TalkingDrugs | Drug Information, Issues, Stories & News

Drug Policy Drugs & Development Drugs & Gender

UNGASS: 10 Years of Failing International Drug Policy Progress

The world is losing the global war on drugs, and it is losing it badly. This is the core message of the new report from the International Drug Policy Consortium…

Talking Drugs

.

Feb 4, 2026

Drug Policy Drug Trafficking

Donroe Doctrine: What Is the Logic Behind Trump’s Drug Strategy?

The first year of Donald Trump’s scandalous second term in the White House has seen some historic changes in drug policy – though not necessarily for the better. Since September,…

Niko Vorobyov

.

Feb 1, 2026

Security forces in Canada are looking at a homeless man walking away with his belongings.

Drug Policy

British Columbia Abandons Decriminalisation Policy Despite Promising Data

On 14 January 2026, British Columbia (B.C.) announced it would end its limited decriminalisation policy and reinstate criminal penalties for personal drug possession. According to the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition…

Ryan Hesketh

.

Jan 28, 2026

Latest Stories

Drug Policy Psychedelics

Jackson, Michigan Designates Psychedelics as Lowest Law Enforcement Priority

Jack Gorsline

.

Jan 29, 2026

On Tuesday, December 16, the Jackson, Michigan City Council passed a resolution to deprioritise the enforcement of laws against the…

Drug Trafficking Drugs & Development Opioids

Operation Harmattan’s Missing Piece: West Africa’s Synthetic Drug Rise

Ryan Hesketh

.

Jan 26, 2026

In October 2025, West African authorities celebrated the results of Operation Harmattan, a coordinated enforcement effort across seven countries conducted…

Drug Harm Reduction

Platforming Drug Using and Treatment Voices in Scotland

André Gomes

.

Jan 21, 2026

In Scotland, people using drugs or who have recently entered drug treatment have organised into a cohesive group with demands.…

Drug Harm Reduction

What Does The Closure of UK Clubs Mean For Drug Use And Safety?

Harry Spencer

.

Jan 16, 2026

The night-time economy in the UK continues to face an existential crisis as we move into 2026. A key social…

Language matters.

The words we use to describe drugs and the people that take them has a real and deep impact. From stigmatising labels, to being accused of murdering someone,

This month, we’re bringing together our stories that focus on on how language can shape our lives and futures.

View All Posts

Drug Policy Drugs & Development Drugs & Gender

UNGASS: 10 Years of Failing International Drug Policy Progress

Talking Drugs

.

Feb 4, 2026

The world is losing the global war on drugs, and it is losing it badly. This is the core message…

A pole with several cameras stands against a light background.

Drugs & Development

Dealing With Surveillance in Harm Reduction AI Tools

Anoushka Singh

.

Dec 11, 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have quickly become staple tools of the internet: unprecedented investments in this technology, appearing as chatbots,…

Drug Harm Reduction Opioids

Georgia’s Push for Forced Drug Treatment is Misguided

Giorgi Minasovi

.

Oct 22, 2025

The Georgian government has recently proposed forced treatment as an “alternative” for people who were previously engaged in private opioid…

The Ukrainian Parliament gathered around the President speaking.

Drug Policy

Ukraine’s New Drug Strategy: Harm Reduction, Treatment and More

Emily Andrews

.

Oct 6, 2025

On 21 August, the Ukrainian Government published its National Drug Policy Strategy until 2030 and approved its implementation plan for…

Drug Harm Reduction Drug Policy

Open Letter to the WHO Calls for Leadership on Harm Reduction

Emily Andrews

.

Sep 10, 2025

This weekend, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) published an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO), calling for…

Resources

Drug Harm Reduction Opioids

Orphines: A Rising Group of Synthetic Opioids

Emily Andrews

.

Jan 27, 2026

For the past decade, the world has seen an unprecedented explosion in synthetic drug production and distribution, particularly of synthetic…

White pills in the middle of roasted coffee beans.

Drug Harm Reduction Stimulants

Could Stimulant Replacement Therapy Reduce Cocaine and Stimulant Harms?

Tom Fresen

.

Nov 18, 2025

Stimulant deaths around the world are on the rise. In the UK, the number of deaths involving cocaine is 11…

Drug Policy Drugs & Development

UNDP Report Calls for Drug Market Reforms to Achieve Global Development Goals

André Gomes

.

Sep 19, 2025

The latest report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is challenging governments to rethink their approach to drug…

Drug Harm Reduction Other Drugs

Alpha-PVP: What Is It, and Key Harm Reduction Tips

Noor Vissram

.

Oct 23, 2024

Alpha-PyrrolidinoValeroPhenone (also known as alpha-PVP) is a relatively recent New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) in global circulation. While previously prominent in…

Drugs & Gender Psychedelics

We Need More Research into Ketamine Use By Women and Gender-Diverse People

Isabelle Gius

.

Oct 21, 2024

On 20 June, in honour of World Psychedelics Day, the Women and Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) and TalkingDrugs published…

Drug Policy Drug Trafficking Drugs & Development

How to Regulate Drugs in the EECA Region, According to Civil Society

André Gomes

.

Aug 29, 2024

While the current international drug control conventions establish a global consensus, alternatives are increasingly being adopted: there is decriminalisation in…

UNGASS: 10 Years of Failing International Drug Policy Progress

Donroe Doctrine: What Is the Logic Behind Trump’s Drug Strategy?

British Columbia Abandons Decriminalisation Policy Despite Promising Data

Latest Stories

Jackson, Michigan Designates Psychedelics as Lowest Law Enforcement Priority

Operation Harmattan’s Missing Piece: West Africa’s Synthetic Drug Rise

Platforming Drug Using and Treatment Voices in Scotland

What Does The Closure of UK Clubs Mean For Drug Use And Safety?

Most Popular

Is Ibiza the Disneyland of Drugs?

Global Drug Decriminalisation Map: 29 countries. 49 models of drug decriminalisation

Does Grapefruit Juice Make MDMA Stronger?

Language Matters: Is My Country a “Narco-state”?

Report: Global Drug Trafficking Market Worth Half a Trillion Dollars

Futuro Coca: Imagining a New Future for Coca in Colombia

Tali-Ban: How Europe’s Heroin Markets Will Survive Afghanistan’s Opium

Health Risks Associated with Mephedrone Use: What We Know So Far

Language matters.

UNGASS: 10 Years of Failing International Drug Policy Progress

Dealing With Surveillance in Harm Reduction AI Tools

Georgia’s Push for Forced Drug Treatment is Misguided

Ukraine’s New Drug Strategy: Harm Reduction, Treatment and More

Open Letter to the WHO Calls for Leadership on Harm Reduction

Resources

Orphines: A Rising Group of Synthetic Opioids

Could Stimulant Replacement Therapy Reduce Cocaine and Stimulant Harms?

UNDP Report Calls for Drug Market Reforms to Achieve Global Development Goals

Alpha-PVP: What Is It, and Key Harm Reduction Tips

We Need More Research into Ketamine Use By Women and Gender-Diverse People

How to Regulate Drugs in the EECA Region, According to Civil Society