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State Department Official Gives Green Light for Countries to Decriminalize Drugs

March 10, 2016

By Samuel Oakford, Vice.com – Republished with Special Permission

Washington’s top international narcotics official gave a qualified go-ahead for countries to decriminalize drugs on Tuesday — the latest sign that the US is walking back decades of hardline rhetoric ahead of a pivotal special session of the United Nations General Assembly on global drug policy in April.

Speaking to reporters at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York, William Brownfield, assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, said American officials were attempting to “find areas of pragmatic reform” with other member states over drug policy. A consensus outcome document currently under negotiation at the Committee on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna is expected to be finalized by the middle of next week, he said, and will be presented at the UN special session (UNGASS).

Leaked United Nations Paper Calls for Decriminalizing Drug Use and Possession

October 19, 2015

By Drug Policy Alliance

Drug Decriminalization Rapidly Emerging as Consensus Goal of Drug Policy, Public Safety and Health Stakeholders as 2016 UN Special Session on Drugs Approaches

Momentum Accelerating in the U.S. and Abroad Toward Drug Policy Reforms: Marijuana Legalization, Drug Decriminalization, and Ending Mass Incarceration

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) appeared set to call on governments to end the criminalization of drug use and possession, according to DPA Honorary Board Member Richard Branson – but in a dramatic turn of events withdrew a briefing paper under pressure from at least one country, according to the BBC.

Indonesia Executes Eight People for Drug Offenses

April 29, 2015April 28, 2015

An Indonesian police firing squad boards a boat heading to an island where eight drug-related executions took place (photo: CNN).

Today, eight people were executed in Indonesia for drug offenses ranging from transporting heroin to intent to distribute cannabis.

Despite repeated pleas for mercy from family members, human rights organizations, the United Nations, and government officials around the world, Nigerians Martin Anderson, Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, Raheem Agbaje Salami, Okwuduli Oyatanze, and Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Indonesian Zainal Abidin and Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte were killed by firing squad today, just past midnight in Indonesia’s timezone.

Leaked United Nations Document Shows Many Countries Ready To End The War on Drugs

December 22, 2013December 11, 2013

By Johnny Green, TheWeedBlog.com

Latin American Nations Especially Critical, Say Prohibition Contributes To Violence, Drug Abuse Should Be Considered Public Health Problem

VIENNA – A leaked draft of the UN’s long-term strategy to combat drug abuse shows a number of countries oppose the current prohibitionist model and favor a public health approach to drug use rather than a law enforcement one. The draft is currently being compiled by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and will be released in 2016 as the basis for the international organization’s 10-year plan for reducing narcotic drug abuse.