Petition of the greek «ngo platform for psychoactive substances» To appointed executive authorities for the accredited inclusion of civil society In the national planning and coordinating commission on addressing drugs

On Friday, April the 13th, member-organizations of the «NGO PLATFORM for psychoactive substances» filed a petition that was followed by a related memorandum to the Minister of Health, Mr. A. Xantho. The appeal stressed the importance for a robust, fair, substantial, accredited and legally established participation of the civil society, including members of the community of people who used drugs, in the process of planning, implementing and evaluating the national drug policy. The foregoing practice is not always deemed obvious or essential. Despite the multitude of relevant European and international recommendations and directives advising and promoting the aforementioned participation, this is not laid down under the national law in force (Article 50 of Act 4139/2013). In addition, [the right for] community inclusion is prescribed by international conventions, the Constitution of Greece in its human rights provisions and the Hellenic Charter of rights for people with substance dependence. The last was drafted under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights.

Given our long-standing experience, the high level of our expertise and our comprehensive engagement in the fields of drug policy and psychoactive substances, we the civil society organisations petition the Minister of Health to recommend to the appointed executive authorities an amendment to the provision of the Article 50 § 1 of the Law 4139/2013. Therein lies our wish to participate in the work-process of national drug policy-making within the national planning and coordinating commission with one (1) regular member of the «NGO Platform for psychoactive substances» and one (1) alternate.

The petition and the memorandum were communicated to: the Minister for Transparency and Human Rights, Mr. Stavros Kontonis; the National Drug Coordinator, Ms. Christina Papoutsopoulou-Diamantopoulou; the Secretary General for Public Health, Mr. Ioannis Mpaskozo; the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Stamatis Vardaros; the General Secretary of Transparency and Human Rights, Ms. Maria Giannakaki; and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs of the Greek Parliament, Mr. Emmanuel-Nikolaos Manio.

The Greek “NGO PLATFORM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES” consists of the following organizations: “CENTRE FOR LIFE for the support of people living with HIV/AIDS”, “DIOGENIS Drug Policy Dialogue”, “PeNUPS-Peer Network of Users of Psychoactive Substances”, “POSITIVE VOICE-Association of people living with HIV in Greece”, “PRAKSIS”, “PROMETHEUS- Hellenic Liver Patient Association”, and “STEPS”

The Greek NGO Platform for Psychoactive substances calls on public authorities to ensure civil society engagement in drug policy

Switzerland's pragmatic HIV prevention policy for intravenous drug users has been extremely successful. Thousands of HIV infections and AIDS cases have been prevented thanks to harm reduction measures, as shown by an analysis by the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Zurich and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

Researchers at the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Zurich were able to document and quantify the success of measures taken for the prevention of HIV transmission through intravenous drug use in Switzerland, based on a mathematical model and detailed clinical, viral genetics and epidemiological data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Harm reduction measures such as needle exchanges, methadone programs, supervised heroin programs and contact and consultation services for drug users were all analyzed. Marzel and his colleagues could demonstrate through their work that the measures in Switzerland had prevented a total of over 15,000 HIV infections among drug users. "Previously, the HIV epidemic frequently spilled over from intravenous drug users to the general population through sexual contact, meaning that the prevention measures in drug users also indirectly prevented more than 2,500 cases of HIV infection in people who do not use intravenous drugs," says Prof. Roger Kouyos, head of the study, which was recently published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

Swiss HIV prevention policy for intravenous drug users is a model for success

Doctors in the House of Commons are to lead a campaign to change the law banning the medicinal use of cannabis, as a new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) forms to campaign for the issue.

Dan Poulter, a former health minister who still works part-time as a GP, said he had already signed up fellow Conservative Andrew Murrison, Labour’s Paul Williams, and Philippa Whitford of the Scottish National party – four of the Commons’ nine medical doctors.

On Thursday morning he was inviting colleagues to join an APPG on medicinal cannabis. He is to co-chair the group with Mike Penning, a former Tory justice minister who estimated they have the support of around 80 politicians.

The development comes after Alfie Dingley, a six-year-old boy with epilepsy, pushed medical cannabis on to the political agenda by taking a 300,000 signature petition with him to No 10. He had been effectively treated with cannabis oil in the Netherlands, but was denied it at home in the UK.

The Home Office is understood to be on the verge of finding a way for Alfie to continue his treatment. But another boy, Billy Caldwell, 12, has emerged in similar circumstances after his GP was reprimanded by officials for trying to write a cannabis prescription. Campaigners claim there are hundreds of other families facing the same problems.

Doctors in UK House of Commons rally to overturn ban on medicinal cannabis

Like many, Mr. Nonso Maduka, a pharmacist, lived with the notion that every drug addict was a criminal, and should be behind bars. To put it to the test, his friend set a trap for one drug user, telling him to get some money from his car. Maduka thought the guy would not resist the temptation to either bolt with the cash or tamper with it. To his surprise, the fellow handed the money to the owner, not touching a kobo.

That changed Maduka’s perspective. He also conducted a survey which revealed that drugs are not necessarily the causative factor for most crimes.

“I was shocked because I believed then that all drug users are criminals and they always take money,” Maduka said.

Most Nigerians also have that mindset. Has that helped in curbing hard drug use? No. In fact recent statistics have shown that drug use and trafficking are on the increase with the prisons getting filled with drug users awaiting trial who become worse even after they are released from prison.

This was what a three-day drug policy academy organised by the YouthRise Nigeria sought to address. During the workshop, participants, mostly youths cutting across civil society organisations, NGOs, health and the media were reorientated on the myths and misconceptions of drug use in the country.

News

The Greek NGO Platform for Psychoactive substances calls on public authorities to ensure civil society engagement in drug policy

Swiss HIV prevention policy for intravenous drug users is a model for success

Doctors in UK House of Commons rally to overturn ban on medicinal cannabis

A new way to fight hard drugs