Broad consensus on ending the war on drugs in Latin America

Comprehensive public policies for the areas affected by violence decriminalization of possession and harm reduction strategies, prioritize human rights over military operations, respect the cultural uses of substances and alternatives to prison sentences for the weakest links traffic were the recommendations at the conclusion of the Third Latin American Conference on Drug Policy, which met yesterday and today in Mexico City over three hundred people, including government officials, experts and activists from 32 countries.

(Mexico City, 14/09/11, 18:30) With a call to make “other drug policy” for the región, concluded the Third Latin American Conference on Drug Policy, held on the 13^th and 14^th of September in Mexico City, organized by two NGOs, Intercambios from Argentina and the Colectivo por una Política Integral hacia las Drogas (CUPIHD) from Mexico.

In closing, Paul Cymmerman, member of Organizing Committee and of Intercambios, said: “Latin America has tremendous experience in human rights struggles against state terrorism, an organization of indigenous peoples and the right to land”. It called to articulate with community organizations and root movements “to reverse the stigma” and use regional instruments such as UNASUR, MERCOSUR and ALBA “to put on the political agenda of Latin America the necessary changes in drug policy.”

Over two days, eight tables of which participated more than 30 experts and officials of the región, confirmed the support of harm reduction strategies, which means not forcé people who cannot or want to leave consumption, but to offer ways of health care. This position was endorsed by all UN agencies: PAHO, UNAIDS, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (ONUDOC/UNODC) and the Organization of American States (CICAD/OAS).

On the violence in Mexico and other countries in the región by the military intervention in drug shares, discussed the legalization and comprehensive policies in the territories concerned to set limits to the repressive actions, which increased the number of dead and displaced. This was proposed by Luis González Placencia, president of Human Rights Commission of Mexico City to Felipe Magalhaes Captain, member of the Police Unit Pacification of Rio de Janeiro and the mayor of the Colombian state of Guaviare San Jose, Pedro José Arenas García.

In closing, there were statements of drug users, young people from Latin America and the cannabism movement, which during the two-day meeting had their own meetings. “The first victims of the war on drugs are the drug users,” they said in their conclusion document components of the drug use movement in the region, who demanded respect for the Conventions and treaties of human rights and “the development and implementation of harm reduction policies, and with the involvement of drug users.”

From the Global collective normalization of cannabis, said: “The United Nations says only 13% of drug users is problematic, but insists on political thinking only of that percentage.” Claimed “the decriminalization of simple possession and consumption of any psychoactive substance in all countries” and “stop being treated as criminals and/or sick, and start being treated as what we are, responsible citizens, with full rights and powers.”

For their part, members of the global movement of young people and the of the Mexican organization Espolea, complained: “We start from the fact that in only 4 years more than 40 thousand people lost their lives in Mexico and up to 7 in 10 women in countries such as Argentina and Ecuador are in jail for violating drug laws. In countries like Chile, more than 30 thousand people are arrested each year from consuming or possessing drugs while the big traffickers are enriched.” After presenting the diagnosis stated: “Enough of failed policies, we do not need another Washington consensus. We need a new international logic that respects national sovereignty, human rights and is sensitive to local culture.”

The conference participants of 32 countries in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, among the latter, health and justice officials from Cape Verde, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and Angola, who looked at alternatives to the new role of Africa in the global drug market. The Third Latin American Conference and the First Mexican Conference on Drug Policy were sponsored by PAHO, among others. Space is expected to contribute to a regional critical and proactive approach to overcome situations of violence and stigmatization in the region.

Intercambios Civil Association is a key organization in Latin America on issues of harm reduction and drug policy. They develop policy advocacy, research and training. They organized the First and Second Latin American Conference (Buenos Aires 2009, Rio de Janeiro 2010) and coordinated the discussion of civil society in the region on goals set by the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Drugs (UNGASS). Among their publications are: “Contributions of a new drug policy. V and VI National Conference on Drug Policy” (2010) and “Knowledge and practices about drugs. The case of the cocaine base” (2007).

CUPIHD (Collective for a comprehensive policy towards drugs) is a civil society organization dedicated to research, education, and dissemination action aimed at transforming the culture and drug policy with a focus no risk reduction, multidisciplinary, comprehensive, scientific and respect for human rights. Formed in 2009, CUPIHD seeks promoting constructive dialogue nationally and internationally on drug policy reform, and propose regulatory alternatives to them.

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