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(Geneva, 13 November 2019)

The West Africa Commission on Drugs and the Global Commission on Drug Policy are honored that the Model Drug Law for West Africa was selected as one of ten winning projects at the Paris Peace Forum 2019 among the 114 showcased. We wish to thank the Kofi Annan Foundation for lending its support to this project.

The Model Drug Law for West Africa not only provides concrete templates that countries can adapt to reform their drug laws, including legal provisions and how they relate to international legal obligations, but also recognizes that drug trafficking should not be seen in isolation and links to efforts against money laundering, corruption and other organized crime, which need to be tackled in conjunction.

At the national level, the Model Drug Law proposes an end to disproportionately harsh sentences for drug consumption and possession for personal use. Removing the threat of incarceration will allow people who use drugs to access health services and seek support. Barriers must also be removed so that the millions suffering from terminal cancer or in advanced stages of AIDS can receive the pain treatment they need. The Model Drug Law suggests special protection for health professionals who currently do not prescribe controlled medicines due fear of possible prosecution.

With some 7,000 participants, 33 Heads of State and Government, and leaders of international organizations in attendance, the Paris Peace Forum calls for improved governance and innovative solutions to global challenges. During the opening ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron explained how multilateralism can provide an answer to many of the challenges we face today. This applies to drug policy, a transnational challenge that cuts across issues of public health, security, human rights, equal justice, discrimination, poverty, and other aspects of sustainable development.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Eric Grant
Communications Officer
+41 79 124 1523
eric.grant@globalcommissionondrugs.org

To download the Model Drug Law, please click here.