Transform

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There is a growing recognition around the world that the prohibition of drugs is a counterproductive failure. However, a major barrier to drug law reform has been a widespread fear of the unknown, just what could a post-prohibition regime look like?

It is vital that the public engage in the debate over the future of UK and international drug policy.

Transform leaflet here


Transform has published a ground breaking new guide 'After the War on Drugs - Tools for the Debate.' It provides policy makers with the language and analysis to engage in the drug law reform debate with confidence and clarity.

http://www.tdpf.org.uk

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new feature documentary 'Cocaine Unwrapped' directed by Rachel Seifert

Transform is pleased to support the upcoming release of new feature documentary 'Cocaine Unwrapped' directed by Rachel Seifert. Below is the film trailer, and a description of the film - followed by details of the upcoming preview screenings in Liverpool (Nov 1st)and London (Nov 10th), and the public  premiere on Nov 29th. We have also included a video of a recent episode of Cinepolitics in which Steve Rolles from Transform discusses the film.

Trailer:

Cocaine Unwrapped Trailer 13 03 2011


Film description from the film makers

"This film is the story of cocaine – from production to consumption, as it journeys from the USA to the countries of Latin America. Between scenes we hear from the Western consumers who are unaware of the reality of the trade which their consumption supports. Major Neill Franklin was a police officer for 33 years on the streets of Baltimore. As he drives around the now devastated, boarded up and frequently deserted streets of his community he explains how the decline of industry pushed many heads of households into illegal drug dealing. Incredibly, as he describes how a drugs deal is done on the streets, we see one played out in front of our eyes. Streets where once it was fun to live are not now safe – even in the daytime. Drawing on his experience as a law enforcement officer, Franklin is certain that the USA's drug policies need to change.

more info and Preview screenings

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http://www.countthecosts.org/

Sign up to the Count the Costs Statement
The War on Drugs: Count the Costs and Explore the Alternatives

The global 'war on drugs' has been fought for 50 years, without preventing the long-term trend of increasing drug supply and use. Beyond this failure, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime has also identified the many serious 'unintended negative consequences' of the drug war. These costs result not from drug use itself, but from choosing a punitive enforcement-led approach that, by its nature, places control of the trade in the hands of organised crime, and criminalises many users. In the process this:

   * undermines international development and security, and fuels conflict
   * threatens public health, spreads disease and causes death
   * undermines human rights
   * promotes stigma and discrimination
   * creates crime and enriches criminals
   * causes deforestation and pollution
   * wastes billions on ineffective law enforcement

http://www.countthecosts.org/take-action/sign-our-statement

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The Global Commission on Drug Policy

The purpose of The Global Commission on Drug Policy is to bring to the international level an informed, science-based discussion about humane and effective ways to reduce the harm caused by drugs to people and societies.
The Global Commission on Drug Policy will build on the successful experience of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy convened by former presidents Cardoso of Brazil, Gaviria of Colombia and Zedillo of Mexico. Persuaded that the association between drug trade, violence and corruption was a threat to democracy in Latin America, the Commission reviewed the current 'war on drugs' policies and opened a public debate about an issue that tends to be surrounded by fear and misinformation.

Goals

» review the basic assumption, effectiveness and consequences of the 'war on drugs' approach

» evaluate the risks and benefits of different national responses to the drug problem

» develop actionable, evidence-based recommendations for constructive legal and drug policy reform

THE REPORT; EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The global war on drugs has failed, with
devastating consequences for individuals
and societies around the world. Fifty years  
after the initiation of the UN Single
Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and  
40 years after President Nixon launched  
the US government's war on drugs,
fundamental reforms in national and global
drug control policies are urgently needed.
Vast expenditures on criminalization and
repressive measures directed at producers,
traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs
have clearly failed to effectively curtail
supply or consumption. Apparent victories
in eliminating one source or trafficking
organization are negated almost instantly
by the emergence of other sources and
traffickers. Repressive efforts directed at
consumers impede public health measures
to reduce HIV/AIDS, overdose fatalities  
and other harmful consequences of  
drug use. Government expenditures on  
futile supply reduction strategies and
incarceration displace more cost-effective
and evidence-based investments in  
demand and harm reduction.
 
Our principles and recommendations can
be summarized as follows:
 
End the criminalization, marginalization  
and stigmatization of people who use drugs
but who do no harm to others. Challenge
rather than reinforce common misconceptions
about drug markets, drug use and  
drug dependence.
 
Encourage experimentation by governments
with models of legal regulation of drugs to
undermine the power of organized crime
and safeguard the health and security of
their citizens. This recommendation applies
especially to cannabis, but we also encourage
other experiments in decriminalization and
legal regulation that can accomplish these
objectives and provide models for others.
Offer health and treatment services to those
in need. Ensure that a variety of treatment
modalities are available, including not just
methadone and buprenorphine treatment but
also the heroin-assisted treatment programs
that have proven successful in many European
countries and Canada. Implement syringe
access and other harm reduction measures
that have proven effective in reducing
transmission of HIV and other blood-borne
infections as well as fatal overdoses. Respect
the human rights of people who use drugs.
Abolish abusive practices carried out in the
name of treatment – such as forced detention,
forced labor, and physical or psychological
abuse – that contravene human rights
standards and norms or that remove the
right to self-determination.
 
Apply much the same principles and
policies stated above to people involved
in the lower ends of illegal drug markets,
such as farmers, couriers and petty sellers.
Many are themselves victims of violence
and intimidation or are drug dependent.
Arresting and incarcerating tens of millions
of these people in recent decades has filled
prisons and destroyed lives and families
without reducing the availability of illicit
drugs or the power of criminal organizations.
There appears to be almost no limit to  
the number of people willing to engage in
such activities to better their lives, provide
for their families, or otherwise escape
poverty. Drug control resources are better
directed elsewhere.
Invest in activities that can both prevent
young people from taking drugs in the
first place and also prevent those who do
use drugs from developing more serious
problems. Eschew simplistic 'just say no'
messages and 'zero tolerance' policies
in favor of educational efforts grounded
in credible information and prevention
programs that focus on social skills and peer
influences. The most successful prevention
efforts may be those targeted at specific  
at-risk groups.
Focus repressive actions on violent  
criminal organizations, but do so in ways  
that undermine their power and reach  
while prioritizing the reduction of violence
and intimidation. Law enforcement  
efforts should focus not on reducing drug
markets per se but rather on reducing their
harms to individuals, communities and
national security.
Begin the transformation of the global  
drug prohibition regime. Replace drug
policies and strategies driven by ideology
and political convenience with fiscally
responsible policies and strategies  
grounded in science, health, security and
human rights – and adopt appropriate
criteria for their evaluation. Review the
scheduling of drugs that has resulted
in obvious anomalies like the flawed
categorization of cannabis, coca leaf and
MDMA. Ensure that the international
conventions are interpreted and/or revised
to accommodate robust experimentation
with harm reduction, decriminalization and
legal regulatory policies.
 
Break the taboo on debate and reform.  
The time for action is now.

 

full report here in English, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese and French
http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Report