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Ending the war on drugs

The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world...

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Systems Overload

An unprecedented one-year comparative study reveals alarming pattern in imprisonment for drug crimes in Latin America. The weight of the law falls on the most vulnerable individuals, overcrowding the prisons,…

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Drug Law Reform on the Map

Drug Legislative Reforms in Latin America: A country by country overview of drug law reform in the Latin American region.

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The Human Face

These videos feature people who have spent years in prison enduring harsh sentences that are disproportionate to the crimes they committed...

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  • Latin America debates alternatives to current drug policy

    Prohibition-led policies and the devastating consequences in the region

    cumbre-americas-2012The debate on alternatives to the war on drugs has seen a tremendous boost in recent months. Disappointed about the meager results of prohibition-led policies and the devastating consequences of the illicit drug business in the region, several presidents have taken the initiative to bring the issue to one of the highest level intergovernmental meeting in the hemisphere. The Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, is the most important meeting of heads of states where, for the first time, alternatives to prohibition will be discussed.

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  • Chewing over Khat prohibition

    The globalisation of control and regulation of an ancient stimulant

    khatmanKhat has been consumed for hundreds if not thousands of years in the highlands of Eastern Africa and Southern Arabia. Outside that area, khat use was first observed during the 1980s, but has only attracted wider attention in recent years. Where khat has been studied extensively, namely Australia, the UK and until recently the Netherlands, governments have steered clear of prohibition because the negative medical and social harms do not merit such controls. Where strict bans on khat have been introduced they have had severe unintended negative consequences and failed to further the integration, social incusion and economic prosperity of Somali communities in particular, which chew khat most widely. Experi­ences from North America and Scandi­navia show that a ban will not solve problems associated with kath but tend to increase them.

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  • Bolivia’s legal reconciliation with the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

    IDPC supports Bolivia re-accession with a reservation allowing for the traditional use of the coca leaf

    evo-cocaThe Bolivian government denounced the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs on June 29, 2011, indicating its intention to re-accede with a reservation allowing for the traditional use of the coca leaf. The decision was triggered by Bolivia’s need to balance its obligations under the international drug control system with its constitutional and other international legal commitments. The move follows the rejection of Bolivia’s proposal to amend the Single Convention by deleting the obligation to abolish coca leaf chewing earlier this year. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) called on countries to oppose Bolivia’s decision. This intervention is extremely unhelpful, and arguably an abuse of the Board’s mandate. The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) supports the difficult decision taken by the Morales administration.

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  • End the War on Drugs

    Global Commission on Drug Policy calls for reform of international drug control

    On June 2, 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy presented its report in New York, calling to break the taboo on debate and reform of international drug control policies. The high-profile panel calls the global war on drugs a failure and recommends a paradigm shift towards harm reduction, decriminalization and legal regulation of cannabis. TNI has been closely involved in the initiative and its Latin American predecessor in an advisory capacity. Martin Jelsma of TNI’s drugs policy programme wrote a background paper for the Commission’s meeting in Geneva earlier this year: The development of international drug control: lessons learned and strategic challenges for the future.

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  • Study reveals alarming pattern in imprisonment for drug crimes in Latin America

    Systems Overload: Drug Laws and Prisons in Latin America

    Portada-Sistemas_sobrecargadosA comparative study on the impact of drug policies on the prison systems of eight Latin American countries – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay – reveals that drug laws have contributed to the prison crises these countries are experiencing. The study Systems Overload: Drug Laws and Prisons in Latin America, published by the Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), found that the persons who are incarcerated for drug offenses tend to be individuals caught with small amounts of drugs, often users, as well as street-level dealers.

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Drug Law Reform on the map

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UN Drug Control

In 2011 the 1961 UN Single Convention on drugs will be in place for 50 years. In 2012 the international drug control system will exist 100 years since the International Opium Convention was signed in 1912 in The Hague. Does it still serve its purpose or is a reform of the UN Drug Conventions needed? This site provides critical background.

TNI/WOLA Drug Law Reform Project

Drug Law Reform in Latin America is a joint project of TNI and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) tni_wola2
"Promoting a more effective and humane drug policy in Latin America"