World Leaders Urge Drug Policy Changes.

[greenbuddha]

UK: Leading World Politicians Urge 'Paradigm Shift' On Drugs

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URL: http://www.mapinc.or...1/n348/a02.html

Newshawk: Kirk

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2011

Source: Observer, The (UK)

Page: 9

Email:male2('letters','observer.co.uk'); letters@observer.co.uk

Website: http://www.observer.co.uk/

Copyright: 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited

Author: Jamie Doward

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

Cited: Avaaz http://www.avaaz.org/en/

Cited: Transform http://www.tdpf.org.uk/

 

 

LEADING WORLD POLITICIANS URGE 'PARADIGM SHIFT' ON DRUGS POLICY

 

Kofi Annan, George Shultz and Richard Branson Among Those Urging Public Health Approach

 

Former presidents, prime ministers, eminent economists and leading members of the business community will unite behind a call for a shift in global drug policy. The Global Commission on Drug Policy will host a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York to launch a report that describes the drug war as a failure and calls for a "paradigm shift" in approaching the issue.

 

Those backing the call include Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Mexico; George Papandreou, former prime minister of Greece; Cesar Gaviria, former president of Colombia; Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general; Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil; George Shultz, former US secretary of state; Javier Solana, former EU high representative; Virgin tycoon Richard Branson; and Paul Volcker, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve.

 

The commission will call for drug policy to move from being focused on criminal justice towards a public health approach. The global advocacy organisation Avaaz, which has nine million members, will present a petition in support of the commission's recommendations to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

 

The commission is the most distinguished group to call for such far-reaching changes in the way society deals with illicit drugs. Danny Kushlick, head of external affairs at Transform, the drug policy foundation that has consultative status with the UN, said current events, such as the cartel-related violence in Mexico, President Barack Obama's comments that it was "perfectly legitimate" to question whether the war on drugs was working, and the wider global economic crisis, had given calls for a comprehensive overhaul of the world's drugs policy a fresh impetus.

 

Kushlick described this week's conference as hugely significant. "What we have here is the greatest collection thus far of ex-presidents and prime ministers calling very clearly for decriminalisation and experiments with legal regulation," he said. "It will be a watershed moment."

 

Transform believes the case for overhauling the prohibition approach to drugs is now overwhelming. It quotes Nicholas Green, chairman of the Bar Council, who observed that drug-related crime costs the UK economy around UKP13bn a year. "Decriminalising personal use can have positive consequences; it can free up huge amounts of police resources, reduce crime and recidivism and improve public health," he said.

 

But while politicians no longer in office are vocal in calling for a change, incumbents appear less likely to back the idea of any radical shift in policy. In its 2002 review of UK drug policy, the parliamentary home affairs select committee, which included the prime minister, David Cameron, called for the government to "initiate a discussion" into the possibility of legalising and regulating drugs.

 

Despite the calls successive ministers have declined to endorse them.

MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom

[SparklyBuds]

I'd way rather buy American than support drug cartels or other criminal organizations by buying stuff from elsewhere. I hope some current politicians are listening to these folks.

[+EdwardGlen]

I'm sure the for profit prison industry lobbyists will be hard at work to defuse this notion along with big pharma.

[Zombiefied]

Those backing the call include Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Mexico; George Papandreou, former prime minister of Greece; Cesar Gaviria, former president of Colombia; Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general; Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil; George Shultz, former US secretary of state; Javier Solana, former EU high representative; Virgin tycoon Richard Branson; and Paul Volcker, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve.

 

I wonder what these guys did WHEN they were in office to help combat the drug war?

[jimbojinx]

Hi Zombie !!!

 

Very good question !!!

 

Probably nothing !!!

 

Isn't it interesting that it is only after these guys have retired they they see the light !!!!

 

Bewtter late than never but......

 

dr. Jinx

[greenbuddha]

I wonder what these guys did WHEN they were in office to help combat the drug war?

 

 

The problem with 'human nature' is that... we all suffer from it and WITH it.

 

Overcoming 'greed' may be the hardest thing we humans can try to do.

 

Still hoping here...