Rome July, 25 - A special agreement between the Italian Government’s DPA (Drug Policy Department) and the US ONDCP was signed to foster cooperation between the two organisations. Therefore the agreement is likely to give more importance to the Italian experience on drug policy, which remains rather conservative, especially regarding harm reduction. Read more (in Italian).

Since the negotiations of the EU resolution in the lead up to the CND 2011, for example, the Italian Government has been challenging the European position on harm reduction. The policy paper presented by the Italian Government and entitled “Measures and concrete actions for the prevention of drug related diseases” attempted to narrow down the definition of harm reduction by excluding certain measures, such as pill testing, heroin assisted treatment and drug consumption rooms, as quoted in the addendum to the policy paper. This appears to be paradoxical, given that Italian Government had signed the 2005-2012 European Commission Drug Strategy where harm reduction is defined broadly, harm reduction interventions are clearly and comprehensively spelled out, and their implementation encouraged. Fortunately these services still have a good success in some Italian regions.

This is worrying because other important cooperation agreements developed between Italy and Serbia, Albania, Morocco and other counties of East Europe, Maghreb and the Mediterranean area are likely to be affected by the above US-Italian agreement.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.

Italian and US governments sign new agreement on drug policy matters

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is pleased to announce that the Round 11 call for proposal is now open, with a submission date of 15 December 2011.

In 2009, the Global Fund Board approved new grant architecture, to simplify the Global Fund‟s support to implementers of national disease-fighting and cross-cutting health systems strengthening programs. Starting with Round 11, all disease proposals submitted to the Global Fund, including National Strategy Applications (NSA), will require the applicant to present a consolidated proposal, which incorporates financial and programmatic information on any current Global Fund support to the country for the disease program.

Consolidated proposals give applicants the opportunity to reflect on progress made towards addressing the disease or health systems gaps with their existing Global Fund grants, and propose a revised strategy going forward based on the changes.

Please click here to access more information about the Round 11 call for proposals.

Global Fund Round 11 call for proposals now open

Prime minister announces anti-drugs scheme will be halted while government rethinks strategy

Peru's new centre-left government is temporarily suspending its modest US-funded coca eradication programme to re-evaluate its strategy.

The prime minister, Salomón Lerner, said the government was committed to reducing the illegal crop and would convene a special panel next month to chart a strategy that would stress alternative development, "social inclusion and fighting poverty".

The government had confirmed the suspension after several newspapers reported it without naming sources.

The US ambassador, Rose Likins, told reporters earlier on her way to see Lerner that she had been surprised by the news.

"It would have been nice to have been informed in advance," she said.

Peru is the world's second biggest producer of cocaine after Colombia. Its area under coca cultivation has grown steadily for four years to reach 61,200 hectares last year, according the UN. Washington gave Peru more than $30m in anti-drugs aid last year.

The president, Ollanta Humala, promised to continue the eradication of the drug in his inaugural address on 28 July, and Lerner said the government was pausing Peru's programme after eradicating two-fifths of its 2011 goal of 10,000 hectares.

That contrasts with the 147,000 hectares that Colombia reported eradicating last year. Bolivia, where the crop is little more than half the size of Peru's and has also been growing, said it had eradicated 8,000 hectares.

Lerner said the pause in eradication was "to refine the instruments necessary for success in the interventions".

A leading Peruvian drug expert, Jaime Antezana, called the announcement bad news for drug-fighters and good news for drug traffickers.

And the former interior minister Fernando Rospigliosi noted in a tweet that the coca crop in the Upper Huallaga valley, the only area where eradication is carried out, had dropped by 25% last year.

"It's not eradication that has failed," he said.

The new head of the state anti-drugs agency, Ricardo Soberón, has been critical of anti-drugs efforts under the previous president, Alan García, saying they were ineffectual across the board. Peru's cocaine seizures under Garcia amounted to less than a tenth of those carried out by Colombia.

Soberon did not specify in a TV interview what changes might be made. The suspension came amid reassignments in the police high command, including the Dirandro anti-drugs unit.

Coca farmers in the Upper Huallaga have complained of being singled out, blocking roads during a weeklong protest last year, and Humala promised to help them during the presidential campaign.

Peru's government does not try to eradicate coca in areas where remnants of the Shining Path rebels operate and where dozens of soldiers have been killed in recent years.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC monthly email Alert.

Peru suspends US-funded coca eradication programme

Cabinet agrees on arrangements and supervision of marijuana supply in medical centers and for research; 6,000 people in Israel currently treated with medical cannabis.

The Israeli government approved on Sunday arrangements and supervision regarding the supply of cannabis for medical and research purposes.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's media adviser said "the Health Ministry will – in coordination with the Israel Police and the Israel Anti-Drug Authority – oversee the foregoing and will also be responsible for supplies from imports and local cultivation."

Of approximately 6,000 Israelis currently being treated with medical cannabis (aka medical marijuana), most suffer from chronic pain and terminal illnesses. The therapeutic potential of cannabis has been known for many years and is recognized by the Health Ministry.

But many patients – such as sexual assault victims suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), who have been recommended psychiatric treatment with medical cannabis - encounter bureaucratic obstacles.

Israeli government approves guidelines for medical cannabis

Recognizing that drug use is a major cause for the spread of HIV, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has long prioritized funding evidence-based interventions that prevent and treat the disease amid this population, while also caring for and supporting those living with HIV. In its Round 11 funding, the Global Fund offers specific guidance for how to incorporate a comprehensive package of interventions for people who inject drugs into country funding proposals.

For those interventions to be most effective, however, the International Harm Reduction Development Program (IHRD) proposes five key areas that must be addressed:

Gender-specific harm reduction programming

Integration of HIV and tuberculosis services for drug users

Overdose response with the overdose reversal medication naloxone

The briefing notes — available in English and Russian — offer detailed advice on how to add each of these five topics to country proposals in Round 11.

News

Italian and US governments sign new agreement on drug policy matters

Italian and US governments sign new agreement on drug policy matters

Global Fund Round 11 call for proposals now open

Global Fund Round 11 call for proposals now open

Global Fund Round 11 call for proposals now open

Peru suspends US-funded coca eradication programme

Peru suspends US-funded coca eradication programme

Peru suspends US-funded coca eradication programme

Israeli government approves guidelines for medical cannabis

Israeli government approves guidelines for medical cannabis

Israeli government approves guidelines for medical cannabis

Open Society Public Health Program offers guidance for Global Fund Round 11 proposals