Barcelona, May 11th. 2008

In most countries, drugs control policies currently intend to comply fully with International Conventions on Drugs (1961, 1971 and 1988); these policies have proven unsuccessful in countering the illicit drugs trade, and, to the
contrary, have contributed to its increase; these policies have had damaging and counter-productive effects and the weakest links of the illicit drugs chain (drugs consumers, couriers, and rural populations involved in the cultivation of illicit drugs-linked crops) have suffered a disproportionate amount of the negative consequences of drugs control policies.

Persons whose lives are affected by drugs policies suffer the deterioration of their health, the effects of exclusion and stigmatisation, and the violation of their most elementary rights due to a policy that is imposed by international organizations, -International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and by our own country. Participation of affected persons’ organisations in the design and evaluation of drugs policies is anecdotal and, when it happens, it has no influence in the decision making process.

The anti-drugs strategy has turned throughout the years into an open warfare against users. Having signed and implemented the directives of international organizations, governments deny the evidence of harm reduction policies being more just and effective. They prefer to respect political agreements without any scientific base, and some cases signed more than 40 years ago, instead of developing real policies centred on the public health, based on human rights and sensitive with the gender differences. As a consequence:

Increase of the earnings of the drug trafficking is directly related to the deterioration of drugs users.

Repressive policies are prioritised, keeping up the illusion that they reduce the supply of drugs, criminalizing the users and leading to processes of social exclusion that, in many cases, are irreversible.

The disadvantages of the collective foment the marginalization and the self-exclusion, impeding the coverage of their rights and the exercise of their duties as citizens.

The organisations of persons affected claim:

Repeal by the Spanish State of the international conventions on drugs and promotion of a European strategy that gives place to more just and effective drugs policies.

Non-repressive strategies in drugs policies, strategies that do not threaten the subsistence of peasants growing illicit plants in developing countries, do not damage the health of the consumers, respect the rights of the citizens and take into account the gender differences.

Legislative modifications that stop the massive entry of drugs users in the prisons.

Opening of the social debate with all the community agents on the regulation of some substances, beginning with the separation of the cannabis market from the rest of the prohibited drugs.

To re-define the prevention strategies directed to young and adult persons, on the basis of integral, realistic and participative criteria and with a gender approach.

To innovate and to extend the drug dependence treatments to the whole affected population and specially to the most vulnerable (consumption rooms, programs of controlled distribution of drugs, etc.).

Participation of the persons affected by drugs in the decision-making spaces on drugs policies of the UN, the European Union and the Spanish State.

SIGNING ORGANISATIONS

FAUDAS (Spanish Federation of associations of persons affected by the drugs and the VIH) composed by 15 associations of the Spanish state. Our mission is the improvement of the quality of life of the collective and to
break the associated stigma.
[
ASAUPAM->http://www.asaupam.info]. Association of support for persons with drugs problems in Catalunya.

Plataforma Pro derechos de las personas afectadas por las políticas de drogas de Catalunya

ENCOD. (European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies) Independent platform of NGOs and individual citizens related to the drugs phenomenon as drugs users, relatives, health workers, researchers, entrepreneurs and political activists.

FAC. (Spanish Federation of Cannabis Associations).

REFORMA Latinamerican drug policy reform network

Republish