A so-called 'zero tolerance' crackdown on the illegal drugs trade in northeastern India is causing controversy. Government leaders in Assam state say they're acting lawfully. But police are accused of dozens of killings and injuries since the anti-drugs campaign started last year.

India police accused of brutal killings in ‘zero tolerance’ drug crackdown

An interview with Anton Basenko, chair of the Ukrainian Network of People Who Use Drugs

The Russian aggression against Ukraine causes tremendous suffering for the Ukrainian people in general - and especially for vulnerable groups with special needs, such as people who use drugs. In this video interview Anton Basenko explains how their communities struggle to survive, how brave harm reduction workers save lives amid destruction of the war and how people in other countries can help them.

Harm reduction during wartime in Ukraine

By Adam Holland, Magdalena Harris, Matthew Hickman, Dan Lewer, Gillian W Shorter, Jason Horsley, Martin Powell, Maggie Rae / The Lancet

In response to the drug related death crisis in the UK, more than 80 prominent medical, academic, and third sector organisations have called for the introduction of pilot overdose prevention centres (also called drug consumption rooms).

The government, however, has repeatedly indicated it has no plans to introduce them, and overdose prevention centres are not mentioned in it's 10-year drug strategy. Here, we question the arguments used to defend this position with relevance for other countries debating the introduction of overdose prevention centres.

First, regarding the argument that there is insufficient evidence to show that overdose prevention centres are beneficial. These centres have been introduced in at least 14 countries across more than 130 sites (with an unsanctioned mobile site operating in Scotland between 2020–21).

They provide a safe environment for the most vulnerable to use drugs under the supervision of trained professionals, who intervene in the event of an overdose; and an opportunity to provide evidence-based interventions, including naloxone, oxygen, psychosocial support, and needle and syringe programmes. Observational evidence shows fatal overdoses decreased in areas where overdose prevention centres were introduced alongside other beneficial outcomes, including reductions in self-reported high-risk injecting practices and increased engagement with drug treatment services.

There are no randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showing that overdose prevention centres reduce drug-related deaths.

As overdose prevention centres are complex community level interventions, and deaths are a relatively rare outcome, a fully powered RCT would be very large and expensive. Given the observational evidence in favour of overdose prevention centres and the clear understanding of the mechanisms by which they would prevent drug-related deaths, it is not justifiable to oppose their introduction until RCTs, which might never be conducted, are available.

Many public health interventions have been introduced without RCTs when their mechanism of action is clearly understood. The inconsistent requirement for more rigorous evidence in the case of overdose prevention centres might relate to moral perceptions of illicit drug use. However, RCTs did not show the effectiveness of opioid agonist therapy to reduce mortality or blood borne virus transmission, which is recommended on the basis of observational evidence and clinical experience.

Overdose prevention centres in the United Kingdom

Oral statement on ending the violence of law enforcement on people who use drugs

Statement delivered on 10 March 2022 by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and AfriLaw

This statement is delivered on behalf of the International Drug Policy Consortium and the African Law Foundation.

Research we carried out in September 2021 reveals that people who use drugs in Nigeria are routinely subject to horrifying acts of physical, mental and sexual violence at hands of law enforcement agencies.

Also we found a great number of abuses in drug rehab centres, where people who use drugs are detained against their will, and torture is delivered under the guise of discipline and healing. Accountability and remedy for these violations are extremely rare.

In all cases, violence and abuses are disproportionately inflicted on people who are marginalised on the basis of their gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or drug use.

In order to reduce the extent of torture against people who use drugs, States must establish robust mechanisms to oversee the actions of law enforcement agencies, and of entities that provide drug rehabilitation.

States must also take immediate action to reverse the dehumanisation and marginalisation of people who use drugs, which has been brought about by the war on drugs.

To do so, we call on all governments to take three urgent steps. First, decriminalise drug use and drug possession for personal use. Two, establish evidence-based and rights-based drug treatment and harm reduction services that are always voluntary. Three, take action to remove the stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs in their daily lives. It is only through these actions that we will begin to address torture and ill-treatment against people who use drugs.

Statement at the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture - 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council

The Moroccan government ratified the draft law pertaining to the legalization and framing of cannabis production in the country this Thursday, on its weekly government council.

Government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas made the announcement in a press conference today, saying “the government ratified numerous provisions relating to the implementation of the law, ” first introduced nearly a year ago.

The legislation falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior and lists the regions in which it is permissible to license the cultivation and production of cannabis and the establishment and exploitation of its cultivation and storage facilities have been identified.

The law lists the provinces of Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, and Taounate, but the spokesperson specified the possibility of adding other regions according to the demand of national and international investors for activities related to the production chain of cannabis in possible.

It also provides for the creation of an advisory committee to study licensing applications and express its opinion thereon, to be chaired by the Agency’s Director-General or his representative, and composed of representatives of the concerned sectors.

Moroccan government ratifies cannabis bill for medical and industrial purposes

United Nations Secretary-General
President of the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

President of the European Commission
European Commissioner for Crisis Management
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

We, the undersigned organisations, call on the United Nations, the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to jointly support and set up, as a matter of urgency, an uninterrupted supply chain of humanitarian assistance to the affected populations within the country, and to establish safe humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, targeting several large cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Meriupol and Zhitomir, and bombing neighbourhoods within those areas, inevitably resulting in countless civilian deaths. The escalating war actions are causing tremendous humanitarian crises affecting millions of people. Those staying in cities and villages in Ukraine are in urgent need of warm shelter, food, water, basic medicine and other essential supplies. Additionally, more than 100,000 people have been internally displaced since the invasion began, and the number of displaced people will continue to grow. At the moment, meeting the essential needs of internally displaced people is extremely difficult in Ukraine due to martial law, curfews and threats to the lives of volunteers.

UNHCR estimates that due to the war, up to five million people will flee Ukraine. As of 3 March 2022, one million refugees were estimated to have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries —including Moldova, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. As the situation worsens, an estimated four million people may flee Ukraine in the coming weeks and months. We highly appreciate the efforts thus far of governments, international institutions and millions of citizens in European countries — especially those in Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Lithuania — in organising comprehensive support for all refugees from Ukraine.

What is now urgently needed is the provision of basic, essential health supplies and medication for people in Ukraine, including those internally displaced, by means of revised importation rules and distribution networks. People who belong to vulnerable and discriminated groups — such as people who use drugs, people in prison, gay and other men who have sex with other men, sex workers and trans people — must not be overlooked in these efforts. Notably, Ukraine has the second largest population of people living with HIV, people with tuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis and opioid dependency in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the country has developed successful and progressive harm reduction and treatment programmes, supported by the global community. To sustain those achievements and preserve human life, we ask you to ensure essential provisions including opioid agonist therapy, ARV therapy, and tuberculosis diagnostics and treatments.

Ukraine urgently needs humanitarian corridors supported by intergovernmental and multilateral organisations. On 1 March, the UN General Assembly adopted with overwhelming support (including by the European Union) a resolution demanding “all parties to allow safe and unfettered passage to destinations outside of Ukraine and to facilitate the rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those in need in Ukraine, to protect civilians, including humanitarian personnel (...) and to respect human rights.”

Following negotiations between the two sides on 3 March, Ukraine and Russia have agreed tentatively to create humanitarian corridors7 in the worst-affected areas of Ukraine, where civilians are most at risk from the war. But in reality, there is no clarity on how these passages could be implemented.

In line with this, we call on your organisations to:

Urgently establish safe, open and uninterrupted corridors for humanitarian workers and supplies, including essential food and medicine, to reach people in need throughout Ukraine (particularly in cities in eastern, southern and central Ukraine currently under attack).

Create a coordinated and agile system for assessing needs and tracking available services and supplies’ shortages and organising coordinated international response to address it.

Urgently support the establishment of inter-agency safe corridors for the evacuation of all people wishing to leave Ukraine, regardless of nationality, to neighbouring countries.

Organise transport of lifesaving cargo both for internally displaced people in Ukraine and refugees outside the country.

Engage in a sustained and coordinated manner with local and national authorities of neighbouring countries, and of expected destination countries, to ensure:
+ Continued safe entry and passage of people fleeing Ukraine (without the need for visas or other burdensome administrative requirements).
+ Distribution of food, COVID-19 personal protective equipment and medicine, including antiretroviral therapy (ARV) and/or opioid agonist treatment, without discrimination.
+ Safe and uninterrupted circulation of essential food and medicines — including utilisation of the simplified control procedures for the export, transportation and provision of medicinal products containing controlled substances, as recommended by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

Help to ensure the parties to the conflict take the necessary measures to account for protected people, including prisoners of war and detainees.

Apply all efforts to negotiate this issue with both Russian and Ukrainian authorities through all possible channels, to ensure safe and effective humanitarian corridors are established as quickly as possible.

A humanitarian corridor for Ukraine - Joint open letter

The Jude Byrne Emerging Female Leader Award has been developed by INHSU and INPUD (The International Network of People Who Use Drugs) in remembrance of Jude Byrne, a globally recognised, powerful advocate who fought to advance the health and human rights of people who use drugs.

Jude served as an INHSU board member and made countless valuable contributions to our network and community.

We are proud to honour Jude’s memory via this new award, which aims to help foster expertise and resilience in the next generation of female leaders.

Introducing the Jude Byrne Emerging Female Leader Award

INPUD stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian Network of People who Use Drugs (PUD.UA/VOLNA), the Ukrainian Network of Women who Use Drugs (UNWUD/VONA) and all Ukrainian peers, colleagues, and friends against the invasion of their country by Russia. This senseless act of aggression has unnecessarily put countless lives at risk. As during all times of war and conflict, people who use drugs have found themselves particularly vulnerable.

Our statement above calls for the following actions to be taken by UN agencies, the Global Fund, multilateral and bilateral donors and other stakeholders:

Work to ensure the implementation of the directive from the Ministry of Health, Ukraine No 26-04/538/2-22 dated 25.02.2022 regarding harm reduction programmes, particularly the administration of at least 15 days take home OAT doses, making sure it is implemented across all regions of Ukraine. More recent directives now recommend 30-day take home doses.

Address the immediate risk of stockouts of drug treatment and overdose prevention by: creating a coordinating body to work on supply and procurement issues, including resolving blockages related to the purchase and receipt of drugs from state and non-state manufacturers; developing a regulatory framework for the purchase, provision and transport – including cross-border movements – of drugs (methadone, buprenorphine, tramadol) in the form of humanitarian aid and its delivery to treatment centres; re-distributing donor funds for setting up and expanding mobile clinics and community- and peer-led responses in delivering critical services such as needles and syringes, OAT and naloxone; and for the purchase and delivery of drugs to medical centres.

Facilitate ease of access and mobility for people who use drugs by ensuring services are low threshold by removing all barriers for those entering and continuing treatment. People who use drugs must be able to register and receive medications, including methadone and buprenorphine across different sites, including in pharmacies.

Donors must immediately make emergency funding available and ensure maximum flexibility to meet humanitarian needs, such as food, shelter, transport, protection from violence and medical supplies, including projecting their investment towards addressing post-crisis trauma and issues.

Coordinate with neighbouring countries (Poland, Romania, Moldova etc.) to deal effectively with an increase in refugees who require continuation of OAT, ARV, TB and viral Hepatitis treatment. This includes ensuring adequate supply of medication and commodities and removing barriers to entry and treatment continuation without discrimination.

Global call for solidarity with people who use drugs in Ukraine

A recent string of drug busts in Southeast Asia — 55 million methamphetamine pills and 1.5 tonnes of crystal meth in Laos in October, and this year at least a billion pills, 6 tonnes of heroin and 4.4 tonnes of crystal meth — have led some international agencies to conclude that the production of illicit narcotics in the region is booming. The reason, Jeremy Douglas from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Bangkok told Reuters as far back as Oct. 28, is “the breakdown” of “security and governance” in Myanmar’s Shan State following the coup a year ago. Then, on Dec. 12, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Douglas as saying that “right now, the [Myanmar] police are fighting an insurgency or dealing with ethnic unrest, so they have other issues on their mind, and there is free space for others [drug smugglers] to do their business.” More recently, on Feb. 1, Douglas told Reuters: “Meth production increased last year from already extreme levels in northern Myanmar and there is no sign it will slow down.”

Critics, however, see the problem in a completely different light. Apart from being disconcerted by Douglas’ offensive choice of words — “other issues on their mind” can only be interpreted as a reference to the police gunning down peaceful demonstrators — they are pointing out that there can be many reasons for the increase in drug busts, and that it does not necessarily mean that production is skyrocketing. The Transnational Institute (TNI), a Netherlands-based research and advocacy organization, stated in a report published in December: “Sweeping assertions that Myanmar has become one of the world’s largest ATS [Amphetamine-Type Stimulants] producers — if not the largest — and reports about sudden huge increases in production should…be treated with great caution. It is important to note that increases in seizures could be because of other reasons, and these do not automatically mean that there is an increased equivalent in production.”

UN contributing to Myanmar’s drug problem

By Gaea Katreena Cabico, Philstar Global

— The European Parliament has approved a fresh resolution condemning "drug war" killings and the red-tagging of activists and journalists in the Philippines as it warned of possible trade sanctions if calls remain unheeded.

The resolution called on the Philippine government to immediately end violence and human rights violations targeting suspected drug offenders and to stop labeling human rights and environmental defenders, journalists and trade union activists as supporters and allies of communist rebels.

"In this regard, [the European Parliament] calls for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in charge of carrying out red-tagging," the resolution read, which also urged the government to amend the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act and its implementing rules and regulations.

Red-tagged rights alliance Karapatan welcomed the adoption of the resolution, and thanked the members of the European Parliament who voted pass it.

"We also laud the European Parliament, which categorically stated through the said resolution its position for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, as it denounced the practice of red-tagging by government officials against activists, journalists and critics, exposing them to potential harm," the group also said.

European Parliament calls for end to red-tagging, killings in Philippines

UNAIDS urges protection and continuity of health and HIV services for people living with and affected by HIV in Ukraine

GENEVA, 25 February 2022—Amidst the ongoing military offensive against Ukraine, UNAIDS is calling for the protection of health workers and uninterrupted continuation of HIV and health services for all people, including people living with and affected by HIV. Ukraine has the second largest AIDS epidemic in the region. It is estimated that there are 250 000 people living with HIV in Ukraine, 156 000 of whom are on antiretroviral therapy, medication that needs to be taken daily for people to remain alive and well.

“People living with HIV in Ukraine only have a few weeks of antiretroviral therapy remaining with them, and without continuous access their lives are at risk,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “The hundreds of thousands of people living with and affected by HIV in Ukraine must have unbroken access to life-saving HIV services, including HIV prevention, testing and treatment.”

To date, the Government of Ukraine, together with civil society and international organizations, has implemented one of the largest and most effective HIV responses in eastern Europe and central Asia. However, with the ongoing military offensive, the efforts and gains made in responding to HIV are in serious risk of being reversed, putting even more lives in danger.

The right to health and access to HIV services must always be protected, and health workers, representatives of civil society and their clients must never be targets in a conflict. The ongoing military conflict has affected everyone in Ukraine but is likely to be particularly hard for people living with HIV and key populations, including people who use drugs, sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender people.

As highlighted by the United Nations Secretary-General, the United Nations is committed to support people in Ukraine, who have already suffered from “so much death, destruction and displacement” from the military offensive, in their time of need.

With the support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and UNAIDS, the Government of Ukraine and civil society partners have delivered HIV prevention and treatment services for people living with HIV and key populations across Ukraine for many years and stand ready to give further support during the ongoing crisis.

UNAIDS staff remain on the ground in Ukraine, working to ensure that people living with HIV and key populations in Ukraine have continued access to life-saving services, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable civilians. UNAIDS will continue to support HIV prevention, testing, treatment, care and support for people across Ukraine affected by the crisis.

By Caitlin Fitzsimmons, Sydney Morning Herald

Rebecca has seen and lived the dark side of drug addiction. She grew up in a violent home with a stepmother who was a heavy cannabis user.

By the age of eight, Rebecca was smoking cigarettes. By 12, she was living on the streets and using alcohol and cannabis. By her late 20s, she was addicted to methamphetamine, also known as ice, and that’s when life became “really unmanageable”.

“It went on for about two years and I ended up homeless, lost my children, and fleeing a domestic violence relationship, all the chaos of deep addiction,” she says.

Rebecca, who lives in the inner west of Sydney and works in community services, got help to quit and has been clean for eight years. She requested her last name be withheld.

Rebecca is convinced, both from her personal and professional experience, that drug addiction should be treated as a health issue.

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