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Fit for Purpose? Rethinking Drug Policy Sanctioned Murder in the Name of Drug Control

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Fit for Purpose? Rethinking Drug Policy Sanctioned Murder in the Name of Drug Control Making money from marijuana Thailand terror II New Zealand tobacco-free in ten years Electoral finance and the alcohol industry May 2008 Fit for purpose? Rethinking drug policy Sanctioned murder in the name of drug control. What happened to the health and wellbeing of citizens? Is the drug control system broke, as many suggest? If so, how do we fix it? Contents matters of substance May 2008 Features Vol 18 No 2 ISSN 1177-200X 02 Cover story 18 Drugtube – Your guide to New Zealand’s smoking matters of substance is published by the Fit for purpose? the best drug policy videos culture, especially amongst NZ Drug Foundation. All rights reserved. Rethinking drug policy online Mäori. With strong Mäori Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced without prior A review of global drug From motoring gurus testing tikanga and leadership, permission of the NZ Drug Foundation. control at the same time spliffs, to information about Aotearoa can be New Zealand reviews its drug Australian prisoners with tobacco-free. matters of substance invites feedback law presents an opportunity Hep C, to lessons from and contributions. If you’re interested in contributing a guest editorial or article, to develop drug laws and monkeys about drinking 25 Guest Editorial please first contact us: policies relevant for today ‘responsibly’ – we have A view from the House [email protected] brought you a gamut of p +64 4 801 6303 and the future. In a series of The major stumbling block essays, we explore rational splendid variety from what’s to good drug policy is available to view online. Brand development/graphic design drug classification, the politicians, says member of Get informed and distracted. Origin Design +64 4 801 6644 effectiveness of international the House of Representatives [email protected] drug conventions and the www.origindesign.co.nz Nandor Tanczos. But worrying signs a new battle 20 Lamenting the youth progress is still possible. is about to begin in Thailand. of today NZ Drug Foundation 3rd Floor, 111 Dixon Street The drug scheduling Youth Week, a celebration of 33 Mythbusters PO Box 3082, Wellington, New Zealand debate: The view from young people, is this month. p +64 4 801 6303 How attractive is Vienna But aren’t the youth of today the Swedish model? The drug classification no-hoper, drug-taking and drunken thugs? Sarah Helm A ‘drug-free society’ is Become a member alphabet: An un- an attractive proposition, evidence-based mess challenges the stereotypes. The NZ Drug Foundation has and one pursued with vigour been at the heart of major Human rights and under Sweden’s drug policy. 22 A good foundation alcohol and other drug policy drug control Mythbusters sizes up the debates for over 18 years. Same same, but model to see if it’s as During that time, we have different: Thailand’s stunning close up. demonstrated a strong commitment to advocating second war on drugs policies and practices based News on the best evidence available. 14 Let’s talk about pot You can help us. A key strength of the (Black) Market forces 28 New Zealand News NZ Drug Foundation lies in its diverse At $1 billion, Maryjane’s 42-town road membership base. As a member of the New Zealand’s cannabis We introduce our new staff. trip begins, scary cigarette NZ Drug Foundation, you will receive black market would Find out who’s who and information about major alcohol and warnings come to a packet other drug policy challenges. You can also equate to one quarter what they do. near you, and a new alcohol get involved in our work to find solutions the size of New Zealand’s campaign hits out at our to those challenges. entire legal horticulture Regulars drinking culture. The world industry. David Young of substances is as Our membership includes health explores whether the promoters, primary health and 01 The Director’s Cut newsworthy as ever. community organisations, researchers, economics are that simple. students, schools and boards of trustees, Drug Foundation Director Ross Bell suggests the 30 World News policy makers, and addiction treatment 16 You get what you pay for agencies and workers. International Narcotics Customs in Slovakia Control Board has its intercept 420 wine bottles Membership and subscription enquiries priorities wrong. Why the [email protected] overflowing with cocaine, or visit our website. unhealthy fixation with the research says Moses was celebrity user? high, and the world sees the first snack-sized cigarette. 01 Key Events and Dates Discover what’s going on www.drugfoundation.org.nz We update a schedule outside our borders. In California, the alcohol of key happenings for your diary. lobby spends millions of Quotes of Substance dollars a year to sway Bringing you a cornucopia legislators on bills affecting 23 Opinion of verbal colour from around the liquor, wine and beer Lore and leadership the world: the sublime, the businesses. How effective Shane Bradbrook is ridiculous and a little is its efforts to influence? passionate about shifting in between. matters of substance May 08 www.drugfoundation.org.nz The Director’s Cut Key Events and Dates Family Violence and Specialist Addiction Treatment Sector Courts: National and Leadership Days International Perspectives 3 July, Auckland; 6 November, 22 – 23 May, Canberra, Australia Wellington Reflections and perspectives from These days are an opportunity for a wide range of experts will be managers, funders, planners and shared on the growing international senior clinicians to debate and developments of specialised discuss important issues facing the addiction treatment sector. jurisdictions including drug courts, indigenous courts and mental www.matuaraki.org.nz WELCOME to our May 2008 sub-Saharan Africa) are health courts. Matters of Substance. So, through unsafe injecting www.victimsupport.act.gov.au International Addiction Summit 10 – 12 July, Melbourne, Australia what does the International drug use, an issue that is all Youth Week The underlying theme ‘A climate Narcotics Control Board but ignored in the report. for change’ challenges sector leaders 26 May – 1 June, Nationwide (INCB) consider are the most The INCB visited Brazil in to think creatively about new and Relate: Young people thrive when pressing issues facing innovative ideas that can march the 2007, and the country features there are supportive, encouraging and addiction treatment field to the summit. international drug control in this year’s report. Yet there positive people in their lives. Youth www.addictionsummit.org efforts? is no mention of the hundreds Week 2008 is all about relationships. www.youthweek.co.nz ■ The need for access to of deaths in the favelas Insights and Solutions harm reduction services to 1 – 3 September, Melbourne, Australia through indiscriminate police Hoodie Day prevent HIV and Hepatitis A chance to consider innovative violence. The INCB also 30 May, Nationwide approaches and improved practice C transmission through visited Viet Nam in 2007, but Hoodie Day is about challenging the in the field of acquired brain injury. injecting drug use? has not mentioned the all too stereotypes of young people. Wear a www.bia.net.au ■ Access to opiates for pain hoodie to show your support for youth. common application of the It’s what’s under the hood that counts. relief for everyone in need, Life and Death – Cutting Edge death penalty for drug www.youthweek.co.nz 4 – 6 September, Christchurch including those with offences, in violation of The annual New Zealand addiction terminal diseases? international human rights law. CAYAD Central and treatment sector conference. ■ Objection to a possible South Region Hui Call for papers out now. The Board has created a reinstatement of the ‘war on 3 – 5 June, Levin www.cuttingedge2008.org.nz new category of offender, the drugs’ in Thailand, which, For CAYAD workers and key ‘celebrity user’, one to be stakeholders to learn what’s 1st Global Conference on in 2003, claimed the lives of made an example of for the happening across their region. Methamphetamine: Science, at least 2,200 people through Strategy and Response benefit of the greater good, Email: [email protected] extrajudicial killings? 15 – 16 September, Prague, something that is completely Czech Republic No. Instead, in the media 10th International The first Global Conference on outside its mandate under the Hepatitis C Conference launch of its annual report, Methamphetamine recognises that conventions. Indeed, the 3 – 4 June, Derby, United Kingdom the UN expert body many countries have been forced to INCB presents no evidence The programme will include lessons rush towards solutions in response to responsible for overseeing that celebrities are treated learned from harm reduction this new trend; however, many facets of the international drug control interventions, with a key focus on the problem remain to be discovered. more leniently in the first conventions seemed more initiatives in prison settings. www.globalmethconference.com place. And in suggesting this, worried about celebrities www.hepccentre.org.uk the august body contradicts Safe Communities using drugs, claiming that itself; in the first chapter of its Club Health 20 – 23 October, Christchurch dealing with famous people 23 – 25 June, Ibiza, Spain The 17th International Safe own report, the INCB calls for in a lenient manner The 5th International Conference on Communities Conference aims to encourages a permissive a focus on traffickers, not Nightlife, Substance Use and Related celebrate and strengthen community safety as an integral part of national attitude to drugs amongst individual users. Health Issues, held in one of the world’s leading nightlife destinations, and international injury and violence Our advice to the prevention policy, research and practice. young people. focuses on protecting and promoting This is troubling. International Narcotics Control health in nightlife settings.
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