August 2009

Argentina decriminalises possession for personal use

Argentina's Supreme Court decriminalised the small-scale use of marijuana on Tuesday 25th August 2009, opening the way for a shift in the country's drug-fighting policies to focus on traffickers instead of users.

The high court ruled it unconstitutional to prosecute cases involving the private use of marijuana.

Elsewhere in Latin America, Colombia and Mexico have already decriminalised the possession of small amounts of drugs. Brazil and Ecuador are looking at an initiative to legalize some drug use.

Argentina's Supreme Court decriminalised the small-scale use of marijuana, opening the way for a shift in the country's drug-fighting policies to focus on traffickers instead of users. Elsewhere in Latin America, Colombia and Mexico have already decriminalised the possession of small amounts of drugs. Brazil and Ecuador are looking at an initiative to legalize some drug use.
Added on 27 August 2009

ICAAP 2009: Looking back - 8th ICAAP: Asian drug users claim the right to speak for themselves

Two years after the initial launch during the ICAAP in Colombo, the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD), the only regional network of drug users in Asia, is forging ahead and being formalized as an active organization driven by its membership.

Two years after the initial launch during the ICAAP in Colombo, the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD), the only regional network of drug users in Asia, is forging ahead and being formalized as an active organization driven by its membership.
Added on 26 August 2009

Letter from UNODC and UNAIDS Secretariat

On the 21st August 2009, UNODC and UNAIDS circulated the following letter to clarify their common understanding of harm reduction initiatives.

Dear colleagues,
With this email, we would like to make you aware of some recent developments in the field of harm reduction, and request you to disseminate this information to your partners in your country, particularly to the members of the Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM), the National AIDS Commissions and civil society.

On the 21st August 2009, UNODC and UNAIDS circulated a letter to clarify their common understanding of harm reduction initiatives.
Added on 26 August 2009

Towards the Next UNGASS - ICAAP9 Session

On 11 August, a satellite session titled UNGASS & Community: Civil Society Involvement in UNGASS on HIV was organized by the 7 Sisters, World AIDS Campaign, UNAIDS and GESTOS at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP9).

On 11 August, a satellite session titled UNGASS & Community: Civil Society Involvement in UNGASS on HIV was organized by the 7 Sisters, World AIDS Campaign, UNAIDS and GESTOS at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP9).
Added on 24 August 2009

Launch of Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy

The Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy was launched last week in Rio de Janeiro. This initiative by IDPC member ,VivaRio, is a national follow-up to the recent Latin American Commission and is bringing together a wide range of public figures and experts to discuss new approaches to Brazil’s drug problem. Brazil’s drug market is characterised by high levels of street violence, that has traditionally been tackled through tough enforcement, but shows no sign of diminishing.

The Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy was launched last week in Rio de Janeiro. This initiative by IDPC member ,VivaRio, is a national follow-up to the recent Latin American Commission.
Added on 24 August 2009

Stepping away from the darkness - Argentina to discuss decriminalisation for personal use

The Drug War has failed. After more than 20 years of tirelessly pushing for the same policy, the efforts have not been able to bring the expanding illicit drug markets under control and instead have led to an unmanageable crisis in the judicial and penitentiary systems, human rights violations, the consolidation of criminal networks and the marginalization of drug users who are pushed out of reach of health care services. For these reasons, some Latin American countries are starting to explore a more effective and honest drug policy.

A legislative proposal to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of drugs for personal consumption will be discussed in Argentina, the latest Latin American country to explore more effective and humane drug policy.
Added on 22 August 2009

Malaysia begins research into reducing HIV transmission in the prison communities

In the hope of stemming one of the biggest public health crises in Southeast Asia, Yale University is partnering with the University of Malaya to fight the spread of HIV among drug users in Malaysia who are completing prison terms and transitioning back into the community. The two universities recently signed a letter of intent expressing their continued commitment to this partnership, which is funded by a $4.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Malaysia suffers from one of the worst HIV epidemics among drug users in Southeast Asia. 70% of HIV transmission is linked to injection drug use. Malaysia’s strict policy of incarceration for drug users has resulted in over 6 percent of its prisoners being HIV-infected, three times the rate in U.S. prisons.
Added on 22 August 2009

ICAAP Calls for Stronger Commitment to Universal Access

More than 3,000 health experts, advocates and activists from over 60 countries gathered in Bali, Indonesia in August 2009 for the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP). The event aimed to discuss efforts towards universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support – including for people who use drugs – and called for a strengthened commitment from governments and donors despite the pressures of the global economic crisis.

The Congress drew thousands of people together for five days of discussion around the AIDS response in the Pacific and across Asia. A wide range of issues and contexts for the AIDS epidemic in these regions was discussed including mobility and migration, injecting drug use, human rights as well as gender.
Added on 22 August 2009

Reforming Treatment Environments - How to make compulsory drug treatment HIV friendly

At the 9th ICAAP held in Bali, Indonesia this August, Response Beyond Borders (The Asian Consortium on Drug Use, HIV/AIDS and Poverty) held a satellite event on Monday 10th August called 'Reforming Treatment Environments - How to make compulsory drug treatment HIV friendly'.

A satellite session organised by Response Beyond Borders at ICAAP9 attempted to address the issue of compulsory treatment centres in the Asia region.
Added on 22 August 2009

Indonesia AIDS Commission calls for humane approach to drug control

At the recent ICAAP meeting held in Bali in August, Mr Inang Winarso (a harm reduction expert from the Indonesian AIDS Commission) called for more leadership on a humane approach to drug policy.  Please see below excerps from his speech during ICAAP:

The cause of our failures are:

At the recent ICAAP meeting held in Bali in August, Mr Inang Winarso (a harm reduction expert from the Indonesian AIDS Commission) called for more leadership on a humane approach to drug policy.
Added on 22 August 2009