The lack of access to essential medicines is partially due to the overemphasis put by the International Narcotics Control Board on tackling the illicit production, trafficking and uses of drugs, instead of paying greater attention to guarantee the availability to essential medicines.
The WHO has strongly and repeatedly recommended against international control, warning it would constitute a public health crisis in countries where no alternatives are available.
There is nothing to prevent those at risk of opiate overdose being prescribed naloxone now, and yet over 50% of local authorities, who are now responsible for commissioning drug treatment in England, do not currently provide it.
On February 4, several government ministries appealed to President Putin with reforms that would lay off 27,000 FKSN employees and transfer the remaining 7,500 to the Interior Ministry, saving the government about $480 million.
Petitioning President of the Republic of Indonesia President Joko Widodo, INPUD Global Advocacy requests that the planned executions of those currently held on death row charged with drug-related offences in Indonesia be revoked.
The West Africa Commission on Drugs and other international organisations will meet to develop the capacity of CSOs in the region on issues related to drug policy and effective advocacy.
The prescription of medicinal heroin is a substitution programme that will help to keep severe drug users with dependency problems off street drugs and out of trouble.