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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 10:44 pm
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Results for drug reform
48 results foundAuthor: Caulkins, Jonathan P. Title: Drug Production and Trafficking, Counterdrug Policies, and Security and Governance in Afghanistan Summary: This report contributes to the ongoing debate about counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan, and in relation to counter-insurgency operations by adding a heretofore missing element–applied economic analysis of the effect of counter-narcotics policies. It does so by applying to a stylized depiction of the Afghan situation a standard model that economists and policy analysts have applied to a large range of policy areas. Details: New York: New York University, Center on International Cooperation, 2010. 31p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Afghanistan URL: Shelf Number: 119430 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformDrug Trafficking |
Author: Sabin, Mike Title: Solutions to the Methamphetamine Crisis in New Zealand: A Study of Supply and Demand-Side Interventions and their Efficacy Summary: Methamphetamine, now second only to cannabis for illicit drug use rates in New Zealand, is commonly smoked, injected, snorted and ingested orally, causing a rapid progression to addiction. Chronic use of the drug often leads to anti-social, violent behaviour and serious mental illness. The purity of methamphetamine is linked to the degree of associated harm, increases of criminal offending and adverse socio-economic consequences. Recent surveys of social and criminal trends links methamphetamine with increasing prison populations, court cases and social costs, with $551 million worth of loss within New Zealand thought to be caused by the drug in 2006; more than any other drug. In analysing ‘what works and what doesn’t’ on the global stage, in particular within the United States, it is clear that New Zealand’s national drug policy of the last 10 years which focuses on harm minimisation, has been, and will continue to fail. Alongside this, with the limited efficacy of the supply-side interventions enacted in New Zealand in the early 2000s, the precursor and chemical diversion schemes are in need of overhauling. It is clear that there is no-one-silver bullet, but it is apparent that in the absence of successful demand reduction Police and Customs will be largely ineffective at tackling the subsequent supply. It is apparent that in the absence of so many of the interventions being employed successfully elsewhere, New Zealand has limited opportunities or likelihood of resolving the methamphetamine crisis. Conversely this study has identified a range of strategies with proven efficacy which if actioned effectively have the potential to bring about rapid change in this country. These strategies include overhauling the national drug policy and abandoning the focus on harm minimisation in favour of an approach based on harm elimination, which encourages citizens, in particular youth, to reject drug use. The establishment of a national drug control policy office which accounts directly to the Prime Minister and ensures administration and accountability of all drug policy objectives and outcomes across all ministries. A refocus of policing priorities toward organised criminal entities and improved powers and legislation to address precursor supply and disrupt criminal markets. The implementation of drug treatment courts and widespread, accessible treatment, alongside effective education and screening intervention. And the introduction of coordinated and concerted youth education and screening programmes, which utilise random student drug testing, and a focus on encouraging youth attitudes and behaviours which reject drug use. Details: Mongonui, New Zealand: MethCon Group Limited, 2008. 87p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119468 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeDrug ControlDrug PolicyDrug ReformMethamphetamineOrganized Crime |
Author: Gunasekara, Sanji Title: Drug Law Reform: Lessons from the New Zealand Experience Summary: New Zealand’s existing drug laws are out of date, overly complex and poorly aligned with official drug policy. In 2007, the Government decided to entrust an independent agency, the New Zealand Law Commission, to comprehensively review the country’s drug law. The Commission will present a final report which is likely to feature a new approach to personal possession and use of drugs placing less emphasis on conviction and punishment and more on the delivery of effective treatment. This is an important departure as, in many countries, and previously in New Zealand, drug laws have been developed and implemented with little consideration of their wider impact on social policy. The Commission's final report is likely to serve as a blueprint for drug law reform. Many of the recommendations will be applicable to other countries attempting to steer a balance between enacting progressive drug law reform while complying with their international treaty obligations. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute; London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies No. 8: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/Lessons%20from%20New%20Zealand%20Experience.pdf Year: 2010 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/Lessons%20from%20New%20Zealand%20Experience.pdf Shelf Number: 119715 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Birdwell, Jonathan Title: Taking Drugs Seriously: A Demos and UK Drug Policy Commission Report on Legal Highs Summary: Since first coming to public prominence at the end of 2009, legal highs have posed a major challenge to existing legal and legislative structures designed to deal with drugs. With the market in manufactured psychoactive substances like mephedrone moving faster than public policy can accommodate, this report asks whether the assumptions enshrined in the 40-year-old Misuse of Drugs Act are still valid when applied 21st century drugs market. Bringing together stakeholders from across all areas involved in drugs policy - including frontline practitioners such as medical professionals, youth workers and law enforcement - Taking Drugs Seriously brings bold, innovative responses to an area too often dominated by stale rhetoric. The report points a way forward for public policy, taking account of the opportunities for new thinking presented by the challenges of the modern drugs market. Details: London: Demos, 2011. 155p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2011 at: http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Taking_Drugs_Seriously_-_web.pdf?1305207826 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Taking_Drugs_Seriously_-_web.pdf?1305207826 Shelf Number: 121748 Keywords: Drug Abuse Policy (U.K.)Drug ControlDrug MarketsDrug PolicyDrug ReformDrugs |
Author: Harris, Genevieve Title: Conviction by Numbers: Threshold Quantities for Drug Policy Summary: Threshold quantities (TQs) for drug law and policy are being experimented with across many jurisdictions. States seem attracted to their apparent simplicity and use them to determine, for example, whether: a possession or supply offence is made out (e.g. Greece); a matter should be diverted away from the criminal justice system (e.g. Portugal); or a case should fall within a certain sentencing range (e.g. UK). Looking at examples from the EU and beyond, however, it is becoming clear that there are no ‘magic numbers’ in drug policy and that this tool brings its own complications and pit-falls. This briefing will therefore seek to provide an overview of the current discussion around TQs and will explore the mechanism of TQs including their benefits and drawbacks as a policy and legal tool. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 14: Accessed July 11, 2011 at: http://www.druglawreform.info/images/stories/documents/dlr14.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.druglawreform.info/images/stories/documents/dlr14.pdf Shelf Number: 122022 Keywords: Drug Abuse PolicyDrug ControlDrug OffensesDrug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Title: Ending the Drug War: A Dream Deferred Summary: President Richard Nixon officially declared a war on drugs on June 17, 1971. Thirty-eight years later, on May 14, 2009, the Obama administration’s drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, matter-of-factly declared during a newspaper interview that he was ending the analogy of the “war on drugs”. But this wording change and the Obama administration’s many subsequent changes in verbiage have had no corresponding significant change in policy from that of the Bush administration.This report details the ongoing carnage resulting from our failed prohibition policy while the administration has simultaneously tried to score political points by adopting the rhetoric of an evidence-based policy. Nowhere is the contrast between President Obama’s spoken words and policy toward drugs clearer than in the comparison between spending for punishment and interdiction (supply reduction) and spending for prevention, treatment and other health approaches (demand reduction). Despite President Obama’s clear -- and politically popular -- statement that “we have to think more about drugs as a public-health problem,” his administration’s budgets request funding for punishment at a much higher level than for treatment and prevention. Similarly, the Obama administration has tried to convince the public that it supports states’ rights to enact medical marijuana laws while actually undermining such efforts at nearly every turn. The Obama administration gave great fanfare to an October 2009 memo suggesting that those in compliance with state law should not be prosecuted, leaking it to the press late on a Sunday night to ensure heavy media coverage. However, the rate of raids on medical marijuana providers during the Obama administration has actually increased since the Bush administration. Tellingly, the administration has done nothing to trumpet these raids to the press. While the rates of drug-war-related deaths in Mexico skyrocket, the Obama administration continues to provide financial assistance to Mexico’s crackdown on drug cartels, like the Bush administration before it. Perversely, high-ranking Obama administration officials like DEA head Michele Leonhart have even described the increase in these grizzly killings as a sign of the success of prohibition. The Obama administration continues to fund Mexico’s war on drugs even as the killings increase faster each year (e.g. a 40% rise in killings from 2008 to 2009 and a nearly 60% rise from 2009 to 2010). Meanwhile, as the Obama administration tries to ignore it, the drug war continues to cause widespread gang violence within our own borders, in addition to spillover cartel violence from Mexico. When a journalist asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder whether he thought ending the war on drugs would prevent the further loss of police officers’ lives in drug enforcement actions, he simply replied, “I don’t think that’s right…no” and then walked away. The Obama administration does deserve credit for at least recognizing that the American people are ready for fundamental changes to drug policy and that anti-drug-war rhetoric is a shrewd political move. Fully 76% of the American people and 67% of chiefs of police have declared the drug war a failure, according to polls. The administration also deserves some credit for enacting a small number of sensible changes in domestic drug policy, including lifting the ban on using federal funding for syringe exchange and reducing the disparity between sentences for crack and powder cocaine. But as the Obama administration’s policies largely lag behind its rhetoric, state governments and prominent individuals are leading the way to reform. As of this writing, 16 states plus the District of Columbia have laws on the books making medical marijuana legal for those with doctors’ recommendations, and 14 states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. In 2012, several state ballots are expected to feature initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana. A growing number of prominent organizations and individuals including the former presidents of several countries, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan and other world leaders, have all come out publicly to suggest a change in the failed war on drugs. Let’s hope that the Obama administration’s policies catch up to its rhetoric before it’s too late. Details: Medford, MA: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, 2011. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2011 at: http://www.leap.cc/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Ending-the-Drug-War-A-Dream-Deferred.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.leap.cc/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Ending-the-Drug-War-A-Dream-Deferred.pdf Shelf Number: 122045 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug Policy (U.S.)Drug Reform |
Author: Csete, Joanne Title: From the Mountaintops: What the World Can Learn from Drug Policy Change in Switzerland Summary: This report looks at how evidence-based services such as heroin treatment, injection rooms, and needle exchange can lower HIV infection rates, improve health outcomes, and lower crime rates. Switzerland, a country known for its solid conservatism, was shaken by seeing its cities become the point of convergence of thousands of drug users and counterculture activists, culminating in large open drug scenes in the late 1980s. The country was hit hard by HIV, which was strongly linked—both in the public mind and in reality—to growing drug injection. A confluence of events and people led Switzerland to reject more repressive policing and instead to rethink drug police practices and drug policy more broadly. Health professionals who were persuaded that the harms of drug injection could be controlled more effectively by public health programs than by policing were at the vanguard of shifting the parameters of Swiss drug policy. Details: New York: Open Society Foundations, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2011 at: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/drugpolicy/articles_publications/publications/csete-mountaintops-20101021/from-the-mountaintops-english-20110524.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Switzerland URL: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/drugpolicy/articles_publications/publications/csete-mountaintops-20101021/from-the-mountaintops-english-20110524.pdf Shelf Number: 122979 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug Abuse TreatmentDrug Policy (Switzerland)Drug Reform |
Author: Greenwald, Glenn Title: Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies Summary: On July 1, 2001, a nationwide law in Portugal took effect that decriminalized all drugs, including cocaine and heroin. Under the new legal framework, all drugs were “decriminalized,” not “legalized.” Thus, drug possession for personal use and drug usage itself are still legally prohibited, but violations of those prohibitions are deemed to be exclusively administrative violations and are removed completely from the criminal realm. Drug trafficking continues to be prosecuted as a criminal offense. While other states in the European Union have developed various forms of de facto decriminalization— whereby substances perceived to be less serious (such as cannabis) rarely lead to criminal prosecution—Portugal remains the only EU member state with a law explicitly declaring drugs to be “decriminalized.” Because more than seven years have now elapsed since enactment of Portugal’s decriminalization system, there are ample data enabling its effects to be assessed. Notably, decriminalization has become increasingly popular in Portugal since 2001. Except for some far-right politicians, very few domestic political factions are agitating for a repeal of the 2001 law. And while there is a widespread perception that bureaucratic changes need to be made to Portugal’s decriminalization framework to make it more efficient and effective, there is no real debate about whether drugs should once again be criminalized. More significantly, none of the nightmare scenarios touted by preenactment decriminalization opponents— from rampant increases in drug usage among the young to the transformation of Lisbon into a haven for “drug tourists”—has occurred. The political consensus in favor of decriminalization is unsurprising in light of the relevant empirical data. Those data indicate that decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates in Portugal, which, in numerous categories, are now among the lowest in the EU, particularly when compared with states with stringent criminalization regimes. Although postdecriminalization usage rates have remained roughly the same or even decreased slightly when compared with other EU states, drug-related pathologies—such as sexually transmitted diseases and deaths due to drug usage—have decreased dramatically. Drug policy experts attribute those positive trends to the enhanced ability of the Portuguese government to offer treatment programs to its citizens—enhancements made possible, for numerous reasons, by decriminalization. This report will begin with an examination of the Portuguese decriminalization framework as set forth in law and in terms of how it functions in practice. Also examined is the political climate in Portugal both pre- and postdecriminalization with regard to drug policy, and the impetus that led that nation to adopt decriminalization. The report then assesses Portuguese drug policy in the context of the EU’s approach to drugs. The varying legal frameworks, as well as the overall trend toward liberalization, are examined to enable a meaningful comparative assessment between Portuguese data and data from other EU states. The report also sets forth the data concerning drug-related trends in Portugal both pre- and postdecriminalization. The effects of decriminalization in Portugal are examined both in absolute terms and in comparisons with other states that continue to criminalize drugs, particularly within the EU. The data show that, judged by virtually every metric, the Portuguese decriminalization framework has been a resounding success. Within this success lie self-evident lessons that should guide drug policy debates around the world. Details: Washington, DC: Cato Institute, 2009. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2012 at: http://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/greenwald_whitepaper.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Portugal URL: http://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/greenwald_whitepaper.pdf Shelf Number: 125102 Keywords: DecriminalizationDrug AbuseDrug Policy (Portugal)Drug Reform |
Author: Bewley-Taylor, Dave Title: The Limits of Latitude. The UN Drug Control Conventions Summary: Faced with a complex range of drug related problems, a growing number of nations are exploring the development of nationally appropriate policies that shift away from the prohibition-oriented approach that has long dominated the field but is losing more and more legitimacy. In so doing, such countries must pay close attention to the UN based global drug control framework of which practically all nations are a part. This briefing paper outlines the international legal drug control obligations, the room for manoeuvre the regime leaves open to national policy makers and the clear limits of latitude that cannot be crossed without violating the treaties. It also covers the vast grey area lying between the latitude and limitations, including the legal ambiguities that are subject to judicial interpretation and political contestation. The paper applies the traffic light analogy to drug law reform in order to divide ongoing policy changes and emerging proposals into three categories regarding their legal tenability. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 18: Accessed February 5, 2013 at: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr18.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr18.pdf Shelf Number: 127514 Keywords: Drug Control PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Carvalho, Ilona Szabo de Title: Latin America Awakes: A Review of the New Drug Policy Debate Summary: Latin America is confronted with astonishing levels of organised and interpersonal violence, much of it connected to illicit narcotics production and trafficking and the so-called "war on drugs". There is evidence, however, of mounting resistance to the global drug control regime and its narrow emphasis on suppressing supply, chiefly through enforcement measures. This report considers how changes under way in Latin America are challenging the foundations of this regime. Over the past decade two independent commissions - the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy and the Global Commission on Drug Policy - have broken the taboo on debating alternative drug policies. Both commissions have emphasised a paradigm shift from repressive approaches to more preventive interventions that focus on harm reduction and citizen security. Emboldened by these commissions' recommendations, Latin American leaders from across the political spectrum are currently discussing a more balanced approach to drug policy. Some governments are experimenting with legislation and regulatory models that are tailored to their countries' local realities and needs. These and other efforts have potentially dramatic implications not just for drug policy in Latin America, but globally. Details: Oslo, Norway: NOREF (Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Center, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2013 at: http://www.peacebuilding.no/var/ezflow_site/storage/original/application/cec0c2d61be4326b2038452c8a98a4f9.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Latin America URL: http://www.peacebuilding.no/var/ezflow_site/storage/original/application/cec0c2d61be4326b2038452c8a98a4f9.pdf Shelf Number: 131577 Keywords: Drug Policy (Latin America)Drug ReformDrug Related ViolenceDrug TraffickingWar on Drugs |
Author: Subramanian, Ram Title: Drug War Detente? A Review of State-level Drug Law Reform, 2009-2013 Summary: From 2009 through 2013, more than 30 states passed nearly 50 bills changing how their criminal justice systems define and enforce drug offenses. In reviewing this legislative activity, the Vera Institute of Justice's Center on Sentencing and Corrections found that most efforts have focused on making change in one or a combination of the following five areas: mandatory penalties, drug sentencing schemes, early release mechanisms, community-based sanctions, and collateral consequences. By providing concise summaries of representative legislation in each area, this review aims to be a practical guide for policymakers in other states and the federal government looking to enact similar reforms. Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2014. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 12, 2014 at: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/state-drug-law-reform-review-2009-2013.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/state-drug-law-reform-review-2009-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 132328 Keywords: Drug Control Drug OffendersDrug Policy Drug ReformIllicit DrugsSentencing War on Drugs |
Author: Mbete, Bibi Title: HIV, Harm Reduction and Drug Policy in Kenya Summary: Kenya - like most countries - has a long tradition of punitive drug policy responses that seek to eradicate drug use and trade. This is in keeping with the prohibitionist approach that has been dominant across the world for more than 100 years, despite overwhelming evidence that this approach contributes to high levels of HIV transmission among people who inject drugs, as well as many other harms. In recent years, civil society organisations in Kenya have started to adopt programmes and practices that focus more on public health and human rights - supported mainly with funding from international donors and technical assistance from international non-governmental organisations. As part of this effort, the Kenyan Ministry of Health has recently introduced guidelines and strategies for targeted and evidence-based harm reduction interventions for people who use drugs (see Box 1), as part of its HIV response. This briefing paper aims to review the recent developments in the response to HIV and illicit drug use in Kenya, and highlights some key recommendations to address the remaining challenges and issues. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: IDPC Briefing Paper: Accessed May 12, 2014 at: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/IDPC-briefing-paper_drug-policy-harm-reduction-Kenya.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Kenya URL: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/IDPC-briefing-paper_drug-policy-harm-reduction-Kenya.pdf Shelf Number: 132329 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug Policy (Kenya)Drug ReformHIV (Viruses)Illicit Drugs |
Author: Youngers, Coletta A. Title: In Search of Rights: Drug Users and Government Responses in Latin America Summary: This report presents the results of the most recent study by the Research Consortium on Drugs and the Law (Colectivo de Estudios Drogas y Derecho, CEDD). The study, entitled "In Search of Rights: Drug Users and State Responses in Latin America" analyzes States-- responses to the consumption of illicitly used drugs, focusing on two key areas; Criminal justice responses and health responses; Vin eight Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. An international consensus appears to be emerging that drug use is not a criminal matter, but a health issue. Nevertheless, as shown by the country investigations that are part of this study, Latin American government responses to the use of illicit substances remain predominantly punitive and handled through the criminal justice system; it is through judicial, rather than healthcare, institutions that states address the illicit use of drugs and drug users. Even in countries in which drug use is not a crime, persistent criminalization of drug users is found. Treating drug use (and users) as a criminal matter is problematic for several reasons. First, as an earlier study by CEDD shows, responses that criminalize drug users are often ultimately more hazardous for the users; health than the drug use itself and do not help decrease levels of use (either problem or non-problem use).2 Second, as this report shows, the criminal justice response contributes to a climate of stigmatization of and discrimination against users, reducing the likelihood that police and the judicial system will take an impartial attitude toward them. Third, the criminalization of drug users is a poor use of public resources in both the public security and health sectors. Finally, this approach to drug use; through criminal justice institutions; violates various fundamental rights of users, including the rights to health, information, personal autonomy and self-determination. All of this violates various national and international human rights norms that States are obligated to uphold. The following is a summary of the studies; key findings: - Most public policies related to drug use in the countries studied take a punitive and prohibitionist approach that does not distinguish among different types of use and/or among substances or users; they are therefore inadequate for addressing the harm caused by problem drug use. - In all of the countries studied, there is strong discrimination against and stigmatization of drug users. Even in countries where use of those substances is not criminalized, we found that consumers are often treated as criminals. This leaves users outside the reach of health systems. - In all the countries studied, we found that drug users are criminally prosecuted. In Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico and Bolivia, drug use is not a crime. Nevertheless, according to the study in Argentina, in a sample from 2011, nearly 75 percent of the cases involving drug law violations that were initiated by security forces in the Federal Criminal Court in the city of Buenos Aires were for possession of drugs for personal use. In Ecuador, 5,103 people are presently incarcerated for possession of narcotic or psychotropic substances, of a total of 6,467 convicted on drug-related charges. In Mexico, 140,860 people nationwide were arrested for drug use between 2009 and May 2013, and investigations were opened in 53,769 cases in the federal system during that period. In Bolivia, 6,316 people were arrested for drug possession (mainly cannabis) between 2005 and 2011, although possession is not classified as a crime. - The criminal justice response puts drug users in a vulnerable position before the authorities, exposing them to corruption, extortion, physical abuse, sexual abuse, arbitrary detention and other violations of their fundamental rights. - Largely because of the stigmatization of drug use, users suffer constant violations of their fundamental rights, including the rights to health, self-determination and free personal development, the right not to suffer discrimination, and the right to information and due process. - The governments studied emphasize controlling the supply of illicitly used drugs over addressing drug use, or demand, which has a negative impact on the ability to provide adequate social and public-health responses to drug use and contributes to the violation of present and future users; rights to health. - There is a marked paucity of information about consumption and a lack of systematization of that information and, in some cases there are methodological and conceptual problems in the gathering of information about drug use. That often leads to an exaggeration of the problem of consumption of illicitly used drugs and hinders the formulation and development of informed policies based on empirical information. - By emphasizing a criminal justice approach over a health-related approach, governments have abdicated their responsibility to users who need treatment, leaving the private sector as the main provider of treatment and rehabilitation services. We found that States often do not regulate and/or oversee private centers, many of which operate informally, using treatments that have no scientific basis. Abstinence-based treatment models predominate in both the public and private sectors and there is little emphasis on harm reduction programs, which have proven more effective in mitigating the negative effects of illicit use of drugs. - Throughout the region, drug users; even when their use is not problematic; can be subjected to treatment involuntarily, forcibly or semi-forcibly. This means that scarce public-health resources that could be used for people who do want and need treatment are used for people who neither need nor want it. Given that situation, the proposal of drug courts offers an alternative to incarceration. One concern, however, is that this proposal is seen as a healthcare response, when its components are still of a criminal justice nature and risk reproducing all of the problems within the criminal justice system with regard to drug use. Details: Mexico: Research Consortium on Drugs and the Law (CEDD), 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2014 at: http://drogasyderecho.org/assets/full-report-english.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Latin America URL: http://drogasyderecho.org/assets/full-report-english.pdf Shelf Number: 132637 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Latin America)Drug Abuse PolicyDrug Abuse TreatmentDrug EnforcementDrug ReformIllicit DrugsSubstance Abuse Treatment |
Author: Cox, Jerry J. Title: Collateral Damage: America's Failure to Forgive or Forget in the War on Crime -- A Roadmap to Restore Rights and Status After Arrest or Conviction. Summary: Collateral damage occurs in any war, including America's "War on Crime." Ironically, our zealous efforts to keep communities safe may have actually destabilized and divided them. The vast expansion of the nation's criminal justice system over the past 40 years has produced a corresponding increase in the number of people with a criminal record. One recent study estimated that 65 million people - one in four adults in the United States - have a criminal record. At the same time, the collateral consequences of conviction - specific legal restrictions, generalized discrimination and social stigma have become more severe, more public and more permanent. These consequences affect virtually every aspect of human endeavor, including employment and licensing, housing, education, public benefits, credit and loans, immigration status, parental rights, interstate travel, and even volunteer opportunities. Collateral consequences can be a criminal defendant's most serious punishment, permanently relegating a person to second-class status. The obsession with background checking in recent years has made it all but impossible for a person with a criminal record to leave the past behind. An arrest alone can lead to permanent loss of opportunity. The primary legal mechanisms historically relied on to restore rights and status -- executive pardon and judicial expungement - have atrophied or become less effective. It is time to reverse this course. It is time to recognize that America's infatuation with collateral consequences has produced unprecedented and unnecessary collateral damage to society and to the justice system. It is time to celebrate the magnificent human potential for growth and redemption. It is time to move from the era of collateral consequences to the era of restoration of rights and status. NACDL recommends a broad national initiative to construct a legal infrastructure that will provide individuals with a criminal record with a clear path to equal opportunity. The principle that individuals have paid their debt to society when they have completed their court-imposed sentence should guide this initiative. At its core, this initiative must recognize that individuals who pay their debt are entitled to have their legal and social status fully restored. Details: Washington, DC: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), 2014. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.nacdl.org/restoration/roadmapreport/ Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.nacdl.org/restoration/roadmapreport/ Shelf Number: 132660 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug OffendersDrug PolicyDrug ReformWar on Drugs (U.S.) |
Author: Segura, Renata Title: The Global Drug Policy Debate. Experiences from the Americas and Europe Summary: The cultivation, trafficking and consumption of illegal drugs have historically posed a multilayered series of challenges to the state: from how to minimize health risks and provide treatment and support to those who use drugs, to the security and governance threats posed by trafficking groups and networks. While global in nature, the challenges presented by the illicit drug trade are also contextual. Lack of progress in addressing the manifold challenges posed by the illicit drug trade has led to a growing acknowledgement of the need for a serious rethink of global drugs policy. The authors underscore the importance of, and encourage the creation of national and regional commissions that are tasked with reviewing current drug policies and recommending changes. It also examines current calls in Latin American for a review of the so-called 'war on drugs', highlighting the role that outspoken leaders are playing in shaping the debate on drug policy, as well as current shifts from a policing-focused approach to one that accounts for the safety and health of drug users. The paper looks in particular detail at the experiences of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, arguing that other transit regions such as West Africa should consider implementing multi-faceted strategies to respond to drug trafficking and the growing incidence of drug consumption. In this regard, it highlights examples of how exclusive reliance on repressive strategies known as mano dura can often backfire, resulting in the displacement of trafficking routes, an increase in violence, prison overcrowding and further marginalization of vulnerable populations. Finally, it highlights some actions the West Africa Commission on Drugs might adopt for its own advocacy strategy including strategic diplomacy, the development and dissemination of empirically-grounded papers on the impact of drug trafficking, drug consumption and treatment in the West Africa sub-region, and discussions and debates with relevant stakeholders on the findings of such reports; engagement of civil society; and raising of public awareness. The West Africa Commission on Drugs is faced with the difficult task of advocating for policies aimed at preventing or mitigating problems of drug use, criminality, violence, and threats to governability that have been experienced by other countries, without having complete certainty on how -or even if- the same challenges will arise in Africa. Carrier and Klantsching, in their book "Africa and the War on Drugs" argue that historical analysis would indicate that Africa might be spared from the destiny of the Andean countries, and that more harm can be done by implementing a prohibitionist regime that assumes an identical path will be followed. This warning should not fall on deaf ears. However, critics of their argument have underscored the dangers of understating the "growing power of drug money in African electoral politics, local and traditional governance, and security" (Gberie, 2012; Cockayne, 2012). They have also pointed out that having a critical perspective on the existing drug control regime must not mean turning a blind eye to the threats that come with drug trafficking and consumption, such as corruption and the emergence of criminalized states (Kavanagh et al, 2013). Similarly, while drug consumption rates currently remain relatively low in Africa, the situation can change rapidly, as happened in some Latin American countries. As noted by UNODC (2013), there are already strong indications that drug use is on the rise in West Africa. It is naturally easier to achieve the political support needed to implement policies that respond to serious problems, such as a health epidemic or extended violence, than to embrace innovative and data-based policies in order to prevent or mitigate these problems. Explaining to both elites and the population why it is indispensable that West Africa act assertively to pre-empt a situation that may emerge will be a central challenge for the WACD. This paper examines such efforts in the Americas and Europe, drawing lessons for West Africa. It argues that the current drug control regime does provide some leeway for implementing policy reforms that move away from the prohibitionist regime, and provides examples of alternative policies that have been introduced by national and local authorities in different countries. The paper provides examples from Europe to underscore the importance of using empirical research and sound data to design drug policies, highlighting successful examples of harm reduction programs, and examining ways in which governments have moved away from legal frameworks that rely on the criminalization of drug use. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Kofi Annan Foundation and the West Africa Commission on Drugs, 2013. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: WACD Background Paper No. 7: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.wacommissionondrugs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Global-Drug-Policy-Debate-Experiences-2013-11-28.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.wacommissionondrugs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Global-Drug-Policy-Debate-Experiences-2013-11-28.pdf Shelf Number: 133013 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformDrug TraffickingIllegal DrugsIllicit TradeWar on Drugs |
Author: Giacomello, Corina Title: Proposals for alternatives to criminal prosecution and incarceration for drug-related offenses in Latin America Summary: Latin America is immersed in a prison epidemic. The so-called "war on drugs" and harsher criminal penalties underlie the increase in the prison population. "One-size-fits-all" policies and severe sanctions have left the region's countries in a prison crisis that threatens future generations. Instead of proposing a single model, therefore, multiple pathways should be explored. This briefing by the International Drug Policy Consortium focuses on the judicial and prison systems, seeking to offer a variety of experiences that demonstrate how various situations can be addressed: occasional and recreational use, dependent or problem use of substances, small-scale drug dealing by vulnerable members of the trafficking chain (dependent users who sell for survival), and differences among the different levels of leadership in dealing and international trafficking. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: IDPC Briefing Paper: Accessed October 6, 2014 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/IDPC-briefing-paper_Alternatives-to-incarceration-in-LA_ENGLISH.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Latin America URL: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/IDPC-briefing-paper_Alternatives-to-incarceration-in-LA_ENGLISH.pdf Shelf Number: 133565 Keywords: Drug OffendersDrug Policy (Latin America)Drug ReformDrug TraffickingWar on Drugs |
Author: Males, Mike Title: Reforming marijuana laws: Which approach best reduces the harms of criminalization? A Five-State Analysis Summary: The War on Marijuana is losing steam. Policymakers, researchers, and law enforcement are beginning to recognize that arresting and incarcerating people for marijuana possession wastes billions of dollars, does not reduce the abuse of marijuana or other drugs, and results in grossly disproportionate harms to communities of color (ACLU, 2013; Ingram, 2014). Marijuana reforms are now gaining traction across the nation, generating debates over which strategies best reduce the harms of prohibition. Should marijuana be decriminalized or legalized? Should it be restricted to people 21 and older? Advocates of the latter strategy often argue their efforts are intended to protect youth (Newsom, 2014; Holder, 2013; Californians for Marijuana Legalization and Control, 2014). However, if the consequences of arrest for marijuana possession - including fines, jail time, community service, a criminal record, loss of student loans, and court costs - are more harmful than use of the drug (Marijuana Arrest Research Project, 2012), it is difficult to see how continued criminalization of marijuana use by persons under 21 protects the young. Currently, people under 21 make up less than one-third of marijuana users, yet half of all marijuana possession arrests (ACLU, 2013; Males, 2009). This analysis compares five states that implemented major marijuana reforms over the last five years, evaluating their effectiveness in reducing marijuana arrests and their impact on various health and safety outcomes. Two types of reforms are evaluated: all-ages decriminalization (California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts), and 21-and-older legalization (Colorado and Washington). The chief conclusions are: - All five states experienced substantial declines in marijuana possession arrests. The four states with available data also showed unexpected drops in marijuana felony arrests. - All-ages decriminalization more effectively reduced marijuana arrests and associated harms for people of all ages, particularly for young people. - Marijuana decriminalization in California has not resulted in harmful consequences for teenagers, such as increased crime, drug overdose, driving under the influence, or school dropout. In fact, California teenagers showed improvements in all risk areas after reform. - Staggering racial disparities remain - and in some cases are exacerbated - following marijuana reforms. African Americans are still more likely to be arrested for marijuana offenses after reform than all other races and ethnicities were before reform. - Further reforms are needed in all five states to move toward full legalization and to address racial disparities. Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2014 at: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/cjcj_marijuana_reform_comparison.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/cjcj_marijuana_reform_comparison.pdf Shelf Number: 134092 Keywords: Drug Abuse PolicyDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana (U.S.)War on Drugs |
Author: Muggah, Robert Title: Measurement Matters: Designing New Metrics for a Drug Policy that Works Summary: Supporters of progressive drug policy are committed to using scientific evidence as the basis for informed public debate and policy-making. This is more radical proposal than it first appears. It requires a fundamental shift in how governments and societies think about monitoring and measuring production, trafficking and consumption. To help advance this thinking, the following Strategic Paper proposes a new set of generic goals, targets and indicators to track the intended and unintended consequences of drug policy. Based on dozens of interviews with the world's top experts, it offers an innovative framework to align drug policy metrics with improvements in public health, safety and citizen security. The paper introduces 2 high level impacts, 6 goals, 16 targets and 86 indicators and subjects them to a preliminary reality check in Colombia. While there are challenges related to data availability and access, there are also tremendous opportunities to rethink old paradigms and design new approaches to designing, implementing and monitoring drug policy that works. Details: Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Igarape, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Strategic Paper 12: Accessed January 20, 2015 at: http://igarape.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/AE-12-Measurement-mattes-07h-jan_.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Colombia URL: http://igarape.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/AE-12-Measurement-mattes-07h-jan_.pdf Shelf Number: 134421 Keywords: Drug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Buxton, Julia Title: Drugs and Development: The Great Disconnect Summary: Key Points - The 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS) will see a strong lobby in support of development oriented responses to the problem of drug supply, including from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). - The promotion of Alternative Development (AD) programmes that provide legal, non-drug related economic opportunities for drug crop cultivators reflects the limited success of enforcement responses, greater awareness of the development dimensions of cultivation activities and the importance of drugs and development agencies working co-operatively in drug environments. - Evidence from thirty years of AD programming demonstrates limited success in supply reduction and that poorly monitored and weakly evaluated programmes cause more harm than good; there has been little uptake of best practice approaches, cultivators rarely benefit from AD programmes, the concept of AD is contested and there is no shared understanding of 'development'. - AD was popularised in the 1990s when development discourse emphasised participatory approaches and human wellbeing. This is distinct from the development approaches of the 2000s, which have been 'securitised' in the aftermath of the Global War on Terror and which re-legitimise military participation in AD. - UNGASS 2016 provides an opportunity for critical scrutiny of AD and the constraints imposed by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs on innovative, rights based and nationally owned supply responses. Cultivation is a development not a crime and security issue. Consideration must be given to a reconfiguration of institutional mandates, with supply and cultivation control removed from the UNODC and brought into the remit of development agencies. - Deliberation around the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals provides an entry point for new approaches to drug issues in the Global South and an opportunity to reverse the human, development and public health harms caused by current counter-narcotics policies. Details: Swansea, UK: Global Drug Policy Observatory, Swansea University, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Report 2: Accessed February 3, 2015 at: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/The%20Great%20Disconnect.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/The%20Great%20Disconnect.pdf Shelf Number: 134516 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug Policy (International)Drug ReformDrug Regulation |
Author: Garzon Vergara, Juan Carlos Title: Fixing a broken system: Modernizing drug law enforcement in Latin America Summary: Despite efforts by governments in Latin America, illicit drugs continue to provide one of the largest incomes for criminal organizations, enabling them to penetrate and corrupt political and social institutions. Criminal organizations exploit the vulnerabilities of the state and take advantage of governments' inability to provide security to their citizens. With few exceptions, the weak capacity of Latin American governments is reflected in high rates of homicides, notorious levels of impunity, and the feeling of mistrust that citizens harbour regarding justice institutions and the police. Drug law enforcement in Latin America operates in a context of institutional fragility in which the "war on drugs" has mostly failed to reduce supply and demand, while generating new problems and vast collateral damage. The perverse incentives created by the prohibitionist approach in the face of a persistently strong market demand for drugs has been an important cause of violence and crime in many places. At the same time, state responses to repress this illegal market have serious negative side effects, but only a limited capacity to impact upon the drug chain. Given this reality, different voices are demanding changes in the way the state responds not only to the drug problem but also to the threat of multiple criminal economies that affect the everyday lives of the citizens. The assumption is that moving away from the "war on drugs" can contribute to de-escalating violence and crime and can deprive organized crime groups of resources. Key points - Drug law enforcement in Latin America operates in a context of institutional fragility in which the "war on drugs" has mostly failed to reduce supply and demand, while generating new problems and vast collateral damage. - The modernization of drug law enforcement can be a galvanizing force for changing the broader criminal justice system and perhaps show the way toward fixing a broken system. - The 4W-Challenge (Wrong assumptions; Wrong goals and indicators; Weak institutions; and Worse outcomes) outlines the four main challenges to modernize drug law enforcement in the region - In future law enforcement strategies violence reduction must be a priority and law enforcement measures should not cause additional harm. - The criminal justice system should be focused on the most prejudicial and dangerous criminals, those that have more resources and capacities to use violence and corruption. - Alternatives to incarceration should be developed for the weakest links in the drug trade. - "Success" should be measured not via process indicators (arrests, seizures, extraditions) but rather in terms of outcomes and the impact of policy upon societies(levels of corruption, public health and human security). - The United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the drug problem in 2016 provides an opportunity to rethink drug law enforcement and its consequences for security and development. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies No. 29: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr29.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Latin America URL: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr29.pdf Shelf Number: 134888 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug ReformDrug Trafficking (Latin America)Organized CrimeWar on Drugs |
Author: Blickman, Tom Title: Cannabis policy reform in Europe: Bottom up rather than top down Summary: With the regulation of recreational cannabis markets in Uruguay and the US states of Colorado and Washington in 2013, and - in November 2014 - the approval of cannabis regulation ballots in the states of Oregon and Alaska, a breakthrough in conventional cannabis policy is emerging. The current policy trend towards legal regulation of the cannabis market is increasingly seen as a more promising model for protecting people's health and safety and has changed the drug policy landscape and the terms of the debate. The prohibitive model has failed to show any sustained impact in reducing the market, while imposing heavy burdens upon criminal justice systems; producing profoundly negative social and public health impacts; and creating criminal markets supporting organised crime, violence and corruption. While in the Americas cannabis policy reform is taking off, Europe seems to be lagging behind. That is to say, in European nations at the level of national governments - where denial of the changing policy landscape and inertia to act upon calls for change reigns. At the local level, however, disenchantment with the current cannabis regime gives rise to new ideas. In several countries in Eu rope, local and regional authorities are looking at regulation, either pressured by grassroots movements - in particular the Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) - or due to the involvement of criminal groups and public disorder. This briefing will give an overview of recent developments in Europe. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies No. 28: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr28.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/dlr28.pdf Shelf Number: 134889 Keywords: CannabisDrug LegalizationDrug Policy (Europe)Drug ReformMarijuanaOrganized Crime |
Author: Martin, Catherine Title: Casualities of War: How the war on drugs is harming the world's poorest Summary: Since the mid-twentieth century, global drug policy has been dominated by strict prohibition, which tries to force people to stop possessing, using and producing drugs by making them illegal. This approach, which has come to be known as the 'War on Drugs', has not only failed to achieve its goals - it is fuelling poverty, undermining health, and failing some of the poorest and most marginalised communities worldwide. Just like tax dodging, climate change and unfair trade rules, current global drug policies undermine global efforts to tackle poverty and inequality. Yet, unlike with these issues, the development sector has remained largely silent when it comes to drug policy. If, as international NGOs, we are serious about dealing with the root causes of poverty and not just the symptoms, we cannot afford to ignore drug policy. It's time we recognised the threat that unreformed global drug policy poses to our attempts to tackle poverty worldwide. The sector can no longer be absent from debates on drug policy reform. As governments prepare for the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals and the UN General Assembly's Special Session (UNGASS) on Drugs in 2016, we have a unique opportunity to ensure the rights of the poorest and most marginalised are at the heart of the negotiations. Details: London: Health Poverty Action, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2015 at: http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2015/02/Casualties-of-war-report-web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2015/02/Casualties-of-war-report-web.pdf Shelf Number: 134916 Keywords: Drug Policy (International)Drug ReformPovertyWar on Drugs |
Author: Transform Drug Policy Foundation Title: Ending the War on Drugs: How to win the global drug policy debate Summary: This is a guide to making the case for drug policy and law reform from a position of confidence and authority, with a particular focus on the issue of legal regulation of currently illegal drug markets - an issue that is now core to the drugs debate. It is for every policymaker, media commentator, and campaigner who not only recognises that the 'war on drugs' is a counterproductive failure that is creating catastrophic unintended consequences, but who also wants to convince others to back reform. It will equip you with the constructive arguments, different approaches and nuanced messaging needed to address the concerns and interests of diverse audiences. This will enable you to not just win the argument, but make the new allies needed to turn the current unparalleled momentum for reform into concrete policy change nationally and internationally. Details: London: Transform Drug Policy Foundation, 2015. 176p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2015 at: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/resources/publications/ending-war-drugs-how-win-global-drug-policy-debate Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/resources/publications/ending-war-drugs-how-win-global-drug-policy-debate Shelf Number: 134951 Keywords: Drug Enforcement Drug Policy Drug Reform Drug Trafficking Illegal Drugs Illicit Trade War on Drugs |
Author: Rolles, Steve Title: Drug policy in Sweden: a repressive approach that increases harm Summary: The central aim of Swedish drug policy is to create a drug-free society. To achieve this aim, the country has adopted a punitive, enforcement-led approach to drugs. It is this approach, some have argued, that is responsible for Sweden's historically low levels of drug use. This apparent success of the Swedish model is therefore often presented as an argument against drug policy reforms such as decriminalisation and legal regulation. However, the degree to which Sweden's low prevalence of drug use can be attributed to its repressive approach is highly questionable, as research consistently shows that wider social, economic and cultural factors are the key drivers of drug prevalence - not the harshness of enforcement. Also of note is that levels of drug use in Sweden, while in relative terms still very low, are increasing. Furthermore, the Swedish model - in particular its antipathy to proven harm reduction measures - has had serious negative consequences that are almost never mentioned by its advocates. These include alarmingly high rates of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs, and a 600% increase in drug-induced deaths over the last 20 years. Details: Bristol, UK: Transform, 2015. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2015 at: www.tdpf.org.uk Year: 2015 Country: Sweden URL: www.tdpf.org.uk Shelf Number: 134956 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug EnforcementDrug Policy (Sweden)Drug Reform |
Author: Murkin, George Title: Drug decriminalisation in Portugal: setting the record straight Summary: Portugal decriminalised the possession of all drugs for personal use in 2001, and there now exists a significant body of evidence on what happened following the move. Both opponents and advocates of drug policy reform are sometimes guilty of misrepresenting this evidence, with the former ignoring or incorrectly disputing the benefits of reform, and the latter tending to overstate them. The reality is that Portugal's drug situation has improved significantly in several key areas. Most notably, HIV infections and drug-related deaths have decreased, while the dramatic rise in use feared by some has failed to materialise. However, such improvements are not solely the result of the decriminalisation policy; Portugal's shift towards a more health-centred approach to drugs, as well as wider health and social policy changes, are equally, if not more, responsible for the positive changes observed. Drawing on the most up-to-date evidence, this briefing clarifies the extent of Portugal's achievement, and debunks some of the erroneous claims made about the country's innovative approach to drugs. Details: Bristol, UK: Transform, 2014. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2015 at: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/blog/drug-decriminalisation-portugal-setting-record-straight Year: 2014 Country: Portugal URL: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/blog/drug-decriminalisation-portugal-setting-record-straight Shelf Number: 134957 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug LegalizationDrug Policy (Portugal)Drug Reform |
Author: Dobovsek, Bojan Title: Trends and developments in drug legislation in South Eastern Europe Summary: KEY POINTS - Criminal Justice systems of South Eastern European (SEE) countries are based on different traditions and the response to the drug issue proves diversified. Deviations are wider in the area of smaller-scale violations of drug laws, while penalties envisaged for drug trafficking have more common characteristics being extremely harsh. In several countries however, regardless of the strict scope of legal provisions, the penalties actually imposed by courts are less stringent - The reaction of criminal law in cases of drug possession for personal use reveal more distinct diversifications. In general, SEE countries could be described as indecisive on issues regarding decriminalization of possession of drugs for personal use. This is an extremely crucial issue in the further development of drug policy, since this reasoning usually deeply affects the lenient or harsh treatment of the user-perpetrators within the criminal justice system. Further research and study of the current practice concerning possession for personal use, must be a priority in the future agenda of the countries of the region, in order to relieve the criminal justice and the penitentiary, system. The scientific community in SE Europe could contribute significantly in imple-menting a program to achieve this goal. - In recent years, great strides have been made to broaden harm-reduction policies and services. However, weak or non existing legislation on harm reduction, and a culture of mistrust and phobic societies, have greatly suppressed harm reduction programs and services. The shift of interest towards harm reduction is a particularly critical parameter and it will greatly influence developments in drug policy in South Eastern Europe, especially under the effect of the wider relevant European policy. - The National drug strategies an action plans have in most of the countries of South Eastern Europe never been evaluated. It is a challenge for them to assign a qualified and independent periodic evaluation. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Policy Dialogue in South Eastern Europe, DIOGENIS Association Pr 3, Accessed March 23, 2015 at: http://www.diogenis.info/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Briefing_paper_nr_3_Trends_and_developments_in_Drug%20_legislation_SEE_English_final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://www.diogenis.info/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Briefing_paper_nr_3_Trends_and_developments_in_Drug%20_legislation_SEE_English_final.pdf Shelf Number: 134999 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug EnforcementDrug Policy (Europe)Drug Reform |
Author: Gettman, Jon B. Title: Marijuana Arrests in Colorado After the Passage of Amendment 64 Summary: Colorado's Amendment 64 was enacted in November 2012. The constitutional amendment allowed for the personal possession, cultivation and private use of marijuana in the state of Colorado for people over 21 years of age. The state was also mandated to establish a framework for taxation and regulation so adults could legally purchase non-medical marijuana from licensed cultivators and retailers. The new rights conferred to adults went into effect on December 10, 2012. The first retail stores opened on January 1, 2014. This report reviews changes in the number and characteristics of marijuana arrests in Colorado after the passage of Amendment 64. Not all arrests are equal in terms of consequences for the individual and the costs to the criminal justice system because an arrested individual may be charged with several criminal violations. Consequently this report refers to arrests in terms of the number of individual charges prosecuted in court. Data obtained from the Judicial Branch of Colorado was used to compare the number of cases and charges brought before the courts in the state prior to the passage of Amendment 64. Additional data from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation was used to review the racial characteristics of those arrested by law enforcement for marijuana law violations. This report reveals that marijuana-related charges statewide (not including Denver) decreased by 85% between 2010 and 2014. An overwhelming majority of this decrease in charges came in the aftermath of Amendment 64. Possession charges at all levels (not simply the level now legal or previously considered a petty offense) are the primary reason for the decline. Cultivation charges over the last two years were halved when compared to the previous two years before Amendment 64. In addition, all drug-related charges are down 23% since 2010. This underscores the central role of marijuana prohibition in the drug war, as well as marijuana legalization's implications for criminal justice reform more generally. This report also finds that racial disparities for marijuana offenses persist at similar levels as before Amendment 64. However, disparities for the charge of intent to distribute actually went down, easing fears of many racial justice advocates. While the overall decrease in marijuana-related offenses statewide has been enormously beneficial to communities of color, one troubling concern is the rise in disparities for the charge of public consumption, especially in Denver. It is also worth noting that, due to a lack of credible data, this report does not analyze Amendment 64's impact on the state's Latino population. The report also reveals a sharp decline in synthetic marijuana arrests since retail stores opened in 2014. According to judicial county court records, arrests for synthetic marijuana in 2014 have declined by 27% from the prior year. Given the health impacts of marijuana are more established and understood than those related to synthetic marijuana, advocates see this as yet another potential benefit of legalization. Details: New York: Drug Policy Alliance, 2015. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2015 at: http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Marijuana_Arrests_After_the_Passage_of_Amendment_64.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Marijuana_Arrests_After_the_Passage_of_Amendment_64.pdf Shelf Number: 135227 Keywords: ArrestsDecriminalizationDrug EnforcementDrug LegalizationDrug Policy (Colorado)Drug ReformMarijuana Legalization |
Author: Franquero, Oscar Pares Title: Innovation Born of Necessity: Pioneering Drug Policy in Catalonia Summary: In the 1970s, in the midst of a major political and economic transition, Spain suddenly faced unprecedented levels of heroin consumption, which soon evolved into an epidemic of fatal drug overdoses and HIV and hepatitis infections. Despite the inertia and limitations of national policies, Catalonia created a comprehensive approach to drug treatment and harm reduction. From the start, the Catalan response was motivated by families of youth who were affected by drug consumption and neighborhood movements that denounced the lack of resources. With broad political consensus, they created the Catalonian Drug Dependency Care Network that offered a multidisciplinary response to drug treatment, harm reduction, and social integration. Innovation Born of Necessity: Pioneering Drug Policy in Catalonia follows the evolution of two of the region's drug policy solutions: its health- and rights-based approach to drug treatment and harm reduction, and its model for safely legalizing the market for cannabis. Catalonia's long held values of collaborative grassroots action and political autonomy have forged many other unique social policies and mechanisms, the most well known of which is the cannabis social club. Offering a new, collective-based model for the legal growth, sale, and use of cannabis, the promise of the cannabis social club goes well beyond the significant benefits to cannabis users. After tracing their social and legal evolution, Innovation Born of Necessity shows how the cannabis social clubs reinforce civil society, protect public health, and shrink the black market while boosting the formal economy, thus contributing to a more democratic society Details: New York: Open Society Foundations, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Lessons for Drug Policy Series, 2015: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/20150428-innovation-born-necessity-pioneering-drug-policy-catalonia.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Spain URL: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/20150428-innovation-born-necessity-pioneering-drug-policy-catalonia.pdf Shelf Number: 135447 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug Policy (Catalonia)Drug Reform |
Author: Youngers, Coletta A. Title: Building on progress: Bolivia consolidates achievements in reducing coca and looks to reform decades-old drug law Summary: Bolivia's program relies on close monitoring to ensure individual cultivators do not exceed their cato, or measured plot of land for permitted coca cultivation. Farmers participate in a biometric registry to facilitate identification and monitoring of production, transport, and sales, effectively ensuring crops are only used for licit products - not cocaine or its derivatives. At 20,400 hectares of coca under cultivation, Bolivia has nearly reached its goal of 20,000 hectares, the amount considered to be sufficient to supply the traditional and expanding legal markets. Yet while Bolivia's coca policy is worthy of recognition, this report by WOLA/AIN concludes that the country's outdated drug law remains unjust and continues to rely on disproportionate punishment for low-level, non-violent drug offenses. Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America, 2015. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/WOLA-bolivia-consolidates-achievements-in-reducing-coca-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Bolivia URL: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/WOLA-bolivia-consolidates-achievements-in-reducing-coca-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136610 Keywords: CocaineDrug Abuse and CrimeDrug OffendersDrug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: International Centre for Science in Drug Policy Title: State of Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation Summary: Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) has sought to ensure that policy responses to the many problems posed by illicit drugs are informed by the best available scientific evidence. State of the Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation is the ICSDP's contribution to the growing global conversation on cannabis. This report should be read in tandem with Using Evidence to Talk About Cannabis, a complementary guide to having evidence-based discussions on cannabis use and regulation. The regulation of recreational cannabis markets has become an increasingly important policy issue in a number of jurisdictions. Colorado and Washington State made headlines in 2012 when they became the first jurisdictions in the world to legalize and regulate the adult use and sale of cannabis for non-medical purposes. In 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize and regulate recreational cannabis markets. Momentum towards regulation continued in the United States in 2014 with successful ballot initiatives in Alaska, Oregon, and the District of Columbia. Globally, the issue of cannabis regulation is front and center in a growing number of jurisdictions, including Canada, Jamaica, Italy, Spain, several Latin American countries, and a number of additional U.S. states, including California, set to vote on legalization initiatives in 2016. Unsurprisingly, given the robust global conversation around the regulation of recreational cannabis markets, claims about the impacts of cannabis use and regulation are increasingly part of the public discourse. Unfortunately, though, these claims are often unsupported by the available scientific evidence. Another reoccurring problem in the public discourse is the selective inclusion of research studies based on their support for a predetermined narrative. The intentional exclusion of studies with contradictory findings does not allow for an objective review and analysis of all the evidence. This "cherry picking" of the evidence is a routine practice that distorts public understanding. By outlining the current state of all the scientific evidence on common cannabis claims, State of the Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation strives to ensure that evidence, rather than rhetoric, plays a central role in policymaking around this important issue. The harms of misrepresenting the scientific evidence on cannabis should not be overlooked. Given that policy decisions are influenced by public opinion and media reports, public discourse needs to be well informed. By addressing knowledge gaps with scientific findings, the ICSDP hopes to dispel myths about cannabis use and regulation, and ensure that the scientific evidence on these topics is accurately represented. Only then can evidence- based policy decisions be made. Readers of this report will notice three repeating themes emerge through the discussion of the scientific evidence on common cannabis claims. First, many of the claims confuse correlation and causation. Although scientific evidence may find associations between two events, this does not indicate that one necessarily caused the other. Put simply, correlation does not equal causation. This is a commonly made mistake when interpreting scientific evidence in all fields, and is unsurprisingly a recurring source of confusion in the discourse on cannabis use and regulation. Second, for several of these claims, the inability to control for a range of variables ("confounders") means that in many cases, we cannot conclude that a particular outcome was caused by cannabis use or regulation. Unless scientists can remove all other possible explanations, the evidence cannot conclusively say that one specific explanation is true. Third, many of the claims cannot be made conclusively as there is insufficient evidence to support them. Findings from a single study or a small sample cannot be generalized to entire populations. This is especially pronounced for claims related to cannabis regulation, as not enough time has passed since the regulation of recreational cannabis in Colorado, Washington State, and Uruguay to examine many of the impacts of these policy changes. These three common pitfalls are important to take into account when reading media reports and advocacy materials that suggest scientists have conclusively made some finding related to cannabis use or regulation. In many cases, due to the reasons outlined above, this will actually result in a misrepresentation of the scientific evidence. State of the Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation is comprised of two sections: Common Claims on Cannabis Use and Common Claims on Cannabis Regulation. Common Claims on Cannabis Use presents evidence on frequently heard claims about cannabis use, including claims on the addictive potential of cannabis, cannabis as a "gateway" drug, the potency of cannabis, and the impact of cannabis use on the lungs, heart, and brain (in terms of IQ, cognitive functioning, and risk of schizophrenia). Common Claims on Cannabis Regulation presents evidence on frequently heard claims about the impacts of cannabis regulation, including the impact of regulation on cannabis availability, impaired driving, the use of cannabis, drug crime, drug tourism, and "Big Marijuana." For each claim, the relevant available scientific evidence is presented and the strength of the scientific evidence in support of the claim is determined. Readers will notice that none of the claims are strongly supported by the scientific evidence, reinforcing the significant misrepresentation of evidence on cannabis use and regulation. Details: Toronto, ON: The Centre, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/State_of_the_Evidence_Cannabis_Use_and_Regulation-international-centre-for-science-in-drug-policy.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/State_of_the_Evidence_Cannabis_Use_and_Regulation-international-centre-for-science-in-drug-policy.pdf Shelf Number: 136611 Keywords: CannabisDrug Abuse and AddictionDrug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana |
Author: Schultze-Kraft, Markus Title: Getting high on impact: The challenge of evaluating drug policy Summary: Key points - Impact evaluations in contested policy fields are deeply challenging. They run the risk of adding to unproductive games of contestation between proponents and critics of contested public policies. A case in point are the strategies to control and, ultimately, eliminate the supply of, and demand for, plant-based and synthetic psychoactive substances, commonly referred to as 'illicit drugs', such as cocaine heroin, cannabis and methamphetamines. - The official drug control community the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and at a national state level the US government and a growing number of drug policy reform groups are at loggerheads over how drug policies should best be evaluated. In the run-up to the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Drugs in 2016 both should make efforts to face the big challenge of devising scientifically sound approaches to evaluating the impact of drug policies. - We highlight the importance of reflecting carefully on (a) whether and, if so, how the definitions of, and perceptions on, ultimate policy goals differ or (b) whether any common ground exists between the proponents and critics of the drug policies. If commonalities can be identified in this regard, the next step is to make explicit the competing theories of change that underpin the existing and proposed policy interventions to achieve the 'agreed' ultimate goals. - Our analysis suggests that both sides are interested in protecting the health and welfare of individuals and societies and using the language of reform advocates in preventing and reducing the harm that drugs cause or might cause; and they are both interested with significant differences in emphasis in safeguarding the political stability and security of states and citizens. However, the perspectives on what form drug control should take, who should be involved in the control effort, and how control could be achieved, that is to say which policies are most effective and least harmful in terms of protecting the health and welfare of citizens and societies and mitigating threats to stability and security, differ markedly. - It is important to make explicit the assumptions underlying the theories of change on both sides as this helps direct the efforts of evaluators to the relevant literatures that might contribute to solve disputes and adjudicate between different views on the basis of the best-warranted claim. This allows for testing both theories of change against the most robust scientific evidence available, providing a platform for the design of improved and hopefully less contentious policies. Details: Swansea, Wales, UK: Global Drug Policy Observatory, Swansea University, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief 3: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/GDPO%20Getting%20High%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/GDPO%20Getting%20High%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 136642 Keywords: Drug ControlDrug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Kamin, Sam Title: Marijuana Legalization in Colorado -- Lessons for Colombia Summary: In 2012 Colorado became the first jurisdiction anywhere in the world to legalize marijuana possession and use for all adults. The regulated and taxed marijuana industry that arose in Colorado following legalization was also the first of its kind and stands a model for other states considering marijuana law reform. In this brief article I discuss the results of the Colorado experiment; I demonstrate that while Colorados regulatory model was largely successful, it also demonstrates the limits of generating revenue through taxing and regulating marijuana. I then discuss the implications of this conclusion for post-conflict Colombia, drawing a comparison to the situation California confronts as it considers legalizing marijuana for adult use. Details: Denver, CO: University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2015. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: U Denver Legal Studies Research Paper No. 15-47 : Accessed September 14, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2654305 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2654305 Shelf Number: 136743 Keywords: Drug Legalization Drug Policy Drug ReformMarijuana Legalization |
Author: Neill, Katharine A. Title: Second Chances: The Economic and Social Benefits of Explanding Drug Diversion Programs in Harris County Summary: In recent years, the United States has experienced a sea change in drug policy. Along with the four states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington), many others have relaxed criminal penalties for nonviolent drug possession offenses. The federal government has taken similar steps, with the U.S. Department of Justice moving away from the steep mandatory minimum sentences that arose during the peak of the drug war, and the president himself commuting the sentences of individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. The wave of drug reform has touched even the most conservative states in the country, including Texas. Though none ultimately would become law, a number of bills introduced during the state's 2015 legislative session would have reduced or even eliminated the criminal penalties associated with some drug offenses. As reform efforts have continued across Texas, the Harris County District Attorney's Office implemented its First Chance Intervention Program, which allows a defendant arrested for possession of two ounces or less of marijuana to be diverted from the criminal justice system if the arrest is his or her first offense. This report reviews the broader issues with current approaches to drug enforcement that have facilitated calls for reform, then demonstrates the need for drug policy reform in Harris County (Houston's home) prior to implementation of the First Chance Intervention Program (FCIP). Next, the report evaluates the FCIP and suggests ways in which policy outcomes can be improved through the program's expansion. Finally, the report concludes with a number of recommendations for Harris County going forward. Details: Houston, TX: Rice University, Baker Institute for Public Policy and Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2015. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 2, 2015 at: http://bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/993306dd/DRUG-HarrisCountyDrugPolicy-092915.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/993306dd/DRUG-HarrisCountyDrugPolicy-092915.pdf Shelf Number: 136939 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationDiversionDrug EnforcementDrug OffendersDrug PolicyDrug ReformDrug Treatment Programs |
Author: Cockayne, James Title: What Comes After the War on Drugs - Flexibility, Fragmentation or Principled Pluralism? Summary: In April 2016, diplomats, experts and civil society actors from around the world will gather for three days at a rare Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, called to address the world drug problem (UNGASS 2016). In some quarters, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, UNGASS 2016 is seen as a moment to rethink global drug control strategies. In other regions, UNGASS 2016 is viewed somewhat differently, as a time to build upon and strengthen the current approach to drug policy, as set out in a current Plan of Action adopted in 2009. Throughout 2015, United Nations University (UNU) - a global think tank established by the UN General Assembly, and charged with contributing, through collaborative research, to collective efforts to resolve pressing global challenges - has been gathering stakeholders in a series of meetings at United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, aimed at "Identifying Common Ground" ahead of UNGASS 2016. These meetings have addressed the relationship between contemporary global drug policy and public health, human rights, development and criminal justice. These meetings have been attended by delegates from more than 50 UN Member States, as well as representatives of 16 UN entities and 55 civil society and academic organizations. Drawing on these consultations, this Policy Report outlines how the global drug control system works, including recent trends; describes three major perspectives going into UNGASS 2016: Orthodoxy, Scepticism and Swing Voting; explores the likely outcome of UNGASS 2016; and makes recommendations for strengthening that outcome. Details: Tokyo: United Nations University, 2015. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: A Policy Report: Accessed December 1, 2015 at: http://i.unu.edu/media/unu.edu/news/72569/UNU_Drug_Policy_Online_Final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://i.unu.edu/media/unu.edu/news/72569/UNU_Drug_Policy_Online_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 137373 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug ControlDrug PolicyDrug ReformWar on Drugs |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "All This for a Joint": Tunisia's Repressive Drug Law and a Roadmap for Its Reform Summary: Tunisia's drug laws impose a mandatory sentence of at least one year in prison on anyone convicted of possession or consumption of any illegal drug, including cannabis. In 2015, there were 7,451 drug offenders in Tunisia prisons, around 5,200 of them convicted for marijuana-related offenses. Drug offenders made up 28% of the total prison population. Based on 47 interviews with people arrested or convicted for using cannabis, including artists, bloggers, students, and also young men in poor neighborhoods, the report documents the array of abuses that accompany enforcement of the drug law, including mistreatment during arrest and interrogation, humiliation during urine tests, searches of homes without judicial warrants, and the confinement of cannabis users in overcrowded, insalubrious prison cells with hardened criminals. The government has proposed to ease but not eliminate prison terms as punishment for drug use. While its draft law could reduce the human rights abuses that accompany enforcement of the current law, it does not go far enough. The report calls on the Tunisian government to revise the current draft by relying on non-criminal approaches for drug consumption. Details: New York: HRW, 2016. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/tunisia0216_web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Tunisia URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/tunisia0216_web.pdf Shelf Number: 137779 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug OffendersDrug PolicyDrug Reform |
Author: Walsh, John Title: Uruguay's Drug Policy: Major Innovations, Major Challenges Summary: Key Findings - Uruguay, the first country to legalize and regulate every level of the market for cannabis, will be an important example globally for political leaders contemplating whether and how to liberalize drug policies. - Even before its return to democracy in 1985, Uruguay had traditionally adopted relatively liberal drug policies. - A combination of political leadership by President Jose "Pepe" Mujica and public unease over rising criminality led Uruguay to pursue drug reform. - Compared to similar cannabis laws in Washington and Colorado, the Uruguayan measure is more state-centered, with less emphasis on commercialization and greater restrictions on use. - Uruguayan public opinion has remained opposed toor at least skeptical of - the law. - Uruguay will have to contend with international criticism and domestic political forces as it moves to implement enabling legislation in 2015. Policy Recommendations - We recommend that the government of Uruguay: Maintain flexibility regarding the cannabis law's key variables, such as market price and potency varieties available to consumers; Adjust the law based on thorough monitoring and evaluation, taking into account academic and civil society analysts; Articulate an enforcement and inspection strategy for the relevant officials; Implement a drug use prevention strategy aimed at youth that does not dissuade users and home-growers from registering with the government; and Better educate the public on the behind the law and what it aims to accomplish. Details: Washington, DC: Foreign Policy at Brookings, 2016. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Papers/2015/04/global-drug-policy/Walsh--Uruguay-final.pdf?la=en Year: 2016 Country: Uruguay URL: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Papers/2015/04/global-drug-policy/Walsh--Uruguay-final.pdf?la=en Shelf Number: 139156 Keywords: Drug LegalizationDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana Legalization |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: World Drug Report 2016 Summary: The World Drug Report 2016 comes at a decisive moment, just months after Member States, at a special session of the General Assembly, adopted a comprehensive set of operational recommendations on the world drug problem. The session was only the third in the history of the General Assembly to focus on drugs, and the resulting outcome document, entitled "Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem", provides a concrete way forward to take action on shared challenges. In the outcome document, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to addressing persistent, new and evolving challenges in line with the three international drug control conventions, which were recognized as allowing States parties sufficient flexibility to design and implement national drug policies consistent with the principle of common and shared responsibility. The operational recommendations contained in the outcome document encompass measures to address demand and supply reduction, as well as to improve access to controlled medicines while preventing their diversion; they cover human rights, youth, children, women and communities and highlight emerging challenges and the need to promote long-term, comprehensive, sustainable, development-oriented and balanced drug control policies and programmes that include alternative development. The text highlights the importance of drug abuse prevention and treatment; encourages the development, adoption and implementation of alternative or additional measures with regard to conviction or punishment; and promotes proportionate national sentencing policies, practices and guidelines for drug-related offences. Now the international community must come together to make good on its commitments. The World Drug Report 2016, which provides a comprehensive overview of major developments in drug markets, trafficking routes and the health impact of drug use, supports comprehensive, balanced and integrated rights-based approaches. This year's report offers insight into the wide-ranging impact of drugs not only on the health and well-being of individuals, but also on the people around them - families and communities. This can include such harms as HIV, as well as the threat of violence, faced in particular by women and children. Details: New York: UNODC, 2016. 174p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/doc/wdr2016/WORLD_DRUG_REPORT_2016_web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://www.unodc.org/doc/wdr2016/WORLD_DRUG_REPORT_2016_web.pdf Shelf Number: 139529 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeDrug Abuse PreventionDrug ReformDrug TraffickingDrug-Related ViolenceDrugs and Crime |
Author: Kane-Willis, Kathleen Title: New Directions for Illinois Drug Policy: An Update on Incarceration for Drug Offenses In Illinois Summary: Drug Use among Arrestees in Cook County Jail Of the ten Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring II sites, Chicago (Cook County) had the greatest number of arrestees testing positive for drugs at 87 percent of the sample. - Cook County also had the highest percentage of poly-substance use confirmed through the urine screen at 40 percent, an increase over the number of arrestees testing positive for poly-substance use in 2007. Cocaine - Cook County had the largest percentage of arrestees testing positive for cocaine at 43.8 percent. - There was very little racial difference among arrestees testing positive for cocaine. Blacks and whites tested positive for cocaine in nearly similar percentages (46.2% and 45.7% respectively), though fewer Latinos tested positive for cocaine (33.4%) than whites or blacks. Heroin - Of the ten sites, Chicago had the highest percentage of arrestees testing positive for heroin at 29 percent. In comparison, Washington DC, which ranked second after Chicago, only had 12 percent of arrestees testing positive for heroin. Chicago's test results also represent a statistically significant increase over the percentage of arrestees testing positive for heroin in 2007. - Racial differences were particularly pronounced for heroin use. The percentage of whites testing positive for heroin (41%) was nearly twice that of black and Latino arrestees (25% and 24% respectively). - Individuals that tested positive for heroin were much more likely to have been arrested for a property crime. Forty-six percent of the arrestees charged with a property crime tested positive for heroin, followed by 27.4 percent of arrestees with a drug possession charge testing positive for heroin. Drug Offenders Entering Prison in Illinois In Illinois, the number of individuals entering Illinois' prisons for drug offenses increased 12 percent from 10,436 individuals in 2000 to 11,680 in 2008. The peak year for drug offenders entering prison was 2005, when the number of drug offenders entering prison reached nearly 15,000 individuals. Individuals entering prison for drug offenses have steadily declined from 2006 to 2008. - One reason for the large number of individuals entering Illinois prisons in 2005 is the large increase in technical violators admitted to prison. The number of these offenders increased more than 290 percent over fiscal year 2000 numbers, from 955 individuals to 3,727 individuals in 2005 - Court commitments also increased, from about 7,800 in 2000 to about 9,600 in 2005, a 23 percent increase. - The combination of increases in court commitments along with the very large increases in technical violations from parolees may partially explain the peak year numbers. Sales and Possession Offenders Individuals who entered prison for drug sales offenses declined during this period from 5,074 individuals in 2000 to 4,202 in 2008. The number of individuals entering Illinois' prisons for drug possession of a controlled substance - that is possession of any drug besides marijuana - increased by more than 42 percent from 4,675 individuals in 2000, to 6,618 offenders in 2008. Since 2002, nearly every year, the percentage of those going to prison for possession offenses has increased. For example: - In 2000, 52 percent of those admitted to prison for drug offenses were convicted of sales offenses, and 48 percent were convicted of possession offenses. - By 2008, possessions offenders made up nearly 62 percent of drug offenders incarcerated for drug offenses, while sales offenders made up just 38 percent of individuals entering prison for drugs. - In 2008, 53 percent of those entering prison for drug offenses were convicted of a Class 4 felony, the lowest-level possession offense. The number of prisons entrances for individuals convicted of the lowest level of drug offenses, Class 4 possession offenses, increased by 34 percent, from 4,634 individuals in 2000 to 6,188 individuals in 2008. - In 2000, these offenders represented 44 percent of admissions to prison for all drug offenses, but by 2008, Class 4 possession offenders comprised 53 percent of admissions for drug offenses that resulted in prison terms. - Imprisonment for individuals convicted of cannabis possession, although small in number, increased by 35 percent from 189 individuals in 2000 to 256 individuals in 2008. - Technical violations among Class 4 drug possession offenders that resulted in a new prison admission increased from 279 individuals in 2000 to nearly 900 individuals in 2008. This was an increase of more than 220 percent. Reducing Recidivism - Drug treatment in jail reduces recidivism by about 4.5 percent. - Drug treatment in prison provides a nearly 6 percent reduction in recidivism. - Drug treatment in the community reduces recidivism by about 9.5 percent. - The largest impact on recidivism rates occurs when individuals are given intensive supervision (parole or probation) with treatment, which reduces recidivism by more than 16 percent. Cost of Incarcerating Lowest Level Drug Offenders in 2008 In Illinois, it costs about $61.36 per day to house an offender in prison. The majority of low-level drug possession offenders will most likely spend a short period of time in prison (e.g. 120 days or less). - The cost for an offender to spend 120 days in prison is approximately $7,363. - The cost of imprisoning the 4,379 Class 4 possession offenders (the lowest level drug offense) in 2008 (assuming an average stay of 120 days) was $34,243,453.00. Details: Chicago: Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy, 2009. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2016 at: https://www.roosevelt.edu/CAS/CentersAndInstitutes/IMA/ICDP.aspx Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://www.roosevelt.edu/CAS/CentersAndInstitutes/IMA/ICDP.aspx Shelf Number: 147871 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeDrug Abuse TreatmentDrug OffendersDrug PolicyDrug ReformIntensive Supervision |
Author: Macdonald, Virginia Title: Drug Control and Harm Reduction in Thailand Summary: In South East Asia, Thailand is lauded for its success in reversing an HIV epidemic in the 1990s, particularly amongst sex workers. Thailand is also known for its success in significantly reducing opium cultivation, and implementing effective alternative development programmes for opium farmers. However, other aspects of the government's response to illicit drug markets in Thailand undermine these successes and have been characterised by the exclusion and marginalisation of people who use drugs, which has fuelled on-going epidemics of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among this population. The Thai government's response to drug use continues to be one of 'zero-tolerance', focused on eradicating drug consumption and production with the imposition of harsh punishment for drug-related crimes, ranging from compulsory detention to the death penalty. This response reflects the regional commitment to achieving a 'drug-free ASEAN by 2015'. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2013. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: IDPC Briefing Paper: Accessed October 17, 2016 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/566349360/library/IDPC-briefing-paper-Thailand-drug-policy-English.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Thailand URL: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/566349360/library/IDPC-briefing-paper-Thailand-drug-policy-English.pdf Shelf Number: 144866 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformOpium |
Author: Ramsey, Geoff Title: Getting Regulation Right: Assessing Uruguay's Historic Cannabis Initiative Summary: After close to three years, the final element of Uruguay's historic cannabis law is set to be implemented in early 2017, when commercial sales are expected to begin. While advancements have been slow and deliberate, Uruguay is not alone in taking such a cautious approach. The U.S. state of Maryland, for instance, approved a medical cannabis program in 2013, but a series of careful adjustments has also postponed sales until 2017. Now that the commercial sales element of the law is about be phased in, the government of President Tabaré Vázquez is facing a key moment of opportunity. With the basic structures created by the law soon to be up and running, the government should ensure a robust system of monitoring and evaluation is also in place, to assess whether the cannabis law is in fact achieving its goals, identify problems that may arise, and indicate where and how the new regime may need to be revised. This report, "Getting Regulation Right: Assessing Uruguay’s Historic Cannabis Initiative," lays out the progress that Uruguayan authorities have made in rolling out the law to date. It also examines current monitoring and evaluation efforts underway, as well as opportunities for Uruguay to respond to potential obstacles thus far. Uruguay's government makes no pretense that its law should be a model for others. But Uruguay's leaders also know that, as the first nation to legalize and regulate every level of the cannabis market, their new system will be coming under close scrutiny, at home and abroad. As citizens and leaders elsewhere ponder whether and how to legalize and regulate cannabis in their own countries, the lessons to be learned in Uruguay can help inform cannabis policy well beyond the country's own borders. Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America, 2016. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: https://www.wola.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Getting-Regulation-Right-WOLA-Uruguay.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Uruguay URL: https://www.wola.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Getting-Regulation-Right-WOLA-Uruguay.pdf Shelf Number: 147301 Keywords: CannabisDrug LegalizationDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana Legalization |
Author: Corda, Alejandro Title: Cannabis in Latin America and the Caribbean: From punishment to regulation Summary: Cannabis (or marihuana) is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances in the world. According to the United Nations World Drug Report, 183 million people, or 3.8% of the world's population, used cannabis in 2014. Its cultivation was also reported by 129 countries. Cannabis is subject to the United Nations System for International Control of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (hereafter "drugs") and is the most widely consumed of all the drugs. According to that control system, cannabis is among the substances with the strictest legal status; they are the most prohibited, supposedly because of the harm they cause and their lack of medical usefulness. Nevertheless, its medicinal, spiritual and social use has been recorded in different places and times in human history, without serious associated consequences. Its prohibition began in the early 20th century, even though there were - and are - no records of overdose deaths, and public health risks are relatively low, even compared to other psychoactive substances with less strict legal status, such as alcohol and tobacco. Unlike other substances subject to control, which are produced in only certain regions of the world, cannabis is cultivated, produced and consumed worldwide. Some countries, however, have historically been regional producers or have a longer history or closer ties with the plant. On the American continent, this is true of Mexico in North America, Jamaica in the Caribbean, and Paraguay and Colombia in South America. Proposals for regulation of the cannabis market have been on the table for a number of years. The movement of users and growers has placed the issue on the social, political and media agenda, and there have been some reforms. One example is Uruguay, where the decision was made to regulate the market for cannabis for any kind of use. In other countries, however, reforms have been limited to regulating systems of access to cannabis for medicinal or therapeutic use. Although the international drug control system considers the possibility of "medical and scientific" use of cannabis, prejudices about the substance have hampered the development of regulations and acceptance by Western medicine. In fact, many "reforms" related to medicinal cannabis required only modification of low-level regulations. This means that a proposal being presented as novel is actually something that should always have existed. Key points The prohibitionist approach imposed on cannabis by the international drug control system still persists in nearly all of the Latin American and Caribbean countries examined. In almost all of them, possession falls under criminal law. Some countries' legislation establishes thresholds below which cannabis possession should not be considered a crime. Only in Uruguay does the law include regulation of the entire chain. Although cannabis organizations and other groups have managed to place the issue on the agenda, in most countries reforms are still pending or have been inadequate. The inclusion of relatives and users of cannabis for medicinal and therapeutic purposes has helped give impetus to the movement and to raise awareness among both political stakeholders and the public. Many of the reforms under way do not recognize the need to regulate the recreational and cultural use of cannabis and run the risk of perpetuating the current consequences, with the persistent impact on health, security, institutionality and human rights that the prohibition of cannabis and the lack of state regulation allow and encourage. The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean should prepare for future reform scenarios, instead of considering temporary measures that will perpetuate the same harmful consequences. Limiting reform solely to medicinal cannabis is only a partial, inadequate and temporary solution. If change is truly sought, it is necessary to move toward models of state regulation of cannabis for all purposes. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug policy Briefing no. 48: Accessed April 6, 2017 at: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/dpb_48_eng_web_def.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Latin America URL: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/dpb_48_eng_web_def.pdf Shelf Number: 144729 Keywords: CannabisDrug Abuse and Addiction Drug Offenders Drug Policy Drug ProhibitionDrug Reform Marijuana |
Author: Blickman, Tom Title: Morocco and Cannabis: Reduction, containment or acceptance Summary: This policy briefing discusses whether or not the aim of reducing cannabis cultivation is realistic or beneficial for Morocco, what it would actually mean for the major production area the Rif - one of the poorest, most densely populated and environmentally fragile regions in the country - and what that could imply for meaningful sustainable development. The briefing will give some historical background, discuss developments in the cannabis market, and highlight environmental and social consequences as well as the recent debate about regulation in Morocco and about European policies. KEY POINTS - Morocco continues to be the world's largest producer of cannabis resin (hashish). Over the past 50 years, the Moroccan cannabis growers shown a remarkable resilience to government attempts to eradicate or reduce cannabis cultivation as well as a noteworthy ability to adapt to changing international market conditions. - Since Morocco's independence the government has practiced a policy of containment regarding cannabis cultivation, allowing no new areas but tacitly allowing those already in production to be maintained. - The rapid increase in illicit cannabis cultivation in the Rif during the last decades, as well as poor soil conservation practices, have taken a heavy toll on the Rif's already threatened forests and fragile ecosystems. - The unregulated cannabis market in Morocco has negative social consequences. Some 48,000 growers have arrest warrants hanging over their heads, which is a source of corruption and repression. An amnesty and decriminalization could be effective measures to diminish negative social consequences and open the debate about regulation. - Cannabis farmers in Morocco should have access to emerging legally regulated cannabis markets that are gaining ground worldwide. The challenge is to find a sustainable development model that includes cannabis cultivation in Morocco, instead of excluding cannabis and ignoring the realities of more than 50 years of failed attempts to eradicate the only viable economic option in the region. Details: Amsterdam: Transnational Institute, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Policy Briefing, no. 49: Accessed April 6, 2017 at: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/dpb_49_eng_web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Morocco URL: https://www.tni.org/files/publication-downloads/dpb_49_eng_web.pdf Shelf Number: 144730 Keywords: CannabisDrug Abuse and Addiction Drug MarketsDrug Offenders Drug Policy Drug ReformMarijuana |
Author: Levi, Michael Title: Drug Law Enforcement and Financial Investigation Strategies Summary: Since the 1980s, there has been a major push in rhetoric and institution-building, emphasizing the centrality of attacking the financial lifeblood of drug trafficking networks and organised economic crimes. Much progress has been made in legislation and the creation of financial intelligence units. However, there are volumes of commentary and legal analysis, but almost nowhere in the world is there any systematic analysis of law enforcement or criminal justice inputs or outputs, let alone of outcomes in terms of reduced crimes of any kind or reduced harms arising from the 'organised' nature of crime. Much depends on how plausible it is that the sources of funds can be represented as being licit when saving or investing: but a global, well-advertised set of financial intermediaries exist upon whom to experiment, and expectations of being reported following failed attempts may be quite low. Judging from the continued involvement of major banks in negligently or actively facilitating a variety of suspected illicit activities, and the relative impunity of institutions that are 'too big to be prosecuted', normal risk perceptions of relevant parts of financial institutions are not nearly high enough to deter all serious noncompliance to AML regulation, though without increasing perceived and/or actual detection risks and reducing elapsed time to action, raising sanctions alone may not work. This report makes no claim to be offering a certain route to success, but is offering an overview of some better and some false steps that have been undertaken in the field of drug law enforcement and financial investigation strategies. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2013. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Modernising Drug Law Enforcement Report 5: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: https://www.tni.org/files/MDLE-5-drug-law-enforcement-financial-investigation-strategies_0.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: https://www.tni.org/files/MDLE-5-drug-law-enforcement-financial-investigation-strategies_0.pdf Shelf Number: 131377 Keywords: Drug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformDrug TraffickingFinancial InvestigationsMoney LaunderingOrganized Crime |
Author: Monaghan, Geoffrey Title: Practical implications of policing alternatives to arrest and prosecution for minor cannabis offences Summary: The purpose of this report is not to present a comparative study of legal rules and policies pertaining to cannabis in these or other countries, but to examine an issue largely neglected in the academic literature and by those advocating drug policy reform: namely the practical implications of policing and enforcing these developments. The report provides an overview of some of the many difficulties that may - and do - confront police services when tasked to implement such measures (including the exercise of discretion) through examination of the rules and experiences of four jurisdictions, namely, Australia, England and Wales, Portugal and Switzerland. Along with some examples from the USA, specific aspects of each case study are scrutinised with the intention of highlighting points likely to be of interest to policy makers and practitioners alike. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Modernising drug law enforcement - Report 4: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/566349360/library/MDLE-report-4_Practical-implications-of-policing-alternatives-to-arrest.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/566349360/library/MDLE-report-4_Practical-implications-of-policing-alternatives-to-arrest.pdf Shelf Number: 131376 Keywords: CannabisDrug EnforcementDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana |
Author: Mungroo, Pat Title: Cannabis Regulation: The World is moving forward, what is stopping us? Summary: The conference was perfectly timed to coincide with a transformation in the international outlook for cannabis. For some 50 years the question has been, will it ever be possible for people to buy relatively safe cannabis from a legal outlet. Today the question is quite different. Now everyone is asking which of the models of cannabis regulation will be the most safe and effective. So far we have at least five options. Cannabis regulation in Washington, Colorado, Uruguay, the Netherlands and Spain all differ one from the other. There are of course other questions too. Will the Federal Authorities take a different view of cannabis regulation once President Obama leaves the White House? It seems likely that so many States will have introduced regulation by 2016 that it will be difficult to put the gene back in the bottle. Or will the federal banking laws continue to undermine the cannabis industry and ultimately kill it? In the UK politicians have been persuaded by psychiatrists that cannabis causes psychosis and memory loss and controls should therefore not be relaxed. Professor Curran's work and contribution to the conference is of great importance. Professor Curran used scientific methods to show that the balance between THC and CBD in cannabis is important in determining the level of risk of the drug. Regulation, which could control the potency of legally available cannabis, would thus create a much safer world for our young people. Professor Curran's work is supported by Dr. Robin Murray who also emphasised the key importance of the THC strength of cannabis in determining the risk of psychosis. Melissa Bone's contribution on medical consumption of cannabis, particularly for the treatment of cancer, underlines the need to re-schedule cannabis to support research into its medicinal uses. John Churchill is right to emphasise the need to create a fire wall between cannabis use and drug dealers; at the same time separating the hard and soft drugs markets. The arguments of Peter Reynolds and Peter Moyes also deserve to be taken seriously. What we need is public education about the facts presented in this helpful report, to replace the myths which have dominated public thinking for so long. Details: Cambridge: Qualitative Cannabis Research Forum, 2014. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Conference Report: Accessed October 11, 2018 at: https://www.academia.edu/9535332/Cannabis_Regulation_The_World_Is_Moving_Forward_What_Is_Stopping_Us Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.academia.edu/9535332/Cannabis_Regulation_The_World_Is_Moving_Forward_What_Is_Stopping_Us Shelf Number: 151474 Keywords: CannabisDrug PolicyDrug ReformMarijuana |
Author: Georgia. Parliament. Gender Equality Council Title: Gender Impact Assessment of Georgia's Drug Reform Summary: The present report represents an assessment of the gender impact of drug reform initiated on June 22, 2017 in the Parliament of Georgia. The women's rights or gender equality are seldom outlined in discussions on narcotic drug problems in the world. Men, as a rule, constitute a major part of narcotic drug users. The role of women as of users and victims has not been properly assessed and studied. It is recognized that the drug problem in the world undermines gender equality and the analysis of the issue in terms of gender is necessary in every efforts of planning prevention and counter-measures. Drug policy and gender equality are interrelated concepts. The objective of gender impact assessment is to review the existing reality in terms of gender and to compare it the its comparison with the outcome of the reform. The drug policy reform aims at changing the system approach toward drug users - instead of punishment-oriented, strict measures the emphasis is made on treatment/rehabilitation and on the introduction of primary prevention. It comprises the following directions: - Drug use decriminalization; - Liberalization of sanctions for drug-related offences and fair fixing of the amounts of narcotic substances; - Conduct of compulsory drug testing procedure; - Improvement of the legal status of convicted drug offenders; - Creation of the setting of new care (service), where the persons with drug-related problems will receive aid. - Improvement of the prevention/rehabilitation system and the setting up of persuasion commissions. The gender impact assessment was divided into two stages. At the first stage, the task force reviewed international experience from the gender equality standpoint and singled out all the principal gender inequalities existing in this direction in the world. The goal of this stage was checking the gender relevance of drug policy. At the second stage, the assessment of the presented drug policy reforms took place. A separate chapter was dedicated to the impact assessment of primary prevention, as one of the most important elements in reducing drug use. The second-stage assessment was carried out by four criteria. The task force was guided in its assessment by the following criteria offered by the Guide to Gender Impact Assessment prepared by the European Commission : 1. Participation - sex-composition of the target group, drug addiction-associated events, number of related offences according to gender; 2. Resources - access to material resources (healthcare resources in the given case) according to gender; 3. Norms and values - the societal norms and values that influence the drug situation; 4. Rights - citizens' right to have an equal access to different resources The actions carried out for each criterion included: (i) current situation analysis, (ii) identification of trends with the expected development (with an allowance that the reform is not realized), (iii) assessment of the expected outcomes of the reform, (iv) comparison of the reform outcomes with the situation when the reform is not realized. The gender impact assessment by each of the above-mentioned criterion demonstrated that the proposed drug reform policy can reduce gender inquality existing in the drug policy sphere. The successful conduct of the reform will result in a reduction in the number of drug users, a reduction in the number of infectuous diseases, an increase in the number of women involved in healthcare service, an increase in the quality of drug addicts' treatment services and their territorial access, change of the societal norms and values, improvement of the legal status of the persons convicted for drug-related offences, a reduction in the cases of violence against women. Details: Tbilisi: The Council, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2018 at: http://www.parliament.ge/uploads/other/82/82301.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Georgia URL: http://www.parliament.ge/uploads/other/82/82301.pdf Shelf Number: 152884 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Drug Abuse and Crime Drug Policy Drug ReformGender-Based Violence Violence Against Women |
Author: Georgia. Parliament. Gender Equality Council Title: Gender Impact Assessment of Georgia's Drug Reform Summary: The present report represents an assessment of the gender impact of drug reform initiated on June 22, 2017 in the Parliament of Georgia. The women's rights or gender equality are seldom outlined in discussions on narcotic drug problems in the world. Men, as a rule, constitute a major part of narcotic drug users. The role of women as of users and victims has not been properly assessed and studied. It is recognized that the drug problem in the world undermines gender equality and the analysis of the issue in terms of gender is necessary in every efforts of planning prevention and counter-measures. Drug policy and gender equality are interrelated concepts. The objective of gender impact assessment is to review the existing reality in terms of gender and to compare it the its comparison with the outcome of the reform. The drug policy reform aims at changing the system approach toward drug users - instead of punishment-oriented, strict measures the emphasis is made on treatment/rehabilitation and on the introduction of primary prevention. It comprises the following directions: - Drug use decriminalization; - Liberalization of sanctions for drug-related offences and fair fixing of the amounts of narcotic substances; - Conduct of compulsory drug testing procedure; - Improvement of the legal status of convicted drug offenders; - Creation of the setting of new care (service), where the persons with drug-related problems will receive aid. - Improvement of the prevention/rehabilitation system and the setting up of persuasion commissions. The gender impact assessment was divided into two stages. At the first stage, the task force reviewed international experience from the gender equality standpoint and singled out all the principal gender inequalities existing in this direction in the world. The goal of this stage was checking the gender relevance of drug policy. At the second stage, the assessment of the presented drug policy reforms took place. A separate chapter was dedicated to the impact assessment of primary prevention, as one of the most important elements in reducing drug use. The second-stage assessment was carried out by four criteria. The task force was guided in its assessment by the following criteria offered by the Guide to Gender Impact Assessment prepared by the European Commission : 1. Participation - sex-composition of the target group, drug addiction-associated events, number of related offences according to gender; 2. Resources - access to material resources (healthcare resources in the given case) according to gender; 3. Norms and values - the societal norms and values that influence the drug situation; 4. Rights - citizens' right to have an equal access to different resources The actions carried out for each criterion included: (i) current situation analysis, (ii) identification of trends with the expected development (with an allowance that the reform is not realized), (iii) assessment of the expected outcomes of the reform, (iv) comparison of the reform outcomes with the situation when the reform is not realized. The gender impact assessment by each of the above-mentioned criterion demonstrated that the proposed drug reform policy can reduce gender inquality existing in the drug policy sphere. The successful conduct of the reform will result in a reduction in the number of drug users, a reduction in the number of infectuous diseases, an increase in the number of women involved in healthcare service, an increase in the quality of drug addicts' treatment services and their territorial access, change of the societal norms and values, improvement of the legal status of the persons convicted for drug-related offences, a reduction in the cases of violence against women. Details: Tbilisi: The Council, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2018 at: http://www.parliament.ge/uploads/other/82/82301.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Georgia URL: http://www.parliament.ge/uploads/other/82/82301.pdf Shelf Number: 152884 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Drug Abuse and Crime Drug Policy Drug ReformGender-Based Violence Violence Against Women |
Author: New York City. Mayor's Task Force on Cannabis Legalization Title: A Fair Approach to Marijuana: Recommendations from the Mayor's Task Force on Cannabis Legalization Summary: New York State may be poised to legalize non-medical adult cannabis use in the coming year, joining ten other states and the District of Columbia. This crossroads presents New York City with unique challenges and opportunities. These challenges include working to see that the State legislation is best structured to protect New York City residents and visitors to avoid unwanted consequences from adult legalization. The legislation, and State and City regulations that follow, must do all they can to protect the health and safety of New Yorkers. At the same time, we have the responsibility to use this turning point to help redress the disproportionate harms that criminalization of cannabis use has caused the City's communities of color. Legalization also poses unique opportunities to build a new industry in ways that advance our City's commitment to promote economic opportunities for economically disadvantaged New Yorkers and small businesses. The State legislation should forge a path to opportunities not for big corporations but for New Yorkers who need them most. Ongoing federal criminalization of cannabis adds further complexity to these challenges, perpetuating potential ill-consequences particularly for disadvantaged communities while limiting access to financial, tax, and other services and benefits to support the burgeoning industry. To help chart the City's course for cannabis legalization, Mayor Bill de Blasio convened the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization with the charge of identifying the goals and challenges that should guide the City's preparations for potential legalization. The Task Force includes representatives of City agencies that engage in areas affected by cannabis legalization, including those concerned with public health, public safety, education, economic opportunity, and finance, among others. The Task Force reviewed the range of regulatory regimes in other jurisdictions that have legalized adult cannabis use and the practical experiences of those jurisdictions. It conducted interviews with public health and public safety officials throughout the nation and in Canada, and consulted with academic and other experts, New York City officials, and community organizations. Task Force members also attended community listening sessions in New York City to hear the views of New Yorkers on the issues posed by legalization. Based on this research, the Task Force developed the following guiding principles for cannabis legalization and the recommendations summarized in the Executive Summary and detailed in the report below. Details: New York City: Mayor's Task Force on Cannabis Legalization, 2018. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2019 at: http://criminaljustice.cityofnewyork.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/A-Fair-Approach-to-Marijuana.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://criminaljustice.cityofnewyork.us/reports/mayors-task-force-on-cannabis-legalization/ Shelf Number: 155247 Keywords: Cannabis LegalizationDrug PolicyDrug ReformIllegal DrugsMarijuana LegalizationNew York CityPublic Health |