The most significant review of New Zealand's drug law has begun. An independent law advisory body, the Law Commission, has released its issues paper - Controlling and Regulating Drugs - for public consultation until 30 April 2010. Their paper traces the history of drug policy and regulation in New Zealand, and reviews the current approach to drug control and regulation. It makes some preliminary proposals for how New Zealand’s drug laws can be updated to put in place a modern and evidence-based statute. The Commission said of current drug law: “no longer provides a coherent and effective legislative framework for responding to the misuse of psychoactive drugs… The Act is now outdated and does not reflect current knowledge and understanding about drug use and related health, social and economic harms.”

Last month's decision by the British Columbia appeals court to allow North America’s only safe-injection site to stay open will be taken to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Insite facility that provides a space for drug users to safely inject themselves has caused tension between the local government and the Conservative federal government. The previous liberal government had granted the site exemption from federal drug laws but now the current government wants to shut the site down.

This committee set up the RBB Asian consultation meeting in Bangkok in January 2010 will focus on advocacy with other MPs, on effective policy and legislative changes as well as providing a mechanism for dialogue with communities of people who use drugs and people living with HIV. The Committee was formed with support from RBB and the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development.

ICASO is calling for the urgent involvement of community sector organizations in the review and reporting process related to the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. The review and reporting process for the 2010 period is already underway. Countries need to send their progress reports to UNAIDS by March 31, 2010.