IDPC Alert - October 2008
1. Full Time IDPC Coordinator Appointed
The IDPC is delighted to announce the appointment of Ann Fordham to the position of full-time Coordinator. Ann comes to us from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, where she worked in the Executive Director's office supporting, among other things, their policy on prevention amongst IDUs; she will take up the post with us at the end of November. There were a great many applicants, and a very strong shortlist with individuals from diplomatic, NGO and international agency backgrounds, but we felt that Ann had the best mix of skills to cover the requirements of the post. Once Ann is settled in the post, her accountabilities will include involvement in and coordination of advocacy, research, report writing, and policy and strategy; she will also be responsible for fundraising, liaison, communications, website development, and administration.
2. OCTOBER UNGASS NEWS
The fourth of our regular "UNGASS News" updates, keeping the network up to speed with developments in the review process, the draft annex of the political declaration, the series of inter-governmental negotiating meetings, Beyond 2008 updates and how to plan for the March meeting. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_UNGASSNEWS4_Oct08_EN.pdf
3. IDPC ADVOCACY GUIDE ON THE "ANNEX" OF THE UNITED NATIONS DRUG POLICY REVIEW POLITICAL DECLARATION
The review of the objectives and action plans agreed at the 1998 UNGASS has reached a critical stage as attention now moves to the political process of negotiating the text of a political declaration to be agreed at the high level meeting in March 2009. This advocacy guide gives the IDPC perspective on the draft annex of the proposed political declaration, information on how to influence the draft and what to advocate for. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyNoteAnnex_Oct08_EN.pdf
4. AN OVERVIEW OF CANNABIS POLICY: MOVING BEYOND STALEMATE (THE REPORT OF THE BECKLEY FOUNDATION GLOBAL CANNABIS COMMISSION - SEPTEMBER 2008)
This BFDPP Briefing paper provides an overview of Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate, the Report of the Beckley Foundation Global Cannabis Commission. The report was produced after a group of international experts were commissioned to undertake a review of the current evidence regarding cannabis and its place in the international drug control system. The policy context of this undertaking lies in the UNGASS review of the performance of the international drug control system, which will result, at next year's Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), in a high level meeting at which ministers will agree on the future direction of drug control efforts. The objective of the Cannabis Commission was to provide a report that summarises the evidence relating to cannabis in a way that is useful and accessible for policy makers. As the Brief shows, the resultant Report discusses the drug's production, supply and consumption, its harms and its benefits, and the role of the present system of regulation in managing these elements. It concludes that current control regimes are either ineffective or inconsistent, and challenges policy makers to confront these realities, and agree a more rational way forward for international cannabis control. Below is a link to the full report and the BFDPP briefing paper. LINK TO FULL REPORT - http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/BF_Cannabis_Commission_Rpt2008_EN.pdf LINK TO BFDPP BRIEFING PAPER - http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/BFDPP_Briefing17_Cannabis_Oct08_EN.pdf