February 2005
Transform News

Welcome to Transform’s second newsletter. February has been a busy month, so while we have tried to keep this as concise as possible, it has been tricky as there’s just so much to include! Feedback from January’s has been very positive, and a few amendments have been made, so please keep your comments and ideas coming – e-mail: info@tdpf.org.uk – and we will endeavour to accommodate your requests.

Please pass this onto your friends, subscribers can join by visiting: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Contact.htm
Thanks for reading - till March!
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*Contents*

1. UK News
- The Lancet critiques UN drug supply control programmes
- Drugs bill update
- Drug seizures
- Scottish Heroin Study
- Mo Mowlam diary

2. International News
- UN and the US’s bully boy tactics
- EU trend to decriminalise small amounts of cannabis possession
- LEAP horseman
- International Links

3. TDPF
- New web additions
- Transform media log

4. What you can do
- Contact your MP/MEP
- Subscribe your friends!

Any suggestions and feedback please e-mail Transform News : fran@tdpf.co.uk . Please also forward this newsletter to friends or colleagues and encourage them to sign up (link at bottom of page).

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1. UK NEWS
- *The Lancet critiques UN drug supply control programmes*
The UN’s 1998 10-year pledge to eliminate all drugs supply and production is nearing its end with little sign of progress. The UK are currently backing the US & China who are the lead players in zero tolerance policies, and measures being put in place are becoming harsher and more punitive to those who can ill afford it. The Lancet lambaste these policies, and provide welcome reasoned debate ending with the question of why should developing nations pay for the wealthier nations drug habit because of developed nations policies?

Read the full article here:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_21_02_05.htm

- Drugs bill update
The drugs bill is still rumbling around parliament, with dissent becoming louder and from more quarters. Lack of legislative time however, may ensure that the bill will not be passed at least before the general election.
The timetable for the bill is as follows:
Debate in the House of Lords - 7th March
Debate for the next reading 14 or 21st March

Keep up to date on its progress here:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_14_01_05.htm

- Drug seizures
You may have read of recent huge seizures of cannabis, which are thought to be demonstrative of an increase in numbers of users since its decriminalization. The trouble is, with seizures being on such an ad hoc basis, and supply being unregulated, there is little way of using evidence such as this to prove such an assertion.
Read the full article (with quote from our Danny Kushlick here:)
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,1418619,00.html

- Scottish Heroin Study
Results from a study in Scotland showing that many heroin users can lead normal, productive and working lives (shock!) has caused outrage in many papers recently. Read what the authors have to say here:
http://www.gcal.ac.uk/news/releases/heroinuse.htm

- Mo Mowlam
Taken from an article in the New Statesman, Mo Mowlam (former Cabinet Minister) has decided to write a book arguing for the legalisation and regulation of the drugs trade. Mo has always been on side, and continues to campaign on this issue.
To view this article, please visit:
http://www.thehempire.com/pm/weblog?id=P3289

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*Other sources of UK drug news*:

http://www.thehempire.com - cannabis news, free monthly news email.

http://www.dailydose.net - daily news links, and searchable news archive

www.crew2000.co.uk and www.palad.org.uk – both recent affiliates to Transform, and well worth a look to see related campaigns around the country.

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2. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

- *UN and US bully boy tactics*
Following on from last months leaked letter from the UN, (see pdf: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/LETCOSTA2004.pdf ) it seems that some of the measures alluded to may already be taking shape. AIDS programmes, sex education (including condom provision), abortion, prostitution and needle exchange around the world are just some of the wide-ranging areas which may be seriously affected by these measures. It seems that the personal views of fierce conservatives and anti-liberals in the US government are coming into play during policy formation and harm minimisation under a misguided thought that it may encourage people to take drugs/have sex/use condoms/have abortions/become a prostitute etc.

To read more – please see articles from the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_28_02_05.htm

- *EU trend to decriminalise small amounts of cannabis possession*
A growing number of European nations are amending their laws to treat the possession of small quantities of cannabis and other drugs as "minor" offences punishable by non-criminal sanctions, according to a report released by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in Lisbon.

Among EU nations, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, and Spain have laws forbidding the incarceration of defendants found to be in the possession of small amounts of cannabis or other drugs. Several other countries - including Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - have enacted similar policies specific to cannabis possession.
While this doesn’t seem to have cut down on the number of individuals cited for minor drug law infractions, “courts seem to prefer treatment [or] other social support measures and to a certain extent sanctions not involving deprivation of liberty ... when simple use of drugs is not accompanied by aggravating circumstances”.
They concluded, “In these countries, prison sentences do not seem to be the most effective instrument to prevent (and punish) drug use.”
Read the full report here (bear in mind it is 48 pages long!):
http://www.emcdda.eu.int/?nnodeid=7079 (downloadable as pdf only)

- *LEAP horseman*
A great story here from the US. ‘Law Enforcement Against Prohibition’ is a group of current and former members of [US?] law enforcement who support drug regulation rather than prohibition. One of their members ‘Howard’ wearing a ‘Cops Say Legalize Pot Ask Me Why’ T-shirt, has decided to ride on horseback from one side of America to the other and back again calling for an end to prohibition. Brilliant!

http://www.leap.cc/about/index.htm for more on LEAP
http://www.leap.cc/howard/index.html for more on his ride – complete with brilliant photo!

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*International Links*
Schaffer library of drug policy – a vast collection of reports analysis and drug policy info:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/index.HTM

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3. TRANSFORM DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION NEWS

*Media Log*

As ever we have been working closely with various media – here is a sample of what’s been going on in February:

- The Scottish heroin study sparked much debate (see above), and Transform were interviewed on Radio 2, Radio 5 Live, Sky News and News 24.
- The large drug seizures were also a feature of a number of media appearances specifically on the front page of the Observer on February 20th: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,1418619,00.html and in the letters page: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,1418475,00.html and the Metro.
- The UN and ‘dear Bobby’ letter : http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_25_01_05.htm sparked some interest, again in the Observer, but Transform hope after the press in the US, this should take centre stage in the next few weeks/months.
- The drugs bill and drug testing in schools were also still on the agenda, and a piece appeared in the Independent Monitor, as well as interviews on Radio 5 Live.

For advice on raising awareness through the media see the new ‘What you can do page’ on the TDPF site here;

http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Parliament_WhatYouCanDo.htm

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*Website*

*Charities Aid Foundation Online Giving service*:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/AboutUs_TdpfFunding.htm
Please support Transform by making a donation at our secure online donation page administered by the Charities Aid Foundation. We are in the process of setting up a facility to establish a regular direct debit (via CAF), but in the mean time a standing order form is available from the above page. Please give generously - we need your support. (Transform relies solely on donations from individuals and charitable trusts to maintain its work)

Transform action guide:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Parliament_WhatYouCanDo.htm

Drug Bill 2005 briefing:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_14_01_05.htm

Coming soon: Transform discussion forum:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/bb/
The Transform discussion forum has been online since mid 2004 as an invitation only forum for attendees of recent Transform seminars. It will be opened up to the wider public in the coming month. Details to be announced.

PUBLICATIONS

*After the War on Drugs - Options for Control*

Transform’s recently updated report examining the key themes in the drug policy reform debate, detailing how legal regulation of drug markets will operate, and providing a roadmap and time line for reform. The report can be downloaded as a pdf from: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Policy_General_AftertheWaronDrugsReport.htm

For printed copies please contact fran@tdpf.org.uk

*Coming Soon*: The Transform Prohibition and Crime Project

Transform is preparing a major project for 2005 to examine and publicise the links between prohibition and the creation of crime and to explore the possibilities for significant reductions in crime at all scales through law reform and regulated drug markets. This will predominantly be web based, so we are in the midst of creating a website…. Watch this space!

An introductory briefing exploring some of these themes has been produced by Transform for a recent Turning Point conference on drugs and crime (the content reflecting the target audience in the drug treatment community).

Read it here:
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Policy_Crime_DrugsandCrime-TheLinkisProhibition.htm

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4. WHAT YOU CAN DO

- Have you contacted your MP/MEP? Start by writing to them and asking them their view on the current drug policy. Ask their opinion on the war on drugs, the fact that it isn’t working and what they think should be done. They have a duty to reply, and then you can begin a dialogue. Remember always to be polite however much you may disagree with them!

- Do you know who your MP is?! Find out here: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/

- Try writing/e-mailing your local paper or a national paper. Look out for drug related stories in newspapers (and other publications) and respond in the letters pages.

- Oh and of course please pass this onto your friends - subscribers can join by visiting: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Contact.htm

For other ideas and more details on what you can do see :
http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Parliament_WhatYouCanDo.htm

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For all these stories and more see: www.tdpf.org.uk

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