“Over the long term, all the reports have shown that the price of illegal drugs has dropped and that the purity has increased…You can see blips where you have raised the price because of some enforcement activity, but that has never worked in the long term.”

-- Danny Kushlick Transform (Soca Report)

Contents

Transform News

• Soca claims it’s winning the war on cocaine
• Transform’s Danny Kushlick is Home Secretary for the Day
• Cambridge Debate
• SAP consultation
• Help raise money for Transform through ebay
• Launch of Amazon book store

UK News

• Government proposes ban on Qat

International News

• IHRA Conference Bangkok, Thailand
• Mexico to Decriminalise Drug Possession
• Schwarzenegger calls for debate on marijuana legalisation
• The Drug Policy Debate: Inside Indonesia

Transform News

Soca claims it’s winning the war on cocaine

The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) released a report this month in which they claim a victory in the war on cocaine, announcing an increase in the wholesale price of cocaine and claiming that street purity has fallen.
As the evidence has shown over the long term, illegal drugs have become increasingly cheap and available. However, short term reversals in these trends are often proclaimed by governments and the enforcement agencies charged with fighting the war on drugs, and this is a prime case in point. Taken at face value, these reversals in fortune will be used to signal imminent victory in the wider war.

For those of us who have seen entire enforcement agencies come and go, this is more of the same in the propaganda war. Cherry picking statistics is bread and butter for those who have to show success in an ocean of failure.

The story attracted significant media attention for Transform including:

• Radio 4's Today programme: Danny Kushlick from Transform discusses the report
• BBC: Mark Easton's blog: Soca and Coca. (Danny quoted)
• Telegraph: Drug Busts force wholesale cocaine prices to record levels and Guardian (Danny quoted from Today programme - from press association news wire)
• Danny has also been interviewed on; BBC Radio 5 live drivetime with Nicky Campbell (2 hours 18 mins into the show), BBC Radio Scotland, and quotes used in a range of other BBC radio news pieces
• Steve Rolles has been interviewed by the Press Association for international syndication, and the BBC news channel.
• Scotsman: Cocaine prices hit record level due to drug seizures, says Britain's FBI (Danny quoted)
• The independent: We're winning the war against the cocaine industry police declare (Danny quoted)

More on the story can be read on our blog here.

Danny is Home Secretary for the Day

Danny wrote an article for Whitehall and Westminster World on 21 April in which he describes what he’d do as Home Secretary for the Day. The article can be read in full on our blog.

Cambridge Debate

Danny took part in a debate at Cambridge University discussing the motion ‘This House believes that Heroin should be selectively legalised.’ A video of the debate can be viewed here. Danny described the debate: ‘Professor Neil McKeganey, Kathy Gyngell and the 11th best debater in the world make an awful job of defending their position. They shoot themselves in both feet so many times, they gift the moral and intellectual high ground to us. No surprise then, that our side won the debate by 85 to 33.’

SAP consultation

The Sentencing Advisory Panel (SAP) has published a consultation paper relating to the sentencing of the most commonly committed drug offences – Transform will be submitting a response (the deadline is 15 th July).

More about the consultation can be found on our blog here.

Help raise money for Transform through E-bay

Transform is now set up as a registered charity on e-bay so that you can donate a slice of your sales to us. All you have to do, is list your item to sell as normal (using ‘Advanced Sell’), you can then select Transform Drug Policy Foundation and chose the % that you wish to donate to us (please remember to tick the gift aid box – this gets us even more money at no extra cost to you, if you are a UK tax payer). More information on how it works can be found here so please get selling.

If you have any problems please email info@tdpf.org.uk

Launch of Amazon bookstore

Transform is pleased to announce the launch of our Amazon Associate bookstore.

We’ve now assembled a list of some of the best books available about drug policy and drug law reform, which can be found here.

All books listed have a link to www.amazon.com where the book is available to purchase. Buy books through our site and you’ll even be helping Transform make some money as we receive a 10% donation of the cost of the book at no extra cost to you.

Please send an email to info@tdpf.org.uk to recommend books, or if you’d like to review any of the books listed.

Please spread the word and happy reading.

UK News

Government proposes ban on Qat

The Guardian reported this week that the Home Office look likely to re-review the herbal stimulant qat (or Khat) and classify it within the Misuse of Drugs Act.

This is despite a review of the drug in 2005 by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs who concluded that it should not be a controlled substance. Dr Axel Klein, Transform Trustee and qat expert described the study as ‘superfluous’ he stated:

"What is being dressed up as a scientific inquiry is just a figleaf to provide a justification of a toughening of the rules and to provide Alan Campbell [the drugs minister] with a platform as being tough on drugs."

The story can be read here. (The Khat Controversy: Stimulating the Debate on Drugs)

International News

IHRA Conference Bangkok, Thailand

This month Steve attended the IHRA conference in Bangkok. He organised a major session entitled ‘Can Harm Reduction End the Drug War.’ You can find out more about his session here.

One highlight from the Conference was the closing speech by Craig McClure, Executive Director of the International AIDS Society who called amongst other things for the control and regulation of drug production and supply, as part of a broader critique of policy and enforcement related harms. Here are some excerpts:

"My first observation is how all of us continue to talk about people who use drugs as “other”. We use terms like “drug abuser”, “drug user” and even “person who uses drugs” as if some of us do not use drugs. But which one of us does not use a drug that alters our mood, our consciousness of pain, our physical or emotional state? A joint, a dab of speed, a line of coke, a tab of ecstasy, a shot of heroin. Even the last three Presidents of the United States between them have admitted using some of these. A pint of beer, a glass of wine, a shot of whisky. A cigarette. A cup of coffee or tea. A pain relieving medication, an anti-depressant, a valium, a sleeping pill. We are all people who use drugs. Our refusal to acknowledge this is all about our fear that “we” might become, or be seen as, one of “them”.

"Fear drives the global war on drugs. Otherwise how could such clear evidence of the failure of the past ten years’ international drug policy be so blatantly denied? How could billions of dollars be wasted on a global anti-drugs programme that fuels violence, harms individuals, families and communities, strengthens organized crime and punishes sick people with prison sentences rather than providing them with the treatment, care and dignity that they need?"

"It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to show that criminalizing drugs and drug use leads to a dramatic increase in drug-related crime, and that controlling and regulating the production and distribution of all drugs would go a long way towards reducing that crime."

"Finally, let us continue to search for common ground with those who are not yet on what Michel Kazatchkine referred to earlier this week as “the right side of history”? Let us find the passion and compassion to talk to our so-called enemies, show them the way, and help them overcome their fear. Because as Nobel Laureate and human rights warrior Aung San Suu Kyi said: “Fear is not the natural state of civilized people.”

A video of the speech can be watched here:

Closing Session - Craig McClure from Harm Reduction Conferences on Vimeo.

Mexico to Decriminalise Drug Possession

Both Houses in Mexico's legislature have now approved a bill decriminalising possession of small amounts of all drugs for personal use. Both the Senate and Congress have supported the bill, meaning that President Calderon, just needs to rubber stamp the policy before it becomes law, expected to happen soon (see Reuters report: 'Mexico passes bill on small-scale drugs possession'). The legislation nominally applies to possession of under 2 grams of cannabis, 500 milligrams of cocaine half a gram), 40 milligrams of meth, and 50 milligrams of heroin (approx one dose) - although how strictly these limits will be enforced remains to be seen.

Interestingly the bill is almost identical to one proposed by former President Vincent Fox in 2006, who was then persuaded to make a u-turn after heavy pressure from the United States. It is not expected the US will object this time around - Barack Obama visited Mexico last month and has presumably been aware of the recent developments, choosing not to comment so far (on the personal use/possession issue) but specifically praising Mexico's anti-drug efforts, and promising logistical and military support.

Obama's position, and the similar comments made by Hilary Clinton highlight the problem with the Mexico move. Whilst moves toward a less punitive system for drug users is welcomed, it will do nothing to stem the violence in Mexico that has caused 2,000 deaths this year alone, which is due entirely to the overarching legal framework of global prohibition and the country's key position as transit route for illicit drugs to the US - the world biggest illicit drug consumer.

Decriminalisation of personal use will not reduce the negative impacts of the illicit drugs trade (and some have argued it could make things worse on the illicit production/supply front). Marginalised populations in producer countries will still be threatened by military eradication and control efforts, and, along with transit countries, will still be victims of the entrenched corruption, violence, and conflict that comes with the vast illicit trade controlled by violent criminal profiteers.

Time Magazine have archived a set of vivid photographs illustrating some of the horrors of the Mexican drug war over the past years and there are some more in the Los Angeles Times (some of the pictures are quite disturbing).

Schwarzenegger calls for debate on marijuana legalisation

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has claimed that California should debate the merits of legalising marijuana. The governor spoke in response to a new public opinion poll showing that 56% of registered voters in California favour legalising and taxing marijuana – in part to help the state out of the worst budget crisis in its history.

Commenting on whether he favoured legalisation Schwarzenegger said:

"Well, I think it's not time for that, but I think it's time for a debate. I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues [are worth considering] … I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalised marijuana and other drugs. What effect did it have on those countries?"

More on the story can be read here and here.

We have been noticing a dramatic shift in public opinion in the US in the past few months with the pro-reform agenda moving decisively towards the mainstream (even if most of the focus has been on cannabis). Steve wrote a blog looking at this shift in opinion, which can be read here.

The Drug Policy Debate: Inside Indonesia

‘Since 2006, the government has allocated 200 billion rupiah to enforcing the Narcotics Law, which has only resulted in an increase in the deaths of drug users, the number of HIV/AIDS cases and the arrests of drug users’

‘Women in particular face sexual abuse at the hands of police officers. When they are taken to the police station, they are often forced to strip naked in front of other officers or are simply raped with the threat of imprisonment if they do not agree.’

Nick Perry wrote an article for Inside Indonesia exploring how drug users in Indonesia are being made more vulnerable through the current drug laws. He notes that since 2006 the Indonesian government has increased the vigour and resources, which they have invested into the war against drugs, yet at the same time the number of people using drugs has increased six fold.

The article looks at a report released by the Indonesian Coalition for Drug Policy Reform (ICDPR), which has drawn together years of research conduced across drug-using communities, which claims that almost all those surveyed claimed to have been extorted for money, physically or sexually abused or tortured by police officers while being detained on drug offences.

This article, amongst the many others reported in this newsletter over the past few years, really illustrate the global nature of the drugs problem, time and time again we see the same problem in yet another country due to the governments effort to show that they too, are fighting hard to win the war on drugs. Yet again, this article illustrates it is the very policy of prohibition that causes many of the harms, and demonstrates the desperate need for policy reform.