Press Release: NGO Delegate Organizations head to landmark UN Meeting on Narcotic Drugs

For Immediate Release: June 23, 2008 NGO Delegate Organizations head to landmark UN Meeting on Narcotic Drugs Who: Drug policy reform organizations from across USA Contact: Michael Krawitz at 540-365-2141 or [email protected], or Lennice Werth at 434-645-8816 or [email protected] What: "Beyond 2008" International United Nations NGO Forum, Vienna When: July 6-9th 2008 Where: Vienna International Center, offices of United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Prevention [UNODC], secretariat of International Narcotics Control Board [INCB] Crewe, Virginia, 23 June 2008 - Virginians Against Drug Violence [VADV] leaders Lennice Werth and Michael Krawitz are heading to Vienna for what is likely to be a historic event, a first ever roundtable of 300 Non Governmental Organizations [NGO’s] with an expertise in drug use, policy and the international drug control treaties [international law] from all walks of life and representing all ideologies. VADV is one of three organizations that has taken a leadership role in enabling 7 of the 26 North American NGO’s participate in the meeting with help in the form of a grant from the Open Society Institute [OSI] to facilitate the NGO leaders travel and accommodations to access the meeting in Vienna, Austria. The 7 NGO’s from USA that will be participating in no small part thanks to OSI are: -- Professor Rodney Skager Representing Safety First, http://www.safety1st.org -- Sanho Tree, Spokesperson - Institute For Policy Studies, http://www.ips-dc.org -- Graham Boyd, Spokesperson - American Civil Liberties Association National Drug Policy Litigation Project, http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/index.html -- Deborah Small, Director - Break the Chains, http://www.breakchains.org -- Jack Cole, Director – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, http://www.leap.cc/ -- Allan Clear Executive Director, Harm Reduction Coalition, http://www.harmreduction.org -- Kris Krane, Executive Director -- Students for Sensible Drug Policy, http://www.schoolsnotprisons.com/ Feel free to use contact info above to arrange an interview with any of these NGO leaders. VADV UNGASS PRESS RELEASE PAGE 2 This meeting is part of a once a decade event as the international Single Convention Treaty on Narcotic Drugs is revisited, amended and reauthorized by signatory nations. As a signatory to this treaty, the United States constitution declares the treaty to be our supreme national law on drugs. As the 26 June - International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking approaches we feel this press release is very timely. The NGO forum that took place on 13 March 2007 during the 50th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs [CND] marked the start of this project undertaken by the Vienna NGO Committee in partnership with UNODC. The project aims at providing a voice to the NGO community in reflecting on its own achievements at the ten-year review of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Illicit Drugs (UNGASS). Eighteen lead NGOs representing six regions--North Africa and the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean--presented their work on drugs in their respective region. "Civil Society does not speak with one voice but it certainly constitutes one of the most integral partners in improving the health and the well-being of individuals across the globe. There are many points of consensus among us and it is our intention to mine those for the benefit of all," said Michel Perron, Chief Executive of the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse, who is leading this initiative on behalf of the Vienna NGO Committee. The Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, opened the forum. In his closing remarks to CND delegates, he said: "I was particularly impressed by this year's NGO forum. There was lively debate, in a balanced way that enabled all viewpoints to be expressed. Representations from all five continents made it a truly global event ... We should increase interaction between governmental and non-governmental bodies so that your policies can be implemented on the ground with greater impact.” We would also like to bring to your attention to the following new harm reduction report from the UNODC: "Reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse: A comprehensive approach" According to Dr. Costa it is “inspired by the international drug control treaties and supported by a growing body of scientific and medical evidence. Moreover, it was prepared in close consultation with the International Narcotics Control Board.” ###