Media/News > Latest News > 25.01.05

US attacks global harm reduction initiatives

A letter from Antonio Costa to Mr Robert B. Charles, Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US Department of State reveals how the pressure currently being brought to bear on the UN drug agencies by the US is undermining harm reduction programmes. Initiatives under threat from the new Bush Administration include needle exchanges, drug consumption rooms and substitute prescribing.

Read the 'Dear Bobby' letter here (pdf)

Further Action, News and Analysis:

New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal join chorus of condemnation for US attack on harm reduction.
Recent articles from all three papers show how the US has already started scaling down its needle exchanges and other harm reduction measures, and the deadly effect this will have.

Article in the Lancet February 2005: Losing tolerance with zero tolerance
Impressive editorial comment strongly critiquing the myths surrounding the UN's vision for a 'drug free world' by 2008; how the major world nations and UN drug strategies are failing the poorest countries and their people in the pursuit of this vision.

An Open Letter to the delegates of the Forty-eighth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)
This open letter organised by Human Rights Watch has now been signed by hundreds of organisations and individuals around the world and sent to the CND. The names are all included in this page.

Transform alert media to US pressure on UN harm reduction initiatives
Read the news coverage on this story, supplied by Transform, in the Observer (06.02.05).

Transnational Institute briefings on UN drug policy
The excellent TNI website has a new section on Harm Reduction and the UN featuring a briefing dealing with the background and implications of the letter described above. There are also extensive links to detailed Harm Reduction briefings, organisations and news coverage. (Click the Harm Reduction button in the left margin).

Transform background briefing on UN drug policy
Briefing on the tensions and contraqdictions in UN drug policy - prepared by Transform for the Commission on narcotic Drugs, Vienna 2003, (also published in 'Statewatch').