 volledig of grotendeels uit te roeien.

De VN-Commisse over verdovende middelen komt in maart 2008 samen in Wenen om de resultaten van deze strategie te bespreken.

De afgelopen 10 jaar is voor iedereen duidelijk geworden dat deze strategie volledig mislukt is, zelfs in de landen die de doelen het hardnekkigst nastreefden. Vraag en aanbod op de drugmarkt stijgen systematisch in heel de wereld, soms zelfs spectaculair zoals in Afghanistan. Ondertussen heeft het drugverbod geleid tot gewelddadige conflicten, schending van mensen- en burgerrechten, criminalisatie en stigmatisatie van hele bevolkingsgroepen, sociale en gezondheidsrampen, zoals de verspreiding van HIV. Het heeft ook geleid tot de stijging van de georganiseerde misdaad.

Het uitroeien van planten is een bedreiging voor de biologische en culturele diversiteit van de planeet. Hennep, cocabladeren en opium hebben veel toepassingen op medisch en voedingsgebied. Het legaal verbouwen van deze planten kan kleinschalige, niet gesubsidiëerde en duurzame landbouw steunen.

Wenen 2008 is de perfecte gelegenheid voor alle burgers die nieuwe oplossingen willen voor het wereldwijde drugprobleem.

In maart 2008 kunnen we de wereld laten zien dat er meer te vrezen valt van het drugverbod dan van een gereguleerd alternatief.

Wij plannen een 3 daags ‘Werelddorp voor een ander drugbeleid” in Wenen tijdens de zitting van de VN commissie. (de definitieve data worden bevestigd in oktober).

Hierbij vragen we je om mee te werken aan een van de volgende activiteiten in dit dorp:

1. Een tentoonstelling over de cultuur en het nuttig gebruik van planten die door VN drugconventies werden verboden.

We rekenen op de aanwezigheid en/of de medewerking van bedrijven die betrokken zijn bij de organisatie van hennepbeurzen in Europa, maar ook aan bedrijven en organisaties die ijveren voor het nuttig en verantwoord gebruik van hennep/cannabis, paddo’s, cocabladeren etc.

2. Een wetenschappelijke conferentie om het huidige drugbeleid te onderwerpen aan een psycho-analyse. Is het drugverbod gebaseerd op een primitief instinct dat zijn nut al lang geleden heeft verloren?

We rekenen op de aanwezigheid van experts (onderzoekers, vertegenwoordigers van getroffen gemeenschappen etc.) die een ander licht kunnen werpen op het waarom van het aanhoudende drugverbod in weerwil van de vele bewijzen die aantonen dat dit verbod een totale mislukking is.

3. Een manifestatie naar het VN gebouw in Wenen: Genezing in plaats van Oorlog

Wij hopen op de aanwezigheid van duizenden activisten, en steun van muzikanten en artiesten.

In 2003 organiseerde ENCOD een gelijkaardige happening tijdens de halftijdse evaluatie van de strategie die in 1998 werd afgesproken.

Als je met ons wil samenwerken bij de organisatie van deze manifestatie, contacteer ons dan liefst voor 8 oktober 2007. Binnenkort volgt meer nieuws.

We hopen snel van je te horen!

ENCOD - Lange Lozanastraat 14 - 2018 Antwerpen - België

Tel: +32 (0)3 293 0886 - Mob: +32 (0)495 122 644

E-mail: info@encod.org

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VIENNA 2008: TEN YEARS AFTER

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published Thursday 6 September 2007 10:48, by Joep.

update Thursday 6 September 2007 16:16

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JOIN THE GLOBAL VILLAGE FOR A DIFFERENT DRUG POLICY

In June 1998, in a Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York, the governments of the world announced a 10-year strategy to achieve significant and measurable results in the fight against drugs by the year 2008.

Among others, the strategy included the purpose of eliminating or significantly reducing the illicit cultivation of the coca bush, the cannabis plant and the opium poppy by the year 2008.

In March 2008, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs will meet in Vienna to review the results of the strategy.

In the past ten years, it has become obvious for everybody that this strategy has failed completely, even in the countries that enforced it most strictly. Drug supply and demand are rising systematically throughout the world, sometimes even spectacularly as in the case of Afghanistan. Meanwhile the policy of prohibiting drugs has led to violent conflicts, violation of human and civil rights, criminalisation and stigmatisation of entire populations, social and health disasters such as the spread of HIV, as well as to the increase of organised crime.

To eliminate plants would threaten the biological and cultural diversity of the planet. Hemp, coca leaves and opium have many medicinal, nutritional and other useful applications. The legal cultivation of these plants can support small-scale agriculture that operates without state support and promotes sustainable development.

Vienna 2008 is the perfect opportunity for all those citizens who want new solutions to the global drugs problem.

In Vienna in March 2008, we can show the world there is much more to fear from drug prohibition than from a tolerant alternative.

Our plan is to organise a 3 day "Global Village for a Different Drug Policy" in Vienna during the period in which the UN meeting will be held.(final dates will be confirmed in October).

We would like to invite you to participate in one of the planned events of this village:

1. An exposition on the culture and beneficial use of plants that are prohibited by the UN Drug Conventions.

We hope to count with the presence and/or collaboration of companies involved in the organisation of hemp fairs around Europe, as well as companies and organisations who promote the beneficial and responsible use of hemp/cannabis, mushrooms, coca leaves etc.

2. A scientific conference with the purpose of making a psychoanalysis of current drug policy. Is prohibition based on a primitive instinct that has lost its legitimacy long ago?

We hope to count with the presence of experts (researchers, representatives of affected communities etc.) who can shed some light on the reasons why drug prohibition is continued in spite of the many evidences that prove it to be a total failure.

3. A demonstration to the UN building in Vienna: Cures Not Wars.

We hope to count with the presence of thousands of activists, as well as musicians and artists.

In 2003, ENCOD organised a similar event, during the mid-term evaluation meeting of the 1998 strategy.

If you are interested to collaborate with us in the organisation of this event, please contact us before 8 October 2007. More news will follow soon.

Looking forward to hear from you!

ENCOD - Lange Lozanastraat 14 - 2018 Antwerpen - Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)3 293 0886 - Mob: +32 (0)495 122 644

E-mail: info@encod.org

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