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TRANSFORM NEWS In a tribute to Tony Banks, former minister for sport who died last week: “Full legalisation (of all drugs) would be a boon to those regions where coca is a valuable crop and where western demand is reducing certain countries to a state of criminal anarchy. In this country and in the US, the greatest drug abuse tends to occur among the most economically and socially deprived groups. Greater resources to clear up bad housing and provide employment would, in the long run, have a far more profound impact on drug abuse than heavier policing.” (Taken from our ‘Hall of Fame’ – browse through quotes from the great and the good who support reform of current drug policy: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_Reform_supporters.htm) -------------------- Welcome to the first Transform News of 2006. Happy New Year! December – a month when we discover that eating too many mince pies and too much cheese can make you feel a bit ill (perhaps they should be banned?). But for politicians, between swilling back sherry and red wine in one of the House of Common’s 15 or so bars, the ongoing saga of cannabis reclassification has continued to cast a long shadow over the drugs debate. Some might conspiratorially suggest that this suits the Home Office rather well, since whilst the political and media world is preoccupied with the - going nowhere - debate over cannabis, the wider and far more significant failings of the drug strategy are being ignored. Oh well, at least come January the ACMD will finally report (that it hasn’t changed its mind), the Home Secretary will make his decision (that he is not going to reverse the reclassification) and we can all start talking about more important things again. As ever this newsletter is brimming with news and comment from the UK and around the world, with a some fascinating stories, such as the former coca grower elected president of Bolivia and some more depressing ones such as the prohibition of Ketamine in the UK. Let us know what you think – and don’t miss out the sections on how you can get involved…. Transform have set up a discussion forum (click the forum button on the Transform home page). This is an ideal place to discuss the latest news stories, policy ideas and campaigning strategies. But forums only work if people use them – so get in there, sign up and start posting – lets build some momentum - It’s a great place for sharing information and developing ideas. -Please keep your comments, ideas, media contact and stories coming. e-mail: info@tdpf.org.uk , -Pass this onto your friends; subscribers can join by visiting: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Contact.htm -All previous newsletters are viewable on our website should you have missed them or only just signed up: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Newsletter.htm -Make a donation – as ever we need financial support to maintain the organisation…set up a regular donation online here: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/index_online_giving_links.htm Thanks for reading! Until next month, Fran Kellett Transform Contents ----1. UK NEWS----- *Science & Technology Committee looks at the drug classification * The extraordinary folly of Britain's new opium war *Legalising drugs would halve prisoner numbers
---- 2. INTERNATIONAL NEWS ---- *Leftist claims victory in Bolivia *GAO: Data too fuzzy to measure drug war *Liege to supply drug addicts with heroin in trial project *Colombia – Shared Responsibility *Czech Republic will decrimilize cannabis
----3. WHAT TRANSFORM HAS BEEN UP TO----- *Transform in Seattle! * Find out who’s part of the solution *Publications *Transform in the news
---- 4. WHAT YOU CAN DO ---- *Become a Trustee! *Write to your MP if you have one – or visit them! *Get active online *Help with our fundraising!
----1. UK NEWS----- ** SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE The Parliamentary Science and Technology Select Committee is holding an inquiry to examine the way in which the Government obtains and uses scientific advice in the development of policy. The Committee will be using 3 case studies, one of which is the classification of illegal drugs The deadline for written evidence is Friday 20th January. So get your skates on! http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_and_technology_committee/scitech091105.cfm -------------------- ** ‘NONSENSE CAN BE A NARCOTIC TOO’ “ POLITICIANS DO NOT care for drugs. It is a topic like religion: since the established position is nonsense, established people do not like discussing it if they can avoid doing so.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1966074,00.html -------------------- "If cannabis caused schizophrenia," says Trevor Turner, a consultant psychiatrist based in Hackney in east London, "the rate of incidence in countries where it's used more widely would be higher - but there's no evidence of that. Nor has the rate of schizophrenia increased in the UK, despite statistics showing that 50% of young people have tried it, compared with only 10% in 1970." The debate rumbles on, and on and on….. http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1668543,00.html and in reply to this article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1668543,00.html Also: “The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which has reassessed the Government’s decision of two years ago to downgrade cannabis, has backed away from recommending that cannabis be reclassified from a class C to a class B drug”. Read more on the issue here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17129-1921320,00.html and for the latest updates on the reclassification saga – see www.tdpf.org.uk -------------------- ** ‘ THE EXTRAORDINARY FOLLY OF BRITAIN'S NEW OPIUM WAR’ Simon Jenkins in the Guardian rants very effectively: “The decision to send thousands of troops to Afghanistan is the half-baked product of Tony Blair's global machismo” and: “ British soldiers are being sent to a poor and dangerous place whose sole economic resource is opium. They will sit there as targets for probably the most intractable concentration of insurgents, Taliban, drug traffickers and suicide bombers in the world - until some minister has the guts to withdraw them.” To read the full angry story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,1677389,00.html -------------------- **'LEGALISING DRUGS WOULD HALVE PRISONER NUMBERS' Reading probation officer Bob Turney says it is time to stop pouring billions of pounds into a never-ending war against drugs and open a hysteria-free debate about legalisation. ----- ** KETAMINE MADE ILLEGAL AFTER HEALTH CONCERNS Somewhat hysterically touted as a horse tranquiliser by lazy journalists (despite being widely used for humans), Ketamine, a disassociative anaesthetic with hallucinatory properties, has been made illegal (class C). Odd that the conspicuously less dangerous magic mushrooms were made class A. Oh well, since when did the classification system make any sense? (A Transform briefing on drug classification will be submitted to the Science and Technology Select Committee in January and will be posted on the Transform website.) http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/Story/0,2763,1674609,00.html Transforms briefing on Ketamine classification: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Policy_General_Ketamine.htm -------------------- ---Useful links to UK drug news-- http://www.drinkanddrugs.net - Drink & Drug News http://www.thehempire.com - Cannabis news (and wider drug issues), quality free monthly news email and great website. The best and most up to date of the cannabis oriented sites. http://www.dailydose.net - excellent daily/weekly round up of news (free subscription) , links and a peerless searchable UK drug news archive. www.crew2000.co.uk and www.palad.org.uk - affiliates to Transform and well worth a look to see related campaigns around the country.
---- 2. INTERNATIONAL NEWS ---- ** ‘ COCA FARMER CLAIMS VICTORY IN BOLIVIA’ Former coca farmer Evo Morales wins recent elections in Bolivia, and pledges to legalise the Coca trade (in Bolivia): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4539454.stm Read more here on his victory: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=31715 The Encod bulletin (more details see below) highlights this unprecedented win, and the relationship between the US & Europe with Bolivia – both past and present: For more details on Evo Morales & Bolivia see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales -------------------- **’LEGALIZE THE SALE OF DRUGS’ Canada – “I sn't it about time we asked ourselves as a society if it is worthwhile to maintain the absurd policy of criminalizing drugs? Is it worth continuing with the wall of silence trying to hide something that is an obvious fact? Have any of us seen a murder in Canada caused by people trying to battle it out for the control of the alcohol or tobacco business?” To read the rest: -------------------- ** ‘ LEGALIZE DRUGS – ALL OF THEM’ by Norm Stamper – former US drug cop and member of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) “ But no, I don't favor decriminalization. I favor legalization, and not just of pot but of all drugs, including heroin, cocaine, meth, psychotropics, mushrooms and LSD. Prohibition of alcohol fell flat on its face. The prohibition of other drugs rests on an equally wobbly foundation. Not until we choose to frame responsible drug use — not an oxymoron in my dictionary — as a civil liberty will we be able to recognize the abuse of drugs, including alcohol, for what it is: a medical, not a criminal, matter.” http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002661006_sunstamper04.html and http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002681961_rams14.html LEAP: www.leap.cc -------------------- ** GAO: DATA TOO FUZZY TO MEASURE DRUG WAR “The 52-page report released this month by the (US) Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, questions the reliability of key U.S. government drug trafficking data. Official stats are so sketchy and unreliable as to be almost worthless, the report says. “
Read more: http://www.mapinc.org/newscsdp/v05/n1995/a08.html -------------------- ** LIEGE TO SUPPLY DRUG ADDICTS WITH HEROIN IN TRIAL PROJECT BRUSSELS — The city of Liège will start supplying heroin to hardcore addicts in a trial project starting on 1 January 2007, Mayor Willy Demeyer has announced. -------------------- **COLOMBIA – SHARED RESPONSIBILITY Upon his return home from London, Vice-President Santos of Colombia set up the following website a imed at highlighting the moral and ethical argument against the consumption of cocaine. The campaign focuses on the shared responsibility of Colombia (the producer) and the West (the consumer) and the suffering the illegal drugs trade causes in Colombia. http://www.sharedresponsibility.gov.co/index.php -------------------- **POSITIVE NEWS FROM CZECH REPUBLIC: Recently the lower chamber of the Czech Parliament approved a new text of the Penal Code decriminalizing growing of psychoactive cannabis and of magic mushrooms (very popular in the Czech Republic) for personal use. The new law still needs to be approved by the Senate and signed by the President. It is almost sure that the Senate will vote for it and that President Klaus would approve it too. More: -------------------- December focus: North American reform: new publications pushing the debate forward A couple of very useful reports have emerged from North America recently that develop and compliment ideas presented in the recent Transform 'After the War on Drugs, Options for Control' report. 1. http://www.kcba.org/druglaw/ http://www.vancouver.ca/fourpillars/pdf/DrugPolicyFinalPreventionP.pdf **Other links: -ENCOD – the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies. Their December newsletter concentrates on ‘zero tolerance’ and asks the question how has tolerance come to be seen as such a bad thing? Check out their ‘latest bulletin’ here: http://www.encod.org/newsletter.htm . This page contains all their bulletins, including their most recent. -Transnational Institute Drugs and Democracy Project An independent Dutch based organisation that has produced the most thorough analysis of international drug policy issues currently available. They have particular expertise on the workings of the UN drug agencies and have range of detailed (downloadable) policy analysis documents on key issues. -The Media Awareness Project or MAPS An archive of drugs stories in the media collected from its network of ‘news hawks’ around the world, including the UK: “a worldwide network dedicated to drug policy reform”. -Drug Policy Alliance The leading US drug policy reform organisation http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm
----3. WHAT TRANSFORM HAS BEEN UP TO----- **Transform in Seattle Transform has been invited to speak in North America no less than 3 times in 2005. The last of these excursions was to Seattle where the King County Bar Association (KCBA) have undertaken a highly impressive and ambitious project to seek out effective alternatives to the failings of the US war on drugs. Transform’s 2004 report ‘After the War on Drugs - Options for Control’ was cited in the brilliant 2005 KCBA report 'Effective Drug Control: Toward A New Legal Framework' . A conference was organised in Seattle at the end of November to launch the report and discuss its contents and strategies for taking the North American reform agenda forward. Transform’s Steve Rolles, one of the authors of the ‘Options’ report was invited to address the conference, along with a roll call of the biggest names in US progressive drug policy thinking. It is immensely gratifying to see such positive work emerging from North America, the spiritual home of the drug war. The KCBA, along with Canada’s ‘Keeping the doors open’ organisation in Vancouver and the ongoing work of the Drug Policy Alliance are now building a substantial and genuine challenge to the prohibitionist orthodoxy that has dominated the North American political discourse for the best part of a century. See International links above for more information and the various new reports. -------------------- **Find out who’s part of the solution: Transform has launched an archive of quotes – supportive of drug law reform - collected over a number of years from Politicians, Opinion formers, Criminal Justice, Celebrities, the non-governmental sector & religious leaders. Read the impressive list(s) here: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_Reform_supporters.htm Any suggested additions? Send them, with references please, to steve@tdpf.org.uk -------------------- **The best drug policy books in the world, EVER! The long awaited launch of Transform’s book List: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Policy_FurtherReading_books.htm -------------------- **Publications: *Our new publicity leaflet is out NOW! Copies are available in print – get in touch if you would like one, or even a whole bunch of them. You can download a pdf version from here: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Parliament_WhatYouCanDo.htm#leaflet Take a look and get your orders in if you want multiple printed copies. Its very good, even though I say so myself… (feedback is welcome of course). *Our shiny new Annual Report has arrived! And boy, if you like annual reports, you’ll love this one…(WARNING: *Transform showing off content*) A pdf version is available here, and get in touch if you’d like a copy all your own : http://www.tdpf.org.uk/AboutUs_AnnualReport.htm . -“After the War on Drugs - Options for Control” – now also available in Spanish and Portuguese! Transform’s groundbreaking report examines 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 We’re currently in the midst of a third update and re-print, so printed copies won’t be available until February time. Contact us to reserve a copy: info@tdpf.org.uk or 0117 941 5810 -------------------- Parliamentarians guide to drug policy **Transform is currently seeking funding to produce a ‘Parliamentarians guide to drug policy’ – to inform the debate, empower reformers in Parliament, and provide the basis for future training programmes Transform will be running for policy makers. -------------------- **Funding As ever we urgently need funding….ideas, contacts and suggestions are always welcome, and please - if you haven’t already - sign up online to make a regular donation to the organisation. It really can make a difference. http://www.tdpf.org.uk/support_Transform.htm Our secure online donation page administered by the Charities Aid Foundation. Donations can be one off or regular, large or small. Please give generously - we need your support. (Transform relies solely on donations from individuals and charitable trusts to maintain its work) -------------------- *Transform in the Media* As ever we have been working closely with various media, but what with Christmas being thrown into the mix, we’ve had a comparatively quiet month, in England at least. Check back next month!
**Trustees Wanted Transform have recruited a number of trustees, but are still looking for a couple of highly experienced individuals to join our Board of Trustees.
-------------------- **Get to work on your MP. *Write to your MP/councillor and ask them their views 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! Book a visit to their surgery - you can meet with them and discuss any issue that you fancy. Its really easy! One of our volunteers visited his MP recently, who just happened to be Charles Clarke – the Home Secretary! The meeting was very positive, and various Transform materials were passed on. Transform provided a detailed briefing and training before the visit. Call us for help. Do you know who your MP is?! They may have changed since the election. 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. Here’s evidence to show it works: we promise ‘DJ Welch’ is not a put up job, he wrote to the Observer of his own volition: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,1451131,00.html -------------------- **Online Activism The internet gives you the opportunity to engage the drug law reform debate as never before. There are literally thousands of online forums, discussion groups, and media feedback opportunities where you can get involved and inject a little common sense into the debate. Here’s a starter for ten: NEW discussion forum on the Government drugs site (a GREAT place to start some serious discussions about drug law reform_: http://www.drugs.gov.uk/talking-shop/forum/ And your bonus questions: The Daily Mail; a long time bastion of reactionary Drug War thinking has recently begun to open up to more progressive policy ideas. Whether you like the paper or not the fact is that it is highly influential in Whitehall and read by millions of floating voters. Many news stories and opinion pieces offer an opportunity to add comments at the end – so if you see a drug story that you think doesn’t tell the whole story – let them know! http://www.dailymail.co.uk They work for You: A brilliant independent website doing what Hansard should be doing – ie providing easy access to parliamentary debate and publications. Searchable by MP or by key words you can add your own comments to any comment made by anyone in the house. There are frequent debates on drug issues (you can set up an email alert on any individual or key word) so do a search, find some incoherent warblings from some misinformed MP - and set them straight! http://theyworkforyou.com/ *Guardian Talk – a good place to start – there’s usually a few good drug policy threads and if you cant find any – start one! http://www.guardian.co.uk/index/talk/0,3109,162311,00.html *For more help with raising awareness through the media see below and the ‘What you can do page’ on the TDPF site here; http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Parliament_WhatYouCanDo.htm For further advice please call the Transform office on 0117 941 5810. Send in your media tips, suggestions for web activism warnings, successes and failures - we’ll include them here. -------------------- Please pass this newsletter 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 For more information and analysis: www.tdpf.org.uk Transform Drug Policy Foundation is a registered charity no: 1100518 The organisations, agencies, and information linked from www.tdpf.org.uk represent a variety of viewpoints from across the drug policy field. Transform is not responsible for the contents of sites linked on this newsletter, and does not automatically endorse linked information. Any suggested additions or corrections please email info@tdpf.org.uk If you have received this mail in error, or if would like to unsubscribe from the list, just click reply/e-mail info@tdpf.org.uk with ‘unsubscribe me‘ as the subject. Fran Kellett email: fran@tdpf.org.uk To subscribe to Transform's newsletter visit: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Contact.htm This document accompanying this transmission may contain confidential information, which may be legally privileged. This information is intended for the use of the named individual. You are notified that any disclosure, copying and distribution is prohibited. If you receive this message in error please delete it. |
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