drug policy

Drug-related deaths in the UK continue to rise

Drug-related deaths reported in the UK have risen by 11.8 per cent to 2,182 in a year, reveals a report released by St George‟s, University of London. The National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (np-SAD) report shows that the annual death rate is continuing to increase, up from the previous year‟s 2.7 per cent rise. The report – which covers notifications of drug-related deaths occurring in 2009 – shows an increase from the 1,952 deaths reported in 2008. Most of the deaths (1,698 – 77.8 per cent) were of men, only a slight increase from the previous year.

    Changing perceptions of the UK drug laws

     

     

      Debates over "consumption rooms" in France

      Prime Minister François Fillon recently has refused to consider the idea of opening drug consumption rooms in France against the advice of his Health Minister, Roselyne Bachelot.

      There are debates in France about so called "supervised injections sites " or " drug consumption rooms " " injection rooms " or even "a clinic for assisted injections".  However, the French media refer to them as "shooting rooms". This semantic difference illustrates the gap between the fears of the people and the reality of medical practice.

        Drug use rates in Scotland at all time high

         

          The Vienna Declaration and the 2010 AIDS Conference

          Throughout the week of July 18-23, the annual International AIDS conference will take place in Vienna. The International AIDS conference is the key global gathering of those working in the field of HIV, including policy makers, people living with HIV and people committed to ending the epidemic. The intention of the conference is to keep HIV as an issue of crucial significance and to demonstrate the importance of continuing and increasing HIV investment while highlighting the connection between human rights, drug policy and HIV.

            Review of the UNODC World Drug Report

            The annual publishing of the world drug report by the UNODC inevitably creates a surge of debate surrounding how best to analyse and deal with the global drug market and drugs trade. Although there will be some clear inaccuracies in how to data is compared between different countries when there are different methodologies involved in data collection, what the report does successfully do is allow the drawing up of global trends and patterns of the drugs trade.

              Saint Prisoner Reforming Delinquents

              Submitted by Simha Bode on Sat, 27/03/2010 - 10:55

              This is a translation of a very touching letter Laura wrote. Laura moved to Mexico to care for Lalo when he was in the jail in Coatzacoalcos. Now that Lalo has been transferred to the Islas Marias Prison (an Island prison colony on the pacific coast of Mexico). Laura continues her work in Coatzacoalcos prison, keeping close contact with Lalo, sending him what he needs, relaying messages etc.

                For Drug Users, Coalition Serves as Voice in Albany

                In a borrowed room in Chelsea on a recent Monday night, 13 people sat under fluorescent lights discussing the time-honored art of lobbying and the cold calculus of political persuasion.
                And for this unusual organization, the typical difficulty of being heard among the vast jumble of special interests clamoring for attention in Albany is complicated by the fact that it represents drug users, past and present.

                  Hidden heroin epidemic in Russia

                  At a playground just off the busy Prospekt Mira thoroughfare in central Moscow, there aren't any children playing on the swings. The slide is covered in dirty snow, the sandpit is strewn with empty vodka bottles and, on close inspection, a few used syringes. Mothers whisper to each other that the playground is the home of narkomany – drug addicts – and wheel their pushchairs swiftly past.

                   

                    Russian drug czar says methadone treatment is possible

                    The head of the Russian government delegation stated that methadone treatment is not effective - but there is a possibility to do that in Russia

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