This podcast episode features Kendra McSweeney and Fritz Pinnow, part of a team investigating a new trend: the emergence of coca cultivation in Central America.

McSweeney, a professor of geography at Ohio State University, has researched human-environment interactions, cultural and political ecology, conservation and development, resilience, demography, and land use/cover change. Pinnow is a Honduras-based journalist and documentary photographer specializing in illicit economies, violence and development in Central America.

McSweeney and colleagues have published an article in the journal Environmental Research Letters examining the recent and growing appearance of coca leaf cultivation in Central America, a crop historically associated with the Andean region. McSweeney and Pinnow discuss the environmental and market conditions driving coca cultivation in Honduras and Guatemala. They note that those attempting coca cultivation in the region have competitive advantages over Colombian growers, such as more favorable growing conditions.

They stress that it would be a serious error to respond to this phenomenon with another forced eradication program. Past crop-eradication strategies, which have almost always been uncoordinated with governance, rule of law, basic services, land formalization, or anti-poverty efforts, have failed and in fact ended up encouraging the planting of coca in new areas.

Reimagining the drug war amid rising coca cultivation in Central America

57th session of the Human Rights Council (September-October 2024)
Annual half-day panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Statement delivered by the International Drug Policy Consortium.

Co-signed by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC); Elementa Derechos Humanos; Harm Reduction International (HRI); the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS); and the Transnational Institute (TNI).

For millennia, the coca leaf has been used by Indigenous Peoples in the Andean-Amazonian region for traditional, religious, ancestral and medicinal purposes. And yet, the coca leaf is listed in Schedule I of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which effectively banned the practice of coca leaf chewing.

When the 1961 Single Convention was adopted, the decision to include the coca leaf in the treaty was mired in colonialist and racist bias. Today, this decision is at odds with various international legal instruments that protect the use of the plant as an expression of cultural norms and a fundamental part of the traditional, nutritional and medical practices of Indigenous Peoples.

Positively, there are hopes that this historical error may finally be corrected. In 2023, the World Health Organization announced that it would conduct a critical review of the coca leaf. A review which could lead to the removal of the plant from the schedules of the 1961 Convention.

We welcome this critical step towards decolonising drug policy and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples to cultivate and use the coca leaf. We urge Member States and the UN human rights system – especially UN entities focusing on protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples – to support the important work of the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence in this regard.

Descheduling the coca leaf is a step toward decolonising drug policy - Statement at HRC57 panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

57th session of the Human Rights Council (September-October 2024)
Agenda item 3 (General Debate)
Statement delivered by the International Drug Policy Consortium

This statement is made jointly by IDPC and three other organisations. We welcome report A/HRC/57/85 summarising the intersessional panel discussion on human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem.

The OHCHR report, as well as the panel, highlighted the pervasive and systematic human rights abuses committed in the name of drug control, including the ongoing use of the death penalty, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, criminalisation, mass incarceration, militarised eradication campaigns, and lack of access to life-saving harm reduction services and essential medicines, fuelling the HIV epidemic and largely contributing to the catastrophic rise in overdose deaths.

The panel also drew attention to positive developments in drug policy, including moves to abolish the death penalty for drug offences, decriminalisation, and scaling up of harm reduction services, in various regions of the world.

But much remains to be done to align drug policies with human rights.

We call on the Human Rights Council, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to engage more systematically in drug policy debates, to continue to raise awareness of the human rights implications of drug control, and to provide key recommendations to policy makers on much-needed reforms. In this regard, we urge you to consider mandating the OHCHR with regular reporting on this issue, or creating a new Special Procedure dedicated to drug policy.

Reforming drug policies is essential to end human rights violations - IDPC statement at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council

early 300 people across the country die of a drug overdose every day. This amounts to more than 107,000 people over the course of a year, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many die because they were alone and out of reach of lifesaving care. Others die because people within reach did not know how to use, or did not have, the needed lifesaving equipment.

These deaths are preventable. We could prevent them if we knew when and where overdoses were occurring, so that we could ensure immediate lifesaving care.

The good news is that the United States is becoming increasingly receptive to a proven way that we can act to save lives: opening overdose prevention centers (OPC).

As a doctor in primary care and substance use disorder treatment, it is my job to think about my patients’ wellbeing across the continuum of care, from preventive services to acute lifesaving interventions. I see OPC as an essential component of this continuum.

Overdose prevention centers are health care: Treat them as such

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Ontario will shutter 10 consumption and treatment services sites and ban future ones, in a move some experts say will lead to more deaths and public drug use.

CTS sites, as they're known, allow people to use drugs inside without fear of arrest. Workers reverse overdoses and are required to connect users to mental health and treatment options. Most sites are run by community health centres or local public health units.

Sites within 200 metres of a school or child-care centre will have to close or transform into "Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs," Health Minister Sylvia Jones told a crowd of mayors, councillors and city and town staff at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa on Tuesday.

The hubs will add up to 375 "highly supportive housing units," according to a government release, and aim to connect people to services including mental health treatment, primary care, employment help and other supports.

They won't offer safe supply programs, supervised consumption or needle exchange programs, the government said.

The government is putting $378 million toward creating 19 HART hubs. Applications from current CTS sites slated to close will be prioritized, Jones said.

In the fall, the government plans to also ban municipalities from participating in the federal safer supply program, and from requesting the feds to decriminalize drugs in their cities, as Toronto has done.

Government of Ontario, Canada, to close 10 supervised consumption sites, ban new ones

Morocco's progress in cannabis policy has led the King to pardon thousands of cannabis farmers in the North African country.

Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Monday pardoned over 4,800 people convicted, prosecuted, or wanted in cases related to cannabis cultivation.

This decision coincides with this year's anniversary of the King and People's Revolution.

King Mohammed VI has issued an order to pardon a group of individuals, including both detainees and those at large, who were sentenced by various courts across the Kingdom.

Among those pardoned are 4,831 people involved in cases related to cannabis cultivation who meet the necessary conditions for pardon.

In addition to its humanitarian aspects, this gesture also reflects Morocco's evolving cannabis policy in recent years, as it will allow those affected to integrate into the new strategy adopted by the involved regions, which is expected to have a significant economic and social impact and contribute to the development of alternative crops and non-agricultural activities, according to the justice ministry's statement.

King of Morocco pardons over 4,800 cannabis farmers

Part-time consultancy (flexible hours, as per project needs)

: To strengthen the global impact of the 

by developing a comprehensive communications strategy (covering social and legacy media), updating and compiling key resources, and enhancing media engagement through targeted workshops and materials.

Following recommendations from an insightful and validating lifetime evaluation of the campaign produced last year — and soon to be published, we are seeking a passionate, versatile and skilled 

 to develop strategic activities and resources that will benefit our global movement’s reach and impact. This role is ideal for a communications professional who is committed to social justice, experienced in working with and delivering training for people across diverse backgrounds and expertise levels, and knowledgeable about the strengths and constraints faced by smaller advocacy groups.

To apply for this Communications & Media Consultancy, please read the 

to Juan Fernández Ochoa (IDPC Campaigns & Communications Officer) at jfernandez[@]idpc.net (including '

 (max. 2 pages) detailing how your experience qualifies you to lead on the activities described in the consultancy description and briefly outlining a roadmap to complete them (including key milestones and methodologies).

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview on the week of 23 - 27 September 2024, which will include a short writing task.

The selected candidate will be contacted by 30 September 2024.

Applications received after the closing date and incomplete applications will not be considered.

We are a small team, and we receive a large volume of applications, which is why we will not be able to provide feedback on applications that are not shortlisted.

IDPC implements an equal opportunity policy and values diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of ethnicity, gender identity, age, religion, disability, class, HIV status, or sexual orientation.

IDPC recruits Communications & Media Consultant

The UK's first official consumption room for illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine will open in Glasgow on 21 October.The Safer Drugs Consumption Facility on Hunter Street in the city's east end will accommodate up to 30 service users at a time.People will be able to consume illegal drugs under the supervision of clinical staff at the facility 365 days a year from 09:00 until 21:00.The opening date was confirmed as new data from the National Records of Scotland revealed that the number of people who have died due to drug misuse in the country has risen sharply.Figures for 2023 revealed that 1,172 people died - up 121 on the previous 12 months, which represents a 12% increase.Allan Casey, Glasgow City Council's convener for homelessness and addiction services, said the rise makes clear "we are in a public health emergency and one that requires radical action".

UK's first drugs consumption room to open in October

Recent years have seen a growing public and clinical interest in the potential therapeutic use of a number of psychedelic substances, including some novel and little-known substances. A number of jurisdictions outside the EU have begun regulating the use of psychedelics for medical and therapeutic purposes, while significant commercial interest has arisen in this area, evidenced through the appearance of so-called ‘psychedelic retreats’ in a number of countries. An increasing number of clinical studies are exploring the potential of a range of psychedelic substances for different mental health conditions. Some research appears promising; however, generalising in this area is difficult, partly because of the large number of substances under review and partly because of the wide range of conditions that are being studied. Taken together, these developments have given rise to questions at the policy level relating to the risks associated with the increase in experimental use of these substances, their potential to cause harm, and appropriate policy responses.

In Europe, there are now indications of changes in patterns of use of psychedelics, including an increase in unregulated and/or illegal practices in which these substances are used as part of a wellness, therapeutic or spiritually oriented intervention (EMCDDA, 2023). Some of these psychedelic-related practices and interventions appear to market their services by referencing the latest developments in medical research, either directly in relation to the substances or indirectly by providing links to research and scientific papers.

Due to the limited information that currently exists in this area, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA, former EMCDDA) has launched a project to increase our understanding of key developments and respond to concerns raised by policymakers. These FAQs aim to respond to some of the key questions raised and provide a better understanding of ongoing developments in this field. While the focus of these FAQs is on the therapeutic use of psychedelic substances, additional questions have been added to provide important contextual information on related developments in this area, such as the prevalence and patterns of use of psychedelic substances in Europe, the presence of unlicensed and illegal psychedelic practices, and developments in clinical research.

EUDA publishes answers to the most frequently asked questions about the therapeutic use of psychedelic substances

Amsterdam has been grappling with the unwanted results of permissiveness for much longer. The world’s most liberal city has become one of the most visited: nearly 10mn tourists stayed there last year, above the pre-Covid peak. It is the city where everything goes and everyone goes. Many foreigners are drawn by cannabis and sex shows; some locals despair at the tawdriness.
The city’s mayor, Femke Halsema, is trying to clean up the excesses. In her office overlooking the Amstel river, she calls for more visitors “who love the canals”, rather than “urinate in them”.

But she says the deeper problem is less visible: the illegal market for cocaine is booming across Europe. In 2023, Dutch police intercepted record quantities but on the street cocaine prices remain low. “The only thing you can conclude [is] that there is more and more coming in and more and more money is made,” says Halsema, who begins her second, six-year term as mayor this week.

Amsterdam’s real problem is prohibition, she argues, and the answer is not less liberalisation, but more. She wants to end the Netherlands’ halfway policy on cannabis: coffee shops can sell it, but cannot buy it legally, meaning they have to buy from criminals. Other European countries have recently liberalised further.

Mayor of Amsterdam: 'In time, drug legalisation is inevitable’

 aims to identify and support local partners (up to 7) with funding of between USD 4,000 – 5,000 for strategic, creative and collaborative projects to be carried out from October 2024 to February 2025.

The activities proposed must seek to advance drug policy reform, bolster harm reduction and build bridges with/within/between communities disproportionately impacted by the ‘war on drugs’ (e.g. people who use drugs, farmers of crops deemed illicit, youth, racialised communities, LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, among many others).

Kindly note that the Support. Don’t Punish Initiatives Programme differs in size and scope from the regular small grants that the campaign deploys yearly to support the realisation of activities during the Global Day of Action (26 June).

Since 2013, Support. Don’t Punish local partners have organised 

 in more than 120 countries — accelerating moves toward reform in response to local needs. These events range from sports and arts events, to press engagement workshops, to formal advocacy with policymakers, and many more.

Successful applicants to the Initiatives Programme will have demonstrated how their proposed work-plan of activities strategically, creatively and collaboratively tackles specific challenges experienced in their communities in relation to drug policy and harm reduction, as part of wider ongoing efforts for change.

In seeking inspiration, please do check out the activities organised as part of prior rounds of the Initiatives Programme: 

We expect this to be a highly competitive process. We tend to receive close to 90 applications and can only award a handful of applicants. If you have questions on eligibility, please drop us a line. While we are not be able to offer detailed advice on your proposal, we are happy to provide orientation.

While colleagues from all regions are invited to apply, priority will be given to proposals from the Asian and African continents. Groups that have previously received an Initiatives Programme grant are unlikely to be awarded on this round.

To apply, please fill in the application form 

We can receive applications in English, French and Spanish. Other languages can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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