“I believe that we cannot continue with this affair thinking we are going to combat the problem of the drug traffic without more radical measures. One of these has to be the legalisation of drugs in the United States ”

-- González Garza, of the leading opposition party in Mexico

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Transform: Spreading the word

• Events
• Media
• Staff
• Trustees
• Funding

3. UK News

• Drugs and Health Alliance call for a change in focus for the new drugs strategy
• The Home Office get involved in the debate
• Which prompts a reply from Transform
• Wellbeing is connected to addiction
• Advice for a new national drug strategy
• Criticism of the current treatment system
• Court cases

4. International News

• The opposition party calls for drug legalisation in Mexico
• A new ‘War on Drugs’ strategy in Canada
• Dodgy dealings in China result in the death penalty
• The South African Police Force claim to be winning the war on drugs
• Cocaine consumption on the rise in Europe, as is supply from Latin America

5. What you can do

• Donate
• Internet activity
• Volunteer

1. Introduction

May has been an interesting month, with major developments on a couple of fronts. Firstly there has been growing activity in anticipation of the Drug strategy consultation. As the ten year drug strategy launched back in 1998 with such fanfare comes a rather limp and ignominious end, there is growing apprehension amongst the drug policy community that then new strategy due to be launched next spring will be, well, the same as the last one.

To this end significant efforts are underway by a range of NGOs and coalition groups, including Transform (obviously), but also the Drugs and Health Alliance (that we helped set up), the ‘good enough drug strategy’ (see below) and various consultations and conferences been run by Drugscope, Release and others. Whilst there are differences in the detail there is a lot of consensus on the broad themes – a move away from tough talking law and order posturing, a shift towards public health and harm reduction as priorities, and increased support for drug service providers. Let’s hope the Government are listening and learn the lessons from the few successes and many failures of the past ten years. The historical lack of engagement with the drugs field, and with their many meaningful and sustained critique of policy failures, however, does not fill us with confidence. If you are in a position to get involved in your field of work, with Transform, the DHA or any of the other initiatives – now is your window of opportunity. It’s more important than ever.

Elsewhere we have seen some small movement on alcohol policy. Not, you might think Transforms primary concern, but in fact it is central to our analysis. If currently legal drugs cannot be regulated properly it sets a stunningly bad precedent for other soon-to-be-legally regulated drugs. Supporting appropriate regulation to reduce the harm caused by legal drugs sits on exactly the same policy analysis continuum as calling for currently illegal drugs to be legally regulated. Both calls seek the same thing – appropriate legal regulation to reduce the harm drugs cause. Putting health warnings on alcohol products and reducing sports sponsorship by alcohol brands are moves we have long supported – as has been explored in the blog this month – but the Governments approach to alcohol generally is almost as troubling and counterproductive as their approach illegal drugs.

2. Transform - Spreading the word

Danny and Steve attended the International Harm Reduction Conference in Warsaw, the largest gathering of harm reduction scientists/activists and officials in the world.

Transform organised two events: one looking at why the harm reduction movement should embrace an anti-prohibitionist position. The other explored how to regulate tobacco and illegal drugs.

The second session was the more enlightening and the one best received by the audience (some of whom said it was the best session that they attended). The fascinating this was the way that the two presentations dovetailed – tobacco regulation by Dave Sweanor from Ottowa and illegal drug regulation by Mark Haden from Vancouver.

The sessions bode well for maintaining the legalisation/regulation position in the harm reduction (HR) movement and for increasing the pressure on HR to engage with the debate on drug law reform.

As an aside there was keen interest in the latter session from representatives from the tobacco industry – with titles like ‘Senior Counsel Regulatory Affairs’ - RJ Reynolds and (best misnomer of the conference award) 'International Public Health Engagement Manager' – British American Tobacco…

Danny debated drug policy reform in Taunton on 8 June with Janet Hucker, Service Manager for Turning Point (Somerset) and Jeremy Browne MP

An audience of 40 people took part in a sometimes heated, debate in the Village Hall at Creech St Michael, at an event organised by long-time Transform activist Mick Humphreys.

During the course of a very lively evening the current Lib Dem position on drug policy was exposed to severe scrutiny. Many in the audience supported Transform’s mission. Jeremy Browne demonstrated how perverse the Lib Dem position on drugs has become as he announced that he was on the liberal wing of the party and yet supported prohibition.

In November 2001 the Lib Dems broke the party political status quo on drug policy in publishing their policy paper Honesty, Realism, Responsibility – Proposals for the Reform of Drugs Law. It is not radical in its remit, but it does contain a powerful critique of prohibition, regular audits of effectiveness of policy (domestic and European), ending prosecution for cannabis cultivation and possession for personal use and social supply, reclassification of ecstasy from A to B and other progressive reforms.

Unfortunately no one in the Lib Dems thinks it important enough to champion. As the Lib Dems believe they are in a position potentially to hold the balance of political power they move ever more closely to the centre where reform dare not speak its name. However, this makes it very easy to expose the inadequacy of the Lib Dem position and Danny won the debate hands down.

A huge thank you to Mick for putting in the work to set this up.


Media

We have shined in the media spotlight under a number of auspices – Transform, Drugs and Health Alliance, Danny, Steve. Those specific to Transform are listed in the Media section, the others can be found under UK News

UK needs a different approach than Sweden

Ian Duncan-Smith is a supporter of Sweden’s drug policy and is likely to influence Tory policy towards a similar zero tolerance approach. Steve explains in DrugLink magazine that Sweden’s successes are not simply due to a tough anti-drug policy - as the results of the UK’s own tough policy demonstrates.

Consultation delayed

The Government’s consultation paper on the future of the UK drug strategy was due out on Friday 15 June, but has apparently been delayed for a ‘few weeks’. We understand that it will suggest that everything has gone brilliantly over the last ten years, with hardly a foot placed awry. It is likely to call for more of the same with particular emphasis on better targeting of criminal justice based treatment.

Transform will be encouraging as much intelligent response as we can to feed into the consultation process and is requesting that those who do submit something, also copy us in so that we can publicise what people are saying.

We will also be working through the Drugs and Health Alliance to encourage organisations to push for a public health based approach to UK drug policy. We will be providing guidance on how best to put together a submission on the DHA web site soon.

Please contact us for more info in the meantime.

The Transform website continues to attract an ever-increasing number of visitors, many of whom come to the site through the blog.

As part of Transform’s restructuring we are saddened to have lost our office manager Nathalie Griffin. A loyal and committed staff member, Nat will be missed by all those who worked with her. Not for long though, as she will join the board of trustees before the end of the year.

As part of the process of restructuring we are pleased to be joined by Jane Slater, our new administrator and John Moore, our business development manager.

We are also delighted to have Karen Haas working as an office based volunteer. Karen had an eleven-year career at the Department of Health and is helping Transform draft PQs and applying her experience to help us understand the inner workings of the civil service.


Trustees

At the same time as gaining Nat, we are sad to lose Emily Spink as a trustee, who is leaving for fairer climes. Thank you for your support Emily. We wish you the best.

Our accounts for 2006 are in and we are looking healthy for the first time in ages.

As ever a request to PLEASE sign up online to make a small (or large) regular donation. Organisations like Transform cannot fund themselves. We need your help……see what you can do below.

3. UK News

The Drugs and Health Alliance launched May 3rd at the RSA. You can visit the DHA website to see the press release and the presentations.

Transform Director Danny, writing as a Drugs and Health Alliance spokesperson, puts forward the case that we ‘need a new paradigm for drug policy development, one based around health and wellbeing’. He presents this as an op-ed in Guardian.

Vernon Coaker, Home Office Minister with the drugs brief, responding to Danny’s Guardian piece above, clearly disagrees with Danny.

Steve, in The Transform blog, critiques Mr Coaker’s response.

Wellbeing is connected to addiction

As an introduction to a special report on addiction, published in the New Statesman, Danny puts forward the point that much addiction can be countered by improving wellbeing.

Advice for a new national drug strategy

As part of the discussions around the future of the drug strategy The Goodenough Drug Strategy “ has been produced by a group of individuals with a broad range of experience from across the drugs field who were brought together to consider the purpose and outcomes of a new national drug strategy.” It all seems fairly sensible, although they fail completely to engage with the issue of prohibition related harm and skirt conveniently around the issue of the counterproductive nature of enforcement spending.

Criticism of the current treatment system

Howard Parker reports in drinkanddrugs.net that casting treatment as ‘crime reduction’ stultifies the government’s ability to implement an effective drug strategy.

Court Cases

Casey Hardison continues his fight for justice. Casey was sentenced to 20 years, three years ago, for the production of LSD. Casey has applied for a judicial review in order to undo his conviction and open up the Misuse of Drugs Act to legal scrutiny. Part of his claim relates to the anomalous nature of the legislation as it relates to legal and illegal drugs. Why are those who produce and sell alcohol in a position to receive the Queens Award to industry and yet those who produce LSD liable to two decades imprisonment? See his claim here

Neil Morgan appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Monday 18 June for production of cannabis with intent. Neil is defending himself, claiming that his right to privacy is being infringed.

4. International News

As the nation ponders a fundamental reform of the government itself, the leading opposition party, the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) is calling for a National Agreement to Combat Organized Crime (read: the drug trade), which would include discussion of legalizing drugs.

A new ‘War on Drugs’ strategy in Canada (Americas)

The new Conservative government are likely to cut down on harm-reduction measures. Drug treatment measures and prevention programmes are set to get increased funding, as is law enforcement.

The South African Police Force claim to be winning the war on drugs (Africa)

However, an increase in production and use of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs suggest otherwise.

Cocaine consumption on the rise in Europe, as is supply from Latin America (World)

European drug commissioners have gathered to discuss breaking up the trade routes, a major one being Africa. Importantly they acknowledge that it is the demand for the drug that creates the incentive for traffickers.

5. What you can do

Donate

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Add comments to blog articles to generate more discussion. This will give us the chance to expand further on the topic and help explain points that need elaboration.

To volunteer with Transform doesn't mean you have to be in the office. We have a small army of people out there keeping drug policy issues as high up the agenda as possible. We do, however, also need office-based volunteers in Bristol who can undertake research, perform administrative tasks, and help us keep the website in top-notch condition. It would be great if you could help. See here for more details