The UN General Assembly is holding a Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs from April 19-21 in New York. This Special Session will be an important milestone in achieving the goals set in the policy document of 2009 “Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem”, which defined action to be taken by Member States as well as goals to be achieved by 2019.
At its 59th session in March 2016 the CND decided to transmit the outcome document, entitled “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem” to the General Assembly and to recommend its adoption at the plenary of the special session on the world drug problem to be held from 19 to 21 April 2016 ( E/CN.7/2016/L.12/Rev.1*).
Elisa Rubini, on behalf of San Patrignano delegation at UNGASS 2016 along with Monica Barzanti, head of international relations, has explained the experience of the Community in offering effective recovery paths as alternative to prison for people who committed drug related crimes, in a conjunct intervention with Papa Giovanni XXIII community.
Prevent. Don’t Promote. Is a campaign sponsored by numerous organizations that support the UN international drug conventions and want to see a public health and safety based policy centered on the prevention of drug use and drug problems.
The campaign is aligned with the principles of Drug Policy Futures, based on the belief that global drug policies should:
• Prevent initiation of drug use.
• Respect human rights (for users and non-users alike) as well as the principle of proportionality.
• Strike a balance of efforts to reduce the use of drugs and the supply of drugs.
• Protect children from drug use.
• Ensure access to medical help, treatment and recovery services.
• Provide access to controlled drugs for legitimate scientific and medical purposes.
• Ensure that medical and judicial responses are coordinated with the goal of reducing drug use and drug-related consequences.
The campaign is promoted by a partnership of over 300 organizations around the world, including San Patrignano, that are committed to a humane drug policy focused on the prevention of addiction and drug use.
Alternatives? Yes! Legalization? No. Read April 2016 report summarizing the way forward on global drug policy in preparation for the Special Session of the U.N. General Assembly.
The following document from Drug Policy Futures succinctly outlines other aspects of San Patrignano’s and its partners’ policy position (in English): http://drugpolicyfutures.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ENG-final.pdf