Former Latin American leaders urge world to end war on drugs ‘disaster’

by Alan Yuhas @alanyuhas Three former presidents of Latin American nations have urged the world to end the “unmitigated disaster” of the war on drugs, and denounced the United Nations for secrecy and shortsightedness ahead of the first special assembly on drugs in 18 years. “Outdated drug policies around the world

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The secret to fighting U.S. heroin epidemic by Ruth Dreifuss

Ruth Dreifuss is the former President of Switzerland, serving in 1999. She is a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. (CNN)Drug overdose deaths in the United States have tripled since 2010. And so it makes sense that President

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The hardline approach to drugs must end by Richard Branson

The declaration of the UN general assembly special session (UNgass) on drugs agreed this week is long on rhetoric and short on substance. Many key issues are missing. It does not call for an end to criminalization and incarceration and capital punishment for drug-related offenses. It fails to request the World Health

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Global Commission Slams UNGASS 2016 Outcome That Strains the Credibility of International Law

by Will Godfrey April 21, 2016 At a packed press conference in Manhattan this morning, a formidable panel—including former presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Switzerland, a former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, a former UK deputy prime minister and entrepreneur Richard Branson—declared itself “profoundly disappointed” by the failure of the UNGASS 2016

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21 April 2016: Global Commission Slams UNGASS 2016 Outcome That Strains the Credibility of International Law

by Will Godfrey April 21, 2016 http://theinfluence.org/global-commission-slams-an-ungass-2016-outcome-that-strains-the-credibility-of-international-law/ At a packed press conference in Manhattan this morning, a formidable panel—including former presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Switzerland, a former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, a former UK deputy prime minister and entrepreneur Richard Branson—declared itself “profoundly disappointed” by the failure of the UNGASS

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21 April 2016: Decriminalize all drugs, business and world leaders tell UN

Leaders of Global Commission on Drug Policy including Richard Branson and three ex-presidents say special session on drug policy was ‘fatally flawed’ Jessica Glenza at the United Nations April 21, 2016 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/21/un-special-session-global-drug-policy-failure-critics-say A British billionaire, three former presidents and a renowned Aids researcher have called for all drugs to be decriminalized

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If the war on drugs is failing, U.N. Assembly doesn’t see it

“The document does not acknowledge the comprehensive failure of the current drug control regime to reduce drug supply and demand,” the Global Commission on Drug Policy said in a statement. “Nor does [it] account for the damaging effects… Advocates for drug reform, who were hoping that a high-level summit this

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The UN has talked about drugs, now what? By Richard Branson

Today, the UN General Assembly’s Special Session (UNGASS) on drug policy reached its conclusion, with the underwhelming and disappointing outcome that had been in the making for months. It’s been like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Image from Drug Policy Alliance The UNGASS outcome document does not call for an

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Decriminalize all drugs, business and world leaders tell UN

Leaders of Global Commission on Drug Policy including Richard Branson and three ex-presidents say special session on drug policy was ‘fatally flawed’. A British billionaire, three former presidents and a renowned Aids researcher have called for all drugs to be decriminalized at a press conference that was sharply critical of

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It’s Time to Abandon the War on Drugs for a Health-Focused Drug Policy by Jorge Sampaio

LISBON, Portugal — Almost no one would disagree with the core principle of “putting people first” — be it when business strategies are at stake or when public policies are being discussed. However, in spite of the undeniably witty mass appeal of this memorable 1992 Clinton presidential campaign slogan, the United Nation’s

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