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Tessa Jowell MP Labour , Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport …” we can prohibit, regulate or leave it to the market. Prohibition does not work - it drives the activity underground…” “Only ideological extremists favour a free-for-all where only the laws of the market hold sway. So the third option is regulation - and regulation with as much emphasis on the quality of the debate as the policy outcome. 'Better regulation' has to mean government engaging people in the decisions that affect their lives and doing so in new and better ways”. Ms Jowell was actually talking about gambling…. sounds quite sensible really. Mmmm? Source: 'Grown up politics for an adult world' The Guardian 21.11.04 (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) -------------------- Hello and welcome! The sun is finally shining and all the little flowers are out. Also the revised and reprinted report ‘After the War on Drugs, Options for Control’ is finally back from the printers – so hooray and please order a copy. This month saw some high level political engagement, with Transform’s director debating the future of UK and world drug policy with Antonio Marie Costa, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime on a World Service broadcast that went out live in 65 countries on TV and the rest of the world simultaneously on ‘Have your Say’ (details below) and Transform has definitely been asked to give evidence at the Science & Technology Committee hearing – more next month. As always – please remember that you can do a lot more than just read this newsletter – discuss the issues on the Transform forum, publicise Transform and the website, make a donation, read the what you can do bit *see bottom of the news letter*, and get active! -------------------- -Please keep your comments, ideas, parliamentary/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 Drug Policy Foundation Contents ----1. UK NEWS----- * Transform debates the head of the UN drug strategy *Chief Constable wants drug gangs action *(another) Former Chief Constable calls for state to control drugs trade *Only option now 'is to legalise' – a bereaved parent speaks out *It is harder to come off methadone than heroin, so why prescribe it on the NHS? *UK Links & upcoming events
---- 2. INTERNATIONAL NEWS ---- *Pushing a top crop, Bolivian president gives Rice coca gift *US war on drugs: elusive victory, disputed statistics *Foreign Office responds to latest assessments of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan *The Evidence Base for the Classification of Drugs *Cronkite vs. O'Reilly: may the most trusted man win *International Links & Books
----3. WHAT TRANSFORM HAS BEEN UP TO----- *Prohibition is the problem - Find out who’s part of the solution *Publications *Transform in the news **SLOPPY JOURNALISM SPECIAL**
---- 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!
** TRANSFORM DEBATES THE HEAD OF THE UN DRUG STRATEGY Danny Kushlick, director of Transform, debated the future of UK and world drug policy with Antonio Marie Costa, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, on a live TV, internet and radio broadcast on the BBCs world service on Sunday 19th March 06. Sadly ‘Have your Say’ have removed the broadcast, but to see more info and the debate visit here. We have requested an audio copy of the debate, which we will of course put online if they hand it over.
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** CHIEF CONSTABLE WANTS DRUG GANGS ACTION
Richard Brunstrom, famously the most vocal chief constable to advocate the legalisation and regulation of currently illegal drugs, told BBC Wales' Week In Week Out’ that making certain drugs illegal has meant control and supply has been handed over to criminal gangs. Mr Brunstrom again called for a radical review of UK drug policy. For the whole article visit here.
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** CALL FOR STATE TO CONTROL DRUGS TRADE “Mr Lloyd, (ex) Chief Constable, believes that the current system, in effect a policy of prohibition, has failed effectively to tackle the use and supply of drugs… He is calling for discussions based around a radical new approach which would take the supply of drugs away from the criminal underworld. He suggests that the drugs trade should be recognised as a hugely profitable business and that efforts should be directed towards undermining that profitability”. To read the whole article click here.
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** ONLY OPTION NOW 'IS TO LEGALISE' “SIX years ago, Fulton Gillespie's son Scott died from an accidental heroin overdose at the age of 33 - tests revealed the substance he had taken was toxic. Now Mr Gillespie, a former health correspondent on the (Cambridge) News, explains why he is backing former Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Tom Lloyd in his calls for a radical new approach to tackling drugs to be investigated”. For the rest of the story click here And for another slant from Cambridge News visit here Fulton Gillespie is a Transform supporter, who has spoken at transform events and gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into UK drug policy in 2002. The transcript of the session is available here:
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** IT IS HARDER TO COME OFF METHADONE THAN HEROIN, SO WHY PRESCRIBE IT ON THE NHS? “The chemical difference between smack and methadone is slight. The real demarcation lies in illegality, purity, and modes of use. Yet if it is easier to come off heroin than it is to be rid of methadone, aren’t we offering the wrong treatment”?
Transform replied to the above article, and the letter was published on 19th March: Prescription heroin “CONGRATULATIONS to Ian Bell for his well-argued call for heroin to be made available on prescription (Seven Days, March 12). In fact it already is available on prescription and around 400 users receive it in injectable form in the UK to help manage their addiction in a clean and controlled way, and reduce the need for a criminal lifestyle. Furthermore, there is a trial going on in London where users visit a drop-in centre on a daily basis and inject their heroin on site under medical supervision. Evidence from similar programmes in Europe show increased rates of addicts coming off heroin altogether as well as drastically reduced crime and HIV rates. The legal structures to do this are already in place – all that is needed is the political will to expand the service to the tens of thousands of problematic users still trapped in a dirty and violent criminal market”. Steve Rolles, Information Officer, Transform Drug Policy Foundation
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* THE EVIDENCE BASE FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS As a part of the Science and Technology Select Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the scientific basis for the drug classification system they have commissioned a report from RAND Europe on the subject, now available online. Summary and full report available here “The report provides a short introduction to the history of drug classification in the UK and general issues surrounding the types of evidence used in classifying drugs. The case studies examine the evidence of physical, social, psychological and economic harm associated with each drug and the use of that evidence by in government in making policy”. It looks at drug policy in the US, the Netherlands & Sweden, h owever “ Since this is not an evaluation, the report produces no conclusions as to the effectiveness of drug classification” both in the UK and those other countries it studies – which from Transform’s perspective rather misses the point – what’s the point of a classification system if it doesn’t do what its supposed to? Transform’s briefing on drug classification for the Committee is available here. Transform have also been invited to give oral evidence to the committee on April 26 th.
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---Useful UK links--&--Upcoming events-- *Links: http://forum.tdpf.org.uk/forum/ - Discuss the latest news stories on the transform discussion forum
‘Special’ BBC focus on Drug production/trafficking & users around the world: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2000/drugs_trade/default.stm
http://www.dailydose.net - excellent daily/weekly round up of news (free subscription), links and a peerless searchable UK drug news archive.
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.release.org.uk/newsletter/newsletter.php?id=4 www.crew2000.co.uk and www.palad.org.uk - affiliates to Transform and well worth a look to see related campaigns around the country.
*Upcoming events: * “TIME FOR COMMON SENSE IN THE UN'S DRUGS POLICY: BUT WILL THE UN AND ITS MEMBER STATES DARE TO LISTEN?” 26 th April @6.30pm in Committee Room 15, House of Commons – United Nations Association present: For more detail see: http://www.unawestminster.org.uk
*UNHOOKED THINKING CONFERENCE IN BATH: WEDNESDAY 19TH, THURSDAY 20TH, FRIDAY 21ST, APRIL 2006 Some say it’s an illness, others that it’s not – for a phenomenon blighting the lives of increasing numbers of millions around the world, it is strange how little agreement there is about the fundamental nature of addiction. Some say we should fight a “war on drugs”, others that they should all be legalised – for the largest illicit industry in the world, worth an estimated £300 billion a year, it is strange how ineffective government policies have proved to be in stopping it. The task of Unhooked Thinking is to articulate the root of this confusion, to explore the base of the visible iceberg that is addiction for what might be a deeper malaise afflicting humanity in the modern era. For more info: http://www.unhookedthinking.com/
*17th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REDUCTION OF DRUG RELATED HARM – 30th APRIL, 1/2/3 MAY 2006, VANCOUVER, CANADA. Both Transform’s Director & Information Officer will be attending, so look out for a report back on this in May:
Further details and registration forms can be downloaded from http://www.harmreduction2006.ca
---- 2. INTERNATIONAL NEWS ---- ** PUSHING A TOP CROP, BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT GIVES RICE COCA GIFT “Morales gave Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a traditional Bolivian Indian musical instrument called a charango that resembles a ukulele and is usually made from animal hide. This one, however, was covered with bright green coca leaves”. For pictorial evidence and the story: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/03/11/coca.rice.ap/index.html
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** US WAR ON DRUGS: ELUSIVE VICTORY, DISPUTED STATISTICS “By some estimates, the United States consumes more than 60 percent of the world's illicit drugs, far out of proportion with its 4.5 percent of the world's population. It is by far the biggest market for cocaine, a drug that yields staggering profits for traffickers”. “When Washington's first drug czar, William Bennett, left his post, the White House said he had put the U.S. "on the road to victory" in the drug war. That was 16 years ago. Today, cocaine, heroin and marijuana are as widely available as they were then - at sharply lower prices”. For the full article see here: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07371862.htm
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** FOREIGN OFFICE RESPONDS TO LATEST ASSESSMENTS OF OPIUM POPPY CULTIVATION IN AFGHANISTAN Ok so both UK and International news here. The Foreign Office give their latest upbeat info on the situation of Afghanistan & poppy cultivation: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=189693&NewsAreaID=2
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** CRONKITE VS. O'REILLY: MAY THE MOST TRUSTED MAN WIN We brought you Walter Cronkite’s call for a change in US drug policy in February’s newsletter, and this time, we bring you a reply from Bill O'Reilly, who describes himself as an upright, patriotic American "traditionalist" while others tout him as a biased hard-right Republican with an all (as opposed to no) spin-zone… See what you think: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/33009/
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** INTERNATIONAL LINKS & BOOKS *Drug Policy Alliance - http://www.drugpolicy.org/ The leading US drug policy reform organisation. Excellent website.
*Drug Sense – http://www.drugsense.org “Moving the debate on drugs from insanity to humanity”. Part of the Media Awareness Project, MAP, an American organisation collating news and information on drugs. A good one stop shop for all things drug, including the issues, books, forums, blogs, activism ideas, newsletters and more.
* Students for sensible drug policy - http://www.ssdp.org/ “With hundreds of thousands of Americans behind bars for drug offenses, why are drugs purer and more prevalent than ever? With billions of dollars invested in incarceration and interdiction, why are treatment needs continually unmet? Why has the government sacrificed our freedom, safety, and health to the Drug War? Students for Sensible Drug Policy is committed to providing education on harms caused by the War on Drugs, working to involve youth in the political process, and promoting an open, honest, and rational discussion of alternative solutions to our nation's drug problems.“
*Encod’s, the European coalition of drug policy reform organisations The newsletter this month focuses on the recent UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting.
*BOOKS “Down by the River” by Charles Bowden. While Transform haven’t read this book, so can’t vouch for it, it sounds interesting. It centres on the Mexico-US border and one family who’s son was killed in the ‘War on Drugs’ it talks about the US-Mexican relationship and how “ Mexico makes more money from drugs than they do from oil, tourism, and the remittances sent back by illegal Mexicans working here. They earn at least $50 billion a year now from selling drugs. They simply can’t live without it”. “ All I can say is, if they really cracked down on drugs in Mexico, the economy and the Mexican government would collapse. Millions of people would stream north to survive. Given that choice, successive American presidents have put on a kind of theatrical war on drugs, but let the business continue because the consequences of ending the business are worse than letting the business continue. Mexico needs the money.” To read an interview with the author see: http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=20436
----3. WHAT TRANSFORM HAS BEEN UP TO----- *TRANSFORM IN THE MEDIA* A story, ‘Cocaine floods the playground’ was the front page lead in the Times on March 25 th. Transform were quoted on the front page, which is always nice, but unfortunately the story – that cocaine use in schools had doubled – was very misleading, as it had played rather fast and loose with some rounded up statistics from a recent DoH survey. The full story http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2102550,00.html
A letter from Transform’s information officer was sent to the Times but not published. It is reproduced here: Dear Sir Re: 'Cocaine floods the playground' 25.03.06 The Press Association coverage of the DoH drugs survey states that reported cocaine use amongst 11-15 year olds has increased from 1.4% to 1.9% from 2004 to 2005. The Times coverage has rounded these figures down/up to 1% and 2%, concluding that 'cocaine use amongst children has doubled in a year'. Infact the survey shows an increase 0.5% overall and an increase of just over a third on the baseline figure. In a school of 200 this would equate to one extra pupil reporting having used cocaine (in the past year), from a starting point of 3 in 2004. The survey measures reported use and gives no indication whether cocaine is being used or sold in schools or playgrounds. Drug use amongst young people is a serious issue and the Government's attempts to tackle it clearly not effective, but what is needed is a rational debate of policy alternatives based on the evidence, a debate not helped by misleading statistics and sensationalist headlines. **If you want to get your brain slightly fried in attempting to debunk the ‘doubling of cocaine use’ in our schools see the following ‘Bad Science’ column: http://www.badscience.net/?p=230
----- The Guardian eventually ran a piece analysing this bit of slack reporting which you can read here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,,1744541,00.html (although they didn’t mention that they had also run the story – now gone from their website - and haven’t printed a correction either – and yes we did point it out to them) Much of the rest of the media then picked up the Times story with the ‘cocaine use doubles’ mistake appearing in: The Sun – (quoted Transform) http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006130933,00.html The Mirror (quoted Transform) Even the Qatar Peninsular (quatars ‘leading English daily’) (quoted Transform) http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=United+Kingdom+%26+Europe&month=March2006&file=World_News2006032673659.xml And the Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/25/ncoke25.xml (no Transform quote but some quite breathtaking misunderstanding of the issues from David Davis) Transform spokes person Steve Rolles also appeared on BBC News 24, Sky news, Radio 5 live talking about this story. Elsewhere, media was comparatively quiet with appearances on BBC News 24 talking about the UN report on cocaine, and a B BC Wales film on legalisation – broadcast on 07.03.06 --------------------
**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 -------------------- **PUBLICATIONS: NEW briefings - March 2006 Clause 2 of the Drugs Act - an example of how to make bad policy
The Number 10 Strategy Unit drugs report, phase 2 -'The Birt report'- summary and briefing Transform’s detailed discussion of what the leaked Strategy Unit report is actually saying, and how it differs from phase 1.
Other recent publications: *AFTER THE WAR ON DRUGS OPTIONS FOR CONTROL The updated version has finally arrived back from the printers. Please get in touch if you would like a hard copy, otherwise download a pdf version from the front page of our website: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/Policy_General_AftertheWaronDrugsReport.htm
*PUBLICITY LEAFLET - “Illegal Drugs.” 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
*ANNUAL REPORT 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 . --------------------
**FUNDING As ever our funding needs remain pressing ….ideas, contacts and suggestions are always welcome, and PLEASE - if you haven’t already - sign up online to make a regular donation, however small, 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) --------------------
**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. You will need expertise in at least one of the following fields: human resources/personnel, business or voluntary sector management, finance, fundraising or organisational change. --------------------
**GET TO WORK ON YOUR MP. If you haven’t done this yet – Get on with it! You pay their wages to represent your views. Write to them, email them, pay them a visit. Its easy and effective campaigning….. **FIND OUT HOW YOUR MP VOTES Every week, a dozen or so times, your MP votes in the UK Parliament. This is their definitive exercise of power. The Public Whip extracts their voting record from the pages of the Parliamentary transcript so that you can see it and hold them to account. Start off by writing 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 Transform representatives regularly visit there MPs, and with our help have had very productive discussions. Its one of the most effective and easiest things you can do. Transform supporters have eeven had meetings with ministers including the Home Secretary. -------------------- **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. MP websites: A number of MPs now have fairly fancy websites where you can post comments or discuss issues on forums. Check out http://www.shaunwoodward.com/go/Issues/Issue_2.html for example. Transform’s Steve Rolles has posted a few times there. Check whether your MP has a website (and if he doesn’t email them anyway). The BBC are running a ‘have your say’ show on the drug war and there is an accompanying online discussion. Almost all postings so far are pro reform. Post here!: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=1261&start=0&&&edition=1&ttl=20060313111728
*A new discussion forum has popped up on the Government drugs site – no ones really used it yet so maybe it needs some Transform supporters to help liven it up a bit. Have a go – and let us know what response you get… http://www.drugs.gov.uk/talking-shop/forum/
*Try some other unlikely places…… The Daily Mail for example; 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 remains 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!
*Guardian Talk – a good place to start – there’s usually a few good drug policy threads and if you cant find any – start one! (you need to register for this site) http://www.guardian.co.uk/index/talk/0,3109,162311,00.html
*THEY WORK FOR YOU: A brilliant independent website doing what Hansard should be doing – ie providing easy access to parliamentary debate and publications. You can post commentaries next to MPs comments in the house. 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! *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 Transform Drug Policy Foundation Easton Business Centre Felix Road Easton Bristol BS5 0HE email: fran@tdpf.org.uk Telephone: +44 0117 941 5810 Facsimile: +44 0117 941 5809 website: www.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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