Los Angeles Promoting Safe Ecstasy Use
Los Angeles County Health officials have posted tips for safe ecstasy use at the publicly owned Los Angeles Coliseum and Sports Arena.
Harm Reduction
Ex-World Leaders Form Global Drug Policy Commission
Some global heavyweights have taken on the international drug control system and how to come up with a better one.
In Russia, a Glut of Heroin and Denial
Twenty one percent of the 375 tons of heroin produced from Afghanistan's opium fields now finds its way through central Asia into Russia, according to the United Nations. Unlike most countries around the world, Russia refuses to finance harm reduction programs such as needle exchanges, or to legalize methadone. Over the past few months, Moscow has decided to discontinue the work of foreign donors and NGOs with heroin addicts. Critics go as far as to accuse Moscow of willfully neglecting its citizens and thereby fueling what the World Health Organization says is one of the fastest growing HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world.
Australia Clean Needle Program Keeping HIV at Bay
Australia's early and widespread use of clean needle programs seems to have kept HIV rates among injection-drug users in check over the long term, according to a study. In many countries, needle exchange programs allow drug users to trade in used needles for new ones, but in Australia users are simply given new ones.
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Associated Press Chronicling Failure of Drug War
The Associated Press has done a remarkably series of articles on the failures of the drug war. Here's a brief look at the first three -- and an invitation to read them all the way through.
San Malverde, Mexico's patron saint of narco-traffickers
This Year's Top 10 International Drug Policy Stories
It's been a busy year on the global drug policy front. Here, we look at some of the biggest stories.
Lisbon, capital of Portugal
Portuguese Drug Reformers Look Beyond Decriminalization [FEATURE]
Portugal's policy of decriminalizing the use and possession of all drugs is winning well-deserved praise, but decriminalization is only a halfway step to ending drug prohibition, not the end of the road for reform, European activists say.
Are you sure that's heroin? Be careful out there, especially in England
Heroin Drought Causing Problems in England
A fungus that blighted the Afghan opium crop this year is being blamed for heroin shortages in England that are leading to adulterated smack and even fake smack, and that's sending some users to the hospital.
Swiss Drug Policy Should Serve As Model: Experts
Switzerland's innovative policy of providing drug addicts with free methadone and clean needles has greatly reduced deaths while cutting crime rates and should serve as a global model, health experts said. Countries whose drug policy remains focused on punishing offenders, including Russia and much of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, should learn from a Swiss strategy based on "harm reduction" that protects both users and communities, they said.
Gov. Schwarzenegger Urged to Sign Sterile Syringe Bill
Actor and author Christopher Kennedy Lawford, the cousin of Californiaâs First Lady Maria Shriver and nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy, has called on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign legislation to allow pharmacies to sell sterile syringes to adults.