Please join us for a CIHR Café Scientifique

Let's Talk about Marijuana and Teens

Why do more youth in British Columbia use marijuana than anywhere else in Canada? What are the health and social effects of frequent use? How can we talk about these issues?

Refreshments and lively discussion about the latest research and local initiatives related to youth marijuana use. Come and be part of the conversation!

Kelowna on March 9th
Vancouver on March 11th

Details below ~ please circulate widely!
http://www.celebrateresearch.ubc.ca/2010/02/lets-talk-about-marijuana-and-teens/

SPACE IS LIMITED!

Please RSVP to stephanie.coen@nursing.ubc.ca or call 604.827.4058

In KELOWNA:
Tuesday, March 9, 5-7pm
Bohemian Café
524 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, BC
Please RSVP: stephanie.coen@nursing.ubc.ca

EXPERTS:
Joan Bottorff, Director, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention UBC Okanagan

Marvin Krank, Dean of Graduate Studies & Professor, Psychology UBC Okanagan

Dallas Davidson, Substance Abuse Counselor ARC Programs Ltd.

MODERATOR:
Marion Barschel, Host
CBC Daybreak

In VANCOUVER:
Thursday, March 11, 7-9pm
Juliet's Café
1905 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Please RSVP: stephanie.coen@nursing.ubc.ca

EXPERTS:
Joy Johnson, Professor
UBC School of Nursing

Rebecca Haines, Postdoctoral Fellow
UBC School of Nursing

Art Steinmann, Vancouver School Board Coordinator School-Age Children and Youth (SACY) substance abuse prevention program

MODERATOR:
Ian Mulgrew, Columnist, Vancouver Sun
Author of Bud Inc: Inside Canada's Marijuana Industry

Subject: US/UN: In drug war, failed old ideas never die

AlertNet
www.alertnet.org
26 February 2010

COLUMN
In drug war, failed old ideas never die: Bernd Debusmann

Source: Reuters
(Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own)

By Bernd Debusmann

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Here's a stern warning to the U.S. states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. A United Nations body is displeased with your liberal medical marijuana laws. Very displeased.

The U.N. rarely takes issue with the internal affairs of member states, and even less with those of the United States. But that's what the International Narcotics Control Board has just done in its latest annual report, published this week. Without mentioning by name the 14 American states where marijuana is legal for medical purposes, the 149-page report says:

"While the consumption and cultivation of cannabis, except for scientific purposes, are illegal activities according to federal law in the United States, several states have enacted laws that provide for the 'medical use' of cannabis. The control measures applied in those states for the cultivation of cannabis plants and the production, distribution and use fall short of the control requirements laid down in the 1961 Convention (on narcotic drugs.)

"The Board is deeply concerned that those insufficient control provisions have contributed substantially to the increase in illicit cultivation and abuse of cannabis in the United States. In addition, that development sends a wrong message to other countries." The Board's concern doesn't end here. It is equally worried over "the ongoing discussion in several states on legalizing and taxing the 'recreational'
use of cannabis."

California, the most populous state in the U.S., stands out in that discussion. In mid-February, a California legislator, Tom Ammiamo, introduced a bill that would tax and regulate marijuana (by most estimates the state's largest cash crop by far) much in the same way as alcohol. In addition, California backers of marijuana legalization say they have collected more than 700,000 signatures for a ballot initiative likely to be voted on in November.

There's not the slightest hint in the U.N. report of rapidly growing support for more liberal laws on marijuana, the world's most widely-used illicit drug. The latest U.S. poll on the issue, in January, showed that eight out of ten Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical use and nearly half are in favor of legalizing the drug, in small quantities for personal use, altogether.

Countries that have done that come in for harsh rebuke from the Control Board, which singles out Mexico, Argentina and Brazil for having sent "the wrong message" by passing legislation that takes the crime out of drug use and replaces prison sentences with treatment and education programs.

U.N. OVERSTEPS THE MARK

In the eyes of two liberal think tanks, the Washington Office on Latin America and the Transnational Institute, lecturing the U.S., Mexico, Argentina and Brazil on the way they handle drug use are way off the mark. The rebuke, said a joint statement by the two groups, "clearly oversteps the INCB's mandate and constitutes unwarranted intrusion into these country's sovereign decision-making."

The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs placed marijuana in the most restrictive category, alongside heroin (as does the U.S. federal
government) and for years was seen as a major obstacle to domestic reform in signatory countries. But a follow-up treaty in 1988 provided a measure of flexibility on whether or not drug possession should be treated as a criminal offence.

In the United States, for decades the spiritual home of rigid marijuana prohibitionists, President Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, last October issued new policy guidelines that marked a milestone in a long-running dispute over whether federal law trumps state law on matters of marijuana. Holder announced that the Justice Department would stop raiding medical marijuana facilities set up under state law.

That was the most high-profile move on drug policy so far in the presidency of Obama, who is on record saying that "the war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws..." He made the remark in 2004, when he was running for a seat in the U.S. senate. Speaking about drug policies as a whole, not only on marijuana, as a presidential candidate, Obama said he believed in "shifting the paradigm, shifting the model so that we can focus more on the public health approach."

In the long-running global dispute over drug strategy, that means treating addicts not as criminals but as patients who deserve care in a public health system. To hear Obama's drug czar, former Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowski, tell it, that shift is underway. But is it really?

The answer is no, judging from just-released highlights of the national drug control budget for Fiscal Year 2011, which begins in October. It provides for $15.5 billion in overall spending, a 3.5 percent increase over 2010, and allots vastly more money to law enforcement ($ 9.9
billion) than to addiction treatment and preventive measures ($5.6 billion).

Like drug control budgets under President George W. Bush, the figures do not include the vast cost of arresting drug offenders and putting them behind bars, a practice that has helped turn the United States into the world's biggest jailer. Factoring in those costs would show that 73 percent of overall spending goes to law enforcement and controlling the supply of drugs, according to John Walsh, a senior expert at WOLA.

Aaron Houston, director of government relations at the Marijuana Policy Project, sees the budget as evidence of recycled Bush policies rather than the paradigm shift Obama promised.

It's Bush wine in Obama bottles. (You can contact the author at
Debusmann@Reuters.com)

--
Drugs & Democracy Programme
Transnational Institute (TNI)
De Wittenstraat 25 | 1052 AK Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Tel +31-20-6626608 | Fax +31-20-6757176
Email drugs@tni.org
http://www.tni.org/drugs/
_______________________________________________
Dd-world mailing list
https://lists.tni.org/mailman/listinfo/dd-world

Los Angeles Times
February 25, 2010

The International Narcotics Control Board criticizes several Latin American countries

Daniel Hernandez

A new report by the independent body monitoring United Nations drug control practices strongly criticized recent moves by several Latin American countries toward decriminalizing possession of some narcotics.

The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said in its annual report [http://www.incb.org/incb/en/annual-report-2009.html]
that Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina were sending "the wrong message" in legislative and judicial developments [http://www.wola.org/images/stories/Drug%20Policy/country%20overview%20drug%20laws%20_2_.pdf]
that aim to decriminalize the possession of some drugs.

The report also "wishes to remind" Bolivia that under established international conventions, the traditional use of coca leaf in that country remains an "illicit" activity.

But the report, released Wednesday, drew strong criticism itself by nongovernmental agencies that are calling the INCB's criticism of Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina an overstepping of the organization's mandate. The report's words for the Latin American countries constitutes "unwarranted intrusions into these countries' sovereign decision-making," said the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) in a joint statement.
http://www.wola.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=viewp&id=1062&Itemid=8

The organizations say the INCB has no jurisdiction over policy changes within sovereign nations.

Mexico in 2009 decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Brazil replaced prison sentences with education and treatment for small-time drug offenders in 2006, and is moving toward rewriting drug laws this year that may include total decriminalization of narcotics possession. Last year, Argentina's Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the punishment of possession of marijuana for personal use.

"In the case of the Argentine Supreme Court ruling, it is arrogant interference by the INCB to question the judgment of the highest judicial authority of a sovereign State," Martin Jelsma, TNI Drugs and Democracy Program Coordinator, said in a statement.
http://www.tni.org/pressrelease/un%E2%80%99s-international-narcotics-control-board%E2%80%99s-annual-report-oversteps-mandate-and-interf

The INCB report also has strong words for the United States, where several states, including California [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-marijuana-initiative29-2010jan29,0,6132946.story],
are moving toward legalizing or regularizing the use of marijuana. The U.N. body says it is "deeply concerned" that the regularizing of marijuana use for medical purposes "sends the wrong message to other countries."

The entire Americas section of the INCB 2009 report is available for review.
http://www.incb.org/pdf/annual-report/2009/en/AR_09_E_Chapter_III_Americas.pdf

-- Daniel Hernandez in Mexico City

--
Drugs & Democracy Programme
Transnational Institute (TNI)
De Wittenstraat 25 | 1052 AK Amsterdam (The Netherlands) Tel +31-20-6626608 | Fax +31-20-6757176 Email drugs@tni.org http://www.tni.org/drugs/ _______________________________________________
Dd-world mailing list
https://lists.tni.org/mailman/listinfo/dd-world

Dear friends, colleagues and family,

 

I am one of dozens of presenters at Psychedelic Science in the 21^st Century, an international conference in San Jose, California, April 15-18, 2010. This will be a historic event with experts presenting on a variety of topics related to psychedelics such as: ayahuasca effects and safety, ibogaine as a treatment for substance abuse, the pharmacology of LSD, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, psilocybin to ease anxiety associated with cancer, and scores of other fascinating subjects. Numerous notable researchers and scholars will be part of the three full days of programming with concurrent tracks exploring clinical and spiritual applications, issues relevant to healthcare professionals, and social and cultural issues surrounding the therapeutic and recreational uses of psychedelics. 

 

To learn more and to see all of the other speakers and their topics go to www.maps.org/conference

 

I hope you will join me there and I encourage you to register before March 15 to avoid the late registration fees. Medical doctors and healthcare professionals (including psychologists and social workers) can earn continuing medical education/continuing education credits by attending.

 

Sincerely,

Philippe Lucas

Center for Addictions Research of B.C.

Victoria City Council

 

 

The Vancouver Sun

UN watchdog takes aim at Canada's medical marijuana program

By Steven Edwards, Canwest News Service

UNITED NATIONS - Justice Minister Robert Nicholson said Wednesday the government's medical marijuana regulations are under review after the UN's drugs watchdog warned Canada needs to tighten up the system.

The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board said Canada is operating outside international treaty rules aimed at minimizing the risk criminals will get hold of cannabis grown under the program.

"The whole question of medical marijuana is being looked at by the minister of health with respect to the options that she has," said Nicholson, whose ministry serves as the umbrella agency for the government's anti-drug efforts.

"There has been litigation on this that has called for new regulations in this area."

The warning in the INCB's annual report accompanies praise for the government's National Anti-Drug Strategy, which the board said it notes "with appreciation."

Nicholson said he took heart from that, adding it "plays very well" into the government's efforts to push through a crime bill containing tougher drugs-offences sentencing provisions that has been held up in the Senate.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews also argued the report "provides further proof that Canada is recognized internationally as a leader in crime prevention."

Canada increased the number of cannabis cultivation licences a person can hold last year after court decisions stated patients' earlier access had been too restricted.

Currently, Health Canada has issued almost 4,900 permits allowing people to possess medical marijuana they get from more than 1,100 licensed growers, some of whom are growing it for their own use.

"Canada continues to be one of the few countries in the world that allows cannabis to be prescribed by doctors to patients with certain serious illnesses," said the INCB report.

But the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics, which Canada has signed, says the government must be the sole distributor of the otherwise illegal substance, which patients use as a pain reliever.

The opportunity for misuse of the system is reflected in an RCMP review identifying 40 cases in which licensed growers were also trafficking marijuana for profit. The same review found violations in a total of 70 cases.

While the INCB report noted that Canada "intends to reassess" its access-to-cannabis program, it said the board "requests the government to respect the provisions" of the 1961 convention in conducting its review.

The sole company among the growers that Health Canada has contracted to supply some 28 per cent of the current permit holders signalled Wednesday it would welcome a more focused oversight.

"We get severe criticism from the armchair critics and those who feel threatened that we're infringing on their rights to produce cannabis,"
said Brent Zettl, president of Prairie Plant Systems Inc., of Saskatoon.

"But we're already essentially conforming to the convention."

Health Canada frequently inspects the company's operations, and officially "owns" the cannabis it produces for shipment to clients.

Even some involved in helping patients acquire the possession permits agree that the current system is flawed.

"To Health Canada's self-admittance, there are a lot of grey areas,"
said Chad Clelland, director of online and community relations with medicalmarihuana.ca, an Internet-based support site. "But they are so slow to change."

Still, Clelland said he does not believe that centralized government-run production is the answer.

"A lot of patients find different strains affect their symptoms in different ways, so the government would have to have multiple strains in production to give a proper selections," he said.

(c) Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

--
Drugs & Democracy Programme
Transnational Institute (TNI)
De Wittenstraat 25 | 1052 AK Amsterdam (The Netherlands) Tel +31-20-6626608 | Fax +31-20-6757176 Email drugs@tni.org http://www.tni.org/drugs/ _______________________________________________
Dd-world mailing list
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Conservative attack ads and anti-drug war are wearying
By Charles W. Moore
Telegraph-Journal
February 25, 2010

Christian Science Monitor
February 24, 2010

UN: Latin America undermining drug war by decriminalizing drugs

The UN, in its annual report released today, said Latin America is undermining the drug war by decriminalizing small amounts of drugs.

By Sara Miller Llana Staff writer

Mexico City -

Latin America, being asked to stop decriminalizing drugs, received a harsh slap on the wrist by a United Nations body today for the burgeoning movement in various countries to decriminalize small amounts of drugs.

Drug reform activists have hailed the moves as a new approach that refocuses resources on big-time traffickers and views drug abuse as a health problem instead of a police problem.
(How Mexico quietly decriminalized drug use:) http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2009/0824/mexico-quietly-decriminalizes-drug-use

But the Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), in its annual report released today, stated its concern over Latin America's "growing movement to decriminalize the possession of controlled drugs, in particular cannabis."

After decades of hewing to the US's tough stance, some Latin American nations in recent months have moved toward more leniency for personal possession, particularly of marijuana.
(How Latin America is breaking ranks with the US:) http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2009/0924/p06s01-woam.html

Loosening up, one by one

Last year Mexico decriminalized possession of heroine, cocaine, and other drugs found in small amounts. Argentina followed with a Supreme Court ruling stating the unconstitutionality of the arrest of five youths carrying a small amount of marijuana. Brazil has also introduced legislation to replace jail sentences with educational measures.

The INCB report says: "The board is concerned that the movement, if not resolutely countered by the respective governments, will undermine national and international efforts to combat the abuse of and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs. .The movement poses a threat to the coherence and effectiveness of the international drug control system and sends the wrong message to the general public."

Whether the message will have an impact on the movement remains to be seen.

It could be used by those governments who still support the so-called "war on drugs" to bolster their positions.

"It will be used politically," says Jorge Hernández Tinajero, the president of Cupihd, a group in Mexico that disseminates information about drug policies. "Those governments in the region pushing for a war against drugs will use it to bolster their argument."

'Unwarranted intrusions'?

But the INCB was rebuked by leading drug policy-reform groups. The Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Washington Office on Latin America
(WOLA) said in a press release today that "the criticisms clearly overstep the INCB's mandate and constitute unwarranted intrusions into these countries' sovereign decision-making."

And while the INCB also stated its regret that "influential personalities, including former high-level politicians in countries in South America, have publicly expressed their support for that movement,"
Mr. Tinajero says the debate on reforming drug policies will continue to be robust.

His group just hosted a two-day panel, including former president of Colombia, César Gaviria Trujillo, on reforming the drug strategy in Mexico, which has been dogged by violent drug trafficking that has left over 17,000 dead since Mexican President Felipe Calderón took office and declared war on organized crime.

The former Colombian president is not the only high-level person to support drug reforms. The former president of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, also led a group that published a report urging President Obama to decriminalize marijuana use.

--
Drugs & Democracy Programme
Transnational Institute (TNI)
De Wittenstraat 25 | 1052 AK Amsterdam (The Netherlands) Tel +31-20-6626608 | Fax +31-20-6757176 Email drugs@tni.org http://www.tni.org/drugs/ _______________________________________________
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Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. IDPC February Alert Welcome to the IDPC February 2010 Alert.  The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of NGOs and professional networks that work together to promote objective and open debate on drug policy. This Alert contains news, updates on the latest publications and upcoming events relevant to international drug policy.   News New Zealand's Law Commission – Controlling and regulating drugs The most significant review of New Zealand's drug law has begun. An independent law advisory body, the Law Commission, has released its issues paper "Controlling and Regulating Drugs" for public consultation, until 30 April 2010. Their paper traces the history of drug policy and regulation in New Zealand, and reviews the current approach to drug control and regulation. It makes some preliminary proposals on how New Zealand's drug laws can be updated to put in place a modern and evidence-based statute. Read the full report. Methadone now available in Afghanistan On 23 February 2010, the first patients in Kabul, Afghanistan received methadone within the Médecins du Monde Harm Reduction Programme. More than two years after the National Consensus Conference on OST was held with the participation of the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, a comprehensive range of harm reduction services has now been made available in Afghanistan. UN's International Narcotics Control Board's Annual Report oversteps mandate and interferes with countries' sovereignty The INCB's annual report expresses concern over the "growing movement to decriminalise the possession of controlled drugs" and calls for this movement to be "resolutely countered". According to the Transnational Institute and the Washington Office on Latin America, these criticisms clearly overstep the INCB's mandate and constitute unwarranted intrusions into these countries' sovereign decision-making. Read extracts of the INCB Annual Report. Global Fund Community Systems Strengthening Consultation The International HIV/AIDS Alliance and the International Council of AIDS Services Organizations (ICASO) are conducting an online consultation for civil society and other interested parties to input into the draft community systems strengthening framework (CSS for short).  Please feed into this consultation through the online survey by no later than 5th March 2010.  It is crucial to get the views from harm reduction and drug user organisations.  Click here for more information. Human Rights Watch: UN should review role in Cambodian drug detention centres Human Rights Watch issued a report, "Skin on the Cable", with reports of widespread beatings, whippings, and electric shock to detainees, including children and individuals with mental disabilities, in seven Cambodian drug detention centres. Read the full report. First Romanian debate on drug classification and drug-related crimes The President of the Romanian Deputy Chamber has invited  civil society representatives to participate in the first debate on changing the Romanian drug laws. The Deputy Chamber is proposing discussions on differentiating penalties for illicit possession of drugs for personal use, conducting a periodic review of drug classification lists, and reviewing legislation on drug policy coordination. "Cannabis policy: Moving beyond stalemate" This new book, published by the Beckley Foundation and Oxford University Press, was researched and written by a group of the world's leading drug policy analysts. It provides an overview of the latest scientific evidence surrounding cannabis and calls for an evidence-based approach to policy that seeks to minimise the harms associated with use of that drug. Staying Alive Foundation – Call for proposals The Staying Alive Foundation is pleased to announce its first 2010 call for proposals. The Foundation is looking for youth-led organisations that can raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and have received little or no previous funding. The Foundation grants are a maximum of US$12,000. The deadline to apply is 12 March, and grants will be announced on 1 June 2010. Click here to apply. UNAIDS NGO Delegation would like to hear from you Each year, the NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS governing body (the Programme Coordinating Board) submits a report to the Board. This is an important opportunity to present the unique perspectives of civil society on developments and issues around the AIDS pandemic. Broad input from civil society informs the NGO report, particularly on key issues to the agenda, but also on persistent or emerging issues "on the ground". The NGO Delegation would like to get your input as it writes this report. Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous questionnaire. Click here to access the online questionnaire. Canadian Federal Government goes to the Supreme Court to shut down Vancouver's safe-injection site Last month's decision by the British Columbia appeals court to allow North America's only safe-injection site to stay open will be taken to the Canadian Supreme Court. This facility provides a space for drug users to safely inject themselves and was granted an exemption from federal drug laws by the previous liberal government. It is now causing important tensions between the local government and the Conservative Federal Government. Call for nominations: 2010 Red Ribbon Awards The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2010 Red Ribbon Award is 28 February 2010. We strongly encourage you to nominate your colleagues of excellence for the award, as this would present an excellent opportunity to give prominence to drug policy issues at the International HIV/AIDS Conference.  New possibilities – Energize DPA's Biennal Reform Conference From 12 to 14 November 2009, over 1,000 participants came together at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Alburquerque, New Mexico. It was the Conference's strongest, most diverse gathering of people, issues, co-hosts and partner organisations. The Conference focused on the rapidly changing political climate and forward-thinking issues such as marijuana regulation, supervised injection sites in the US, and shifting drug use from a criminal justice to a health issue. Latest publications TNI Briefing– Countering illicit and unregulated money flows In this issue of Crime & Globalisation, Tom Blickman tracks the history of the international anti-money laundering regime. Since its origin in 1989, there has been a growing awareness that this regime was not working as well as intended. After two decades of failed efforts, experts still ponder how to implement one that does work. The paper concludes that current initiatives are no longer relevant, and that a bolder approach is required at the UN level. Read the briefing. UNODC Report - Afghanistan Opium Survey 2010 In a report issued on 10 February 2010, UNODC projects stable cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan this year, with a possible decrease in production. UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa underlined the need for development assistance, good governance and highlighted the strong correlation between insurgency and cultivation in Afghanistan. Read the report. UNODC Report- Legal and policy concerns related to IDU harm reduction in SAARC Countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)  have recently seen a dramatic increase in the prevalence of HIV and injecting drug use. Public authorities have implemented harm reduction measures including condom promotion and needle syringe exchange. However, questions have arisen as to whether these measures are within the bounds of national laws or whether the national laws hinder them. Read the full report. Under the Skin: Draws on affidavits and testimonies from people across Canada with experience using drugs or sharing needles inside a federal prison Scientific evidence and legal justifications for prison-based needle and syringe programmes have long been established, yet still the Canadian government will not implement them. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network's most recent publication, "Under the Skin", paints a portrait of suffering and systemic discrimination. Read the full report. Human Rights Watch  Report – "Skin on the Cable" In this report, Human Rights Watch documents detainees being beaten, raped, forced to donate blood, and subjected to painful physical punishments such as "rolling like a barrel" and being chained while standing in the sun. A number of detainees reported receiving rotten or insect-ridden food and suffering symptoms of diseases consistent with nutritional deficiencies. Read the full report. Upcoming events 53rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 8 - 12 Mar 2010, Vienna, Austria The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will meet in Vienna, Austria for its 53rd Session from the 8 -12 March 2010.  The CND is the central policy-making body of the United Nations in drug-related matters, and governs a large portion of the work of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). For papers and the agenda for the event click here.  IDPC has produced a guide for NGOs that wish to participate in the event. Harm Reduction 2010: IHRA's 21st International Conference 25 – 29 April 2010, Liverpool, UK The online registration for the International Harm Reduction Association's 21st conference are still open. As in previous years, this promises to be a 'must-attend' event for the harm reduction field, with a programme covering a huge range of topics. For 2010, the event is returning to the city which hosted the first conference back in 1990 – Liverpool, England. All of the latest information – including news, supporting organisations, scholarships, travel, visas, and an online accommodation booking service – are available on the conference website. Farmers perspectives on the war on drugs - session at Harm Reduction 2010 Conference 29 Apr 2010, Liverpool, UK In a significant omission, production and supply-side issues have not been a traditional focus of the International Harm Reduction Conference. This session at this year's conference in Liverpool is intended to provide participants with an overview of the diversity and seriousness of the issues facing people in four very different producer nations from the perspectives of those with first hand experience. This session will take place on Thursday 29th April between 9am and 10am. The session is organised by TNI, IHRA and IPS. The Club Health Conference 2010 7 - 9 June 2010, Zurich, Switzerland The Club Health Conference 2010 is geared towards those working on public health, substance use, sexual health, violence prevention, policing and criminal justice, tourism, nightlife industries, transport, environmental health, general practice and therapy. The call for abstracts will be open until 28 February 2010. For more information, visit the conference website. Drugs, Alcohol and Criminal Justice: ethics, effectiveness and economics of intervention 24 - 26 June 2010, London, UK The University of Kent is delighted to announce the Second European Conference of the CONNECTIONS Project, organised by the Conference Consortium and supported by Drink and Drugs News and Napo.  The conference will look at a range of interventions and treatments, from harm reduction to drug free 'recovery' in the criminal justice system. The premise is that no one treatment modality can deal effectively with the complex range of presented need. The task of the conference is to discuss and debate how best the different components can be combined most effectively. For more information, visit the conference website. 'Rights Here, Right Now': XVIII International AIDS Conference 18 Jul 2010 - 23 Jul 2010, Vienna, Austria The XV11 International AIDS Conference will take place in Vienna in July of this year. The abstract deadline is 10th February 2010 and the deadline for satellite session proposals is 31st March 2010. For more information, visit the conference website. 8th National Harm Reduction Conference: Harm Reduction Beyond Borders! 18 Nov 2010 - 21 Nov 2010, Austin, Texas, USA This November, the 8th National Harm Reduction Conference will bring together approximately 1,000 drug users, ex-drug users, researchers, sex workers, social workers, doctors, politicians and community organizers from around the United States to share perspectives on Harm Reduction. For more information, visit the conference website.    You are receiving this alert either because you signed up at www.idpc.net or because someone has to forwarded it to you. If you have received this alert as a forward and would rather not receive it, please reply to the sender's email address as we can only unsubscribe you if you signed up at www.idpc.net. Unsubscribe mark.haden@vch.ca from this list | Forward to a friend | Update your profile Our mailing address is: International Drug Policy Consortium 124-128 City Road London, London EC1V 2NJ Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2010 International Drug Policy Consortium All rights reserved.

-----Original Message-----
From: dd-world-bounces@lists.tni.org [mailto:dd-world-bounces@lists.tni.org] On Behalf Of Drugs & Democracy
Sent: 24 February, 2010 9:01 AM
To: dd-world@tni.org
Subject: TNI/WOLA: INCB Interferes with Countries' Sovereignty

TNI/WOLA Drug Law Reform Project
Press release
Wednesday, February 24

UN's International Narcotics Control Board's Annual Report Oversteps Mandate and Interferes with Countries' Sovereignty

The UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) annual report released today pointedly criticizes Argentina, Brazil and Mexico for moving to decriminalize the possession of drugs for personal consumption, autioning that such moves may "send the wrong message." The INCB report expresses concern over "the growing movement to decriminalize the possession of controlled drugs" and calls for this movement to be "resolutely countered" by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States.

According to the Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), the criticisms leveled today clearly overstep the INCB's mandate and constitute unwarranted intrusions into these countries' sovereign decision-making. TNI and WOLA are non-governmental organizations with expertise in both the UN drug control system and Latin American drug policy developments.

In August 2009, Argentina's Supreme Court of Justice declared unconstitutional the punishment of possession of cannabis for personal use. Last year, Mexico, through legislation, decriminalized the possession of drugs for personal consumption. In 2006, Brazil moved to partial decriminalization, replacing prison sentences with treatment and educational measures.

"There are too many consumers and small-time drug offenders overcrowding Latin American jails. This is not only inhumane, it also means justice systems are diverting their scarce resources and attention away from big traffickers," said Pien Metaal, TNI Drugs and Democracy Program Researcher. "Part of the overcrowding problem stems from disproportionate prison sentences for non-violent offenders."

Experiences so far with decriminalization of possession of drugs for personal use have not led to significant increases in drug use. In 2001, Portugal decriminalized the possession of all drugs for personal use, and has since seen a decrease in heroin use and in related adverse consequences, such as the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Created in 1968, the INCB monitors implementation of the UN's 1961 and
1971 international drug control conventions, and of the precursor control system established under the 1988 convention. According to TNI and WOLA, the INCB is clearly acting beyond its mandate by criticizing countries' jurisprudence and policies regarding decriminalization. (See:
2009 International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report Extracts at
http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/2009_INCB_annual_report_extracts.pdf)

"In the case of the Argentine Supreme Court ruling, it is arrogant interference by the INCB to question the judgment of the highest judicial authority of a sovereign State. The INCB has neither the mandate nor the expertise to challenge such a decision," said Martin Jelsma, TNI Drugs and Democracy Program Coordinator.

The INCB justifies its call to 'resolutely counter' the decriminalization trend by 'reminding' governments of provisions in the
1988 Convention. "But apparently it's the INCB that needs reminding, both about the limits of its own role and about what the treaties actually require," said John Walsh, WOLA Senior Associate. "Not only does the INCB lack the mandate to raise such issues, the INCB misreads the 1988 Convention itself, asserting an absolute obligation to criminalize drug possession when the Convention explicitly affords some flexibility on this matter."

Specifically, the INCB report states that the 1988 Convention requires each party to "establish as a criminal offence [...] the possession, purchase or cultivation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances for personal consumption..." However, the INCB report neglects to mention a phrase that is crucial to interpreting the Convention. Article 3, paragraph 2 explicitly states that measures to criminalize possession for personal consumption are subject to each country's "constitutional principles and the basic concepts of its legal system." Therefore, subscribing to the 1988 Convention only obligates a country to criminalize possession for personal consumption when that does not present a conflict with a nation's constitutional and legal principles, leaving governments with a certain latitude within the Conventions to reform their laws accordingly. For more information on the Conventions and the INCB's mandate, see Annotated relevant quotes from the UN Conventions and the official Commentaries at http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/notes_for_editors_pr240210.pdf

Like last year, the INCB uses its annual report to reprimand Bolivia for the continuation of coca chewing and other traditional uses of coca. In 2008, Bolivia enshrined in its Constitution the coca leaf as a cultural heritage. "The INCB again shows itself to be out of touch with reality by demanding that Bolivia stamp out coca use, also wrongfully prohibited in the Conventions," said TNI's Pien Metaal. "The controversies around Article 3 of the 1988 Convention and the erroneous treatment of the coca leaf in the 1961 Convention are two examples of why the drug control treaty system, including the role played by the INCB, needs to be revised."

For more information on Latin America's trend toward decriminalization, see Drug Law Reform Trend in Latin America at http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/country_overview_drug_laws.pdf.

Contact Kristel Mucino for further information: kmucino[at]wola.org;
Cell: +617-584-1713
_______________________________________________
Dd-world mailing list
https://lists.tni.org/mailman/listinfo/dd-world

 

 

Hi All,
Could you please send out the attached flyer on your email list for our book launch and public reading in Victoria on March 4th.
Thank you,
Susan Boyd

Pelletier: Provinces must pay attention to Insite case
By Nick Gamache
CBC News
February 23, 2010

 

First free heroin clinic opens in Denmark

After years of contention, Denmark on Monday opened its first clinic equipped to distribute free heroin under medical supervision to people heavily addicted to the drug [AFP] 

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gTkinlRauGzVuolBAMquCoxnIbbA 

http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2010/olympics-puts-spotlight-on.html

 

 

Bill introduced to allow the seizure of crime-related property
Telegraph-Journal
February 19, 2010

 

The Guardian Time to prohibit drugs prohibition The Guardian Deleted from that motion again was a paragraph calling for the legalised regulation of cannabis by the US government. Clearly, the elimination of a major ...

 

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... ...

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Harper's anti-crime bill should be more than just simple revenge
By Susan Riley
Edmonton Journal
February 14, 2010

Federal attack on B.C.'s Insite blind ideology
The StarPhoenix
February 13, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Colleagues:

 

We are writing to you today to inform you about three recently published studies on street-involved youth who use drugs in Vancouver from the Urban Health Research Initiative at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

 

1) What brings youth to the streets of downtown Vancouver?

This qualitative study, involving 38 young drug users, sought to investigate the processes that bring youth to the streets in the first place, and then make it difficult for them to leave this environment. The interviews uncovered that a desire to leave difficult living situations, as well as the need to find affordable housing were some of the reasons youth move to downtown Vancouver, while subsequent heavy drug use, homelessness and involvement in illegal activities were some of the factors that create barriers to leaving street life.  This article is published in the journal ‘Social Science and Medicine’ and is entitled: ‘Coming ‘down here’: young people’s reflections on becoming entrenched in a local drug scene’.

A summary of this study is available on our website at: click here.

The abstract for this study is also available on PubMed at: click here.

 

2)  Childhood physical abuse linked to injection drug use among high-risk youth

This study examined the link between childhood trauma and injection drug use. After considering five forms of childhood maltreatment it found that childhood physical abuse was strongly linked with initiation of injection drug use, underscoring the need for continued efforts to reduce childhood maltreatment as a means of preventing the initiation of injection drug use and other adverse health outcomes. This article is published in the ‘Journal of Adolescent Health’ and is entitled: ‘Childhood trauma and injection drug use among high-risk youth’.

A summary of this study is available on our website at: click here.

The abstract for this study is also available on PubMed at: click here.

 

3) Alarming rates of injection drug use among street-involved youth

This study examined the occurrence of injection drug use among street-involved youth in Vancouver. Among the 560 youth surveyed, 41% reported that they have injected illicit drugs. These youth, when compared to youth who have never injection drugs, were more likely to be involved in sex work, to have had a non-fatal overdose experience, and to have been infected with the hepatitis C virus.  These findings point to the need for a broad set of policies and interventions to prevent the initiation of injection drug use and address the risks faced by street-involved youth who are actively injecting. This article is published in the journal ‘BMC Public Health’ and is entitled: ‘Injection drug use among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting’. 

A summary of this study is available on our website at: click here. 

The abstract for this study is also available on PubMed at: click here.

 

 

Full references and links to the abstracts of all our research studies can also be found through the UHRI website in the ‘Publications’ section at: click here.

 

We hope that you will consider forwarding this message to others who may be interested in these works.

 

Please feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions concerning the Urban Health Research Initiative and the work we do.

 

Best regards,

 

Thomas Kerr and Evan Wood

 

Co-Directors of the Urban Health Research Initiative

British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

Division of AIDS, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia

 

St. Paul's Hospital

608-1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada, V6Z 1Y6

(Tel)  604-806-9116

(Fax) 604-806-9044

Email:  uhri@cfenet.ubc.ca

Website: http://uhri.cfenet.ubc.ca/

 

 

You are subscribed to the UHRI update list. To unsubscribe, please send a message to uhri-list@cfenet.ubc.ca

 

 

 

Vancouver's 'safe house' for drug addicts draws controversy
By Kevin Johnson
USA Today
February 16, 2010

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Attention+Ottawa+Insite+health+care+service/2574886/story.html