Politics Outside US

Holland's ruling conservative government is trying to roll back tolerance policies.

The national Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations in nine Asian countries have joined a growing number of such groups that have signed onto a consensus statement calling for humanitarian drug policies.

Faced with a booming trans-Atlantic cocaine trade aimed at insatiable European markets, some European countries have formed an organization to coordinate efforts to block it.

Holland's cannabis coffee shops have been operating openly for more than 30 years, but now it looks like the slow squeeze is on.

The state government of South Australia is supporting a bill that would make possession of drug-making recipes or possession of "drug making equipment" (grow lights) without a good reason a serious crime.

German state governments are urging the federal government to extend a successful heroin maintenance pilot program across the country.

Citing cases of human rights violations by soldiers prosecuting Mexico's drug war, the country's top human rights official has called for an end to the military's role.

In a shift in policy, Israeli police have announced they will no longer arrest first-time drug possession offenders.

Vietnam sentences more people to die for drug trafficking, while Iran hangs 17 for similar offenses.

A committee of the European Parliament has called for a pilot project for diverting illicit Afghan opium to the licit medicinal market.