Informal Drug Policy Dialogue 2011 Lisbon

The eighth meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue series took place in Lisbon on January 21-22, 2011, a joint initiative of Transnational Institute (TNI) and Diogenis, Drug Policy Dialogue in South East Europe that has replaced the Andreas Papandreou Foundation (APF) in co-operation with the Portuguese Institute on Drugs and Drug Addiction (IDT). Over 50 policy makers, practitioners, academics, and representatives from NGOs and governmental organisations attended the meeting, and discussed the Portuguese decriminalisation model, cannabis policy reform, and the agenda and global initiatives at the 54th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

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Prior to the Dialogue an Expert Seminar on Threshold Quantities was held in cooperation with the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA). The issues under discussion were the advantages and disadvantages of threshold quantities as a policy and legislative tool and it was hoped that this seminar would provide a springboard to inform current debate and to assist the elaboration of evidence-based drug law reform proposals now and in the future.

Informal Drug Policy Dialogue 2009 Amsterdam

The seventh meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue series, a joint initiative of the Andreas Papandreou Foundation and the Transnational Institute was co-hosted by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The two-day dialogue focused on several themes: law enforcement, human rights and proportionality of sentences; the classification of controlled substances; current developments of the Dutch drugs policy; and various UN-level drug policy developments and preparations for the upcoming CND.

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Prior to the Dialogue an Expert Seminar on the Classification of Controlled Substances was held. The issues under discussion were the UN treaty schedules – inconsistencies and options for reform; National classification systems – comparing the UK and Dutch models; and Conclusions - achieving more consistency and rationality.

Informal Drug Policy Dialogue 2009 Crete

The sixth meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue series took place in Kolymbari-Chania, Crete, at the same venue where the dialogue series began in 2004. Over 35 people attended, approximately one-third policy makers and two-thirds representatives of non-governmental organizations or academic institutions. Four themes were covered over the two days: the 52nd Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), including the High Level Segment (HLS) and its Political Declaration; drug law reform, law enforcement and supply reduction; UN system-wide coherence; and the UNGASS review process and the Informal Drug Policy Dialogues.

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Informal Drug Policy Dialogue 2008 Berlin

The fifth informal drug policy dialogue took place in Berlin in cooperation with the German Federal Health ministry. The principal focus of the meeting was the UNGASS review process, the Political Declaration to be adopted at the next CND meeting in March 2009 and future goals in international drug policy. Discussion also took place on the outcomes of the five Working Groups held between June and September as part of the period of “global reflection” and the preparations for the high level segment to be held on the first two days of the 52nd CND session from 11-20 March 2009.

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Diálogo Informal sobre Políticas de Drogas 2007 Roma

La cuarta reunión del Diálogo Informal sobre Políticas de Drogas fue coorganizado por el Ministerio de Solidaridad Social italiano. El diálogo se estructurara en ocho sesiones:  (1) novedades sobre reducción del daño a la luz de la sesión de la Comisión de Estupefacientes (CND) en 2008; (2) evaluación de las consecuencias de la aplicación de las leyes en materia de drogas en el marco de los sistemas penitenciarios del Reino Unido y América Latina; (3) la experiencia italiana de destinar los bienes confiscados a la mafia a proyectos sociales; (4) el programa de la OMS sobre acceso a fármacos fiscalizados; (5) presentación del ministro de Solidaridad Social Paolo Ferrero; (6) la revisión de la UNGASS de 1998 en el contexto de la reforma institucional, la coherencia del sistema y la cooperación entre agencias; (7) cuestiones relacionadas con a) un posible nuevo modelo de fiscalización para el cannabis y b) una reevaluación de la hoja de coca con miras a la revisión de la UNGASS en 2008; y (8) las expectativas frente al debate temático de 2008 y el período de reflexión internacional que culminará con la reunión ministerial de 2009. Además, se invitó a los participantes a visitar Fondazione Villa Maraini, un centro terapéutico situado en Roma y gestionado por la Cruz Roja Italiana, donde fueron recibidos por el Dr. Massimo Barra, presidente de la Cruz Roja Italiana y fundador del centro.

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Diálogo Informal sobre Políticas de Drogas 2006 Berna

La tercera reunión del Diálogo Informal sobre Políticas de Drogas fue auspiciada por la Oficina Federal de Sanidad Pública de Suiza. Los participantes - unas cuarenta personas de 21 países, la mayoría de las cuales se dedican a asuntos de políticas de drogas - representaban a seis organizaciones intergubernamentales y cinco ONG internacionales, además de varios académicos. El diálogo de dos días estuvo constituido por cuatro sesiones centradas en (1) la efectividad de la aplicación de la ley en la reducción de la oferta, (2) los últimos desarrollos relacionados con el VIH/SIDA y la reducción del daño, (3) Bolivia y las opciones legales de la hoja de coca, y (4) las preparaciones para la revisión de UNGASS 2008. Además, se invitó a los participantes a visitar las instalaciones de inyección de drogas de la ciudad de Berna, se hizo un recorrido guiado por las instalaciones y se les explicó su funcionamiento.

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