Behind the scenes at the UN’s latest drug summit, frantic negotiations took place in order to acknowledge the changing nature of the drug debate. But as Max Daly discovered in Vienna, all the world could do was agree to disagree. Disunited nations (PDF)
Tag Archive for legalisation
Druglink article 2014 – Wrong arm of the law by Jessica Magson
The evidence from abroad, especially Portugal, suggests that scaling back on criminalising drug users in the UK could be a smart move, says Jessica Magson Despite major advances in drug treatment support over the past 20 years, punitive approaches to tackling illicit drug use remain…
Druglink interview 2014 – John Collins by Harry Shapiro
John Collins coordinates the international drug policy project at LSE IDEAS. He is the editor of the latest report to call for an end to the drugs war, but the analysis from this expert group of economists points to a more realistic, incremental approach than sweeping…
Druglink article 1999 – A drug-free Europe? Sweden on the offensive by Dr Arthur Gould
Remember when Sweden had the reputation for being ‘free and easy’, a model of liberalism, or even (some might say) licentiousness? Not any more. As the cold winds of economic troubles whipped through the country, so a new crusading consensus…
Druglink article 2014 – Joint ventures by David Ader
As both the medical and recreational marijuana businesses in North America grow apace, David Ader explores the pot at the end of the rainbow. With Colorado and Washington’s experiments with recreational cannabis legalisation filling acres of newspaper space, the continued rapid development of the medical marijuana…
Druglink article 2014 – Driven by loss: Don’t be in the dark about legal highs by Max Daly
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, Anne-Marie Cockburn and Maryon Stewart were all left shocked and grief stricken when their children died after taking drugs. But they all have something else in common too. They are campaigning and agitating to make sure other parents do not have to…
Druglink article 1998 – What’s in a sausage? The roots of cannabis prohibition by Harry Shapiro
The law reform lobby has been revitalised in the nineties supported by elements within the body politic, the media, medicine, the police and the judiciary and an unknown but growing proportion of the public. However, most governments, international agencies –…
Druglink article 1998 – Public enemy number one by Mike Goodman
The ‘great debate’ has come full circle and once again the legalisation debate is dominating the drug field. But what exactly is legalisation? Here one of Britain’s champions of law reform seeks to clarify some very muddled thinking and, once…
UNGASS 2016 – The consensus holds, but only under protest
From time to time, we will be featuring guest blogs. Our first one is from Dr Axel Klein from Kent University and Editor of Drugs and Alcohol Today. Consensus on Outcome Documents and centrality of drug convention is reached, but…
Druglink article 1994 – Only way – or no way? by Harry Shapiro
Drug law reform has re-emerged on the international and domestic policy agendas. More drug use by younger people and the connection with crime have taken the debate beyond cannabis. International conventions allow countries to impose only minor penalties for possession.…