A new not4me....."contest"

So folks, take a gander at this link:


http://promos.ytv.com/drugs-not4me/create.aspx


INFO:


Use our cool comic creator to make your own DrugsNot4Me story – the comic that gets the most votes will be turned into an animated cartoon short on YTV!


No, we are not endorsing this contest. But we thought we'd post some comics from the lovely people at CSSDP. More to come!

Thoughts from the 3rd Latin American Drug Policy conference

As I sat in the 3^rd Latin American Drug Policy conference last week in Mexico City, news emerged about two youths in Nueva Laredo who were brutally murdered because they were believed to have spoken out against narco traffickers online. It was about half way through the conference, creating a strange moment where my excitement about the energy and potential for reform collided with the harsh realities of failed drug policies.

Throughout the conference the urgent need for reform was made clear. Stats and arguments were presented throughout that demonstrated the disastrous effects failed policies were having on communities across Latin America and the world. The criminalization of people through drug laws has devastated communities, leading to such atrocious facts as ‘85% of those imprisoned for drug crimes in Ecuador are women, or that 1/3 of people imprisoned in Argentina are for drug crimes.’ The failure and limitations of supply reduction policies was made clear. Stats were presented on the failure of Plan Colombia, on the failing prices alongside rising potency of illegal drugs, as well as tales of human rights abuses from both organized crime elements and from military and police forces. Across Mexico, the leading cause of death for youths is murder. One panellist described an optimistic scenario in Mexico which saw 55 000 deaths as a result of drug market violence at the end of Felipe Calderone’s current term as president.

During meetings and discussions it became all too clear that while these facts are shocking, these realities cannot be looked at as exceptional. Across the world, drug prohibition is having devastating consequences, with countries sitting at different points in the spectrum of impacts. The issues we address as drug policy reformers must be borderless. While the scales may be different, Canada and Mexico both share needless deaths, human rights abuses, and wasted resources as a result of our countries’ failing drug policies. Both countries are consumers and producers of currently illegal substances, and both countries face similar problems when it comes to accessing treatment, harm reduction services, and honest education about substance use. We must recognize that the violence from drug traffickers and from the state in Mexico is related to the similar violence in communities across Canada.

Just as the prohibition related problems we face are on a shared spectrum, so too are the responses we take. Where injection drug use is a problem, clean needle distribution is a necessity. Where young people are disadvantaged by poor economic opportunity, creative community responses are needed. Where young people are using ‘party drugs’, peer led harm reduction strategies emerge. Where drug market violence threatens community safety, residents find ways to band together to demand changes to policies and practices that perpetuate the status quo.

With this in mind a group of young activists gathered before the conference to connect our movements across borders. I was honoured to be asked to participate in the video we produced for the closing panel of the conference. As we debated what the key messages should be, it became clear that we wanted this video to inspire other young people to action. Across the entire world, young people are organizing and taking action to end the war on drugs. Our video is an attempt to let other young people know that whenever they take action against the injustice of drug prohibition, they are not alone. We are everywhere, and we are together!

Remember that alcohol is a drug too! A CSSDPers perspective on travel to a "dry state"

by Priya Shah

I am about to embark on a journey to India... the place of my ancestors. I am of Indian descent but was born in Canada so I’ve always felt a bit removed from my culture. Doing research and trip-planning has led to some interesting discoveries. I am beginning my trip in Gujarat, suitably because it is where my grandparents are from. But it is also... a dry state! Because I’ll be spending 1-2 months there it’s important for me to get an idea of the current state of affairs; the laws, politics etc. So I’ve been reading up on what a ‘dry’ state means for Gujarat right now, and this is what I’ve learned:

Basically, prohibition in Gujarat has been in effect since 1960 when the state was formed (more than a decade after Independence) and it has created an illicit liquor trade; an industry that generates revenue and employment for thousands of people. The law was mainly put in place as a tribute to Mahatma Ghandi, who hails from Gujarat.

The high demand fuels the smuggling and production. The police and other officials are involved in the trade, which generates the most money around elections because the politicians turn to bootleggers* and form power alliances when they need money to boost their campaigns. This highlights perfectly the degree of corruption among police and government officials in Gujarat. The party members and the electorate drink alcohol discretely, just the same as the majority of working and lower class people, but the outcome of drinking illicit liquor is more fatal for them. This is because the former have access to IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) which is popular and more attainable among the middle and upper class, and the latter are familiar with cheaper types of liquor - responsible for the majority of deaths.

There are a few exceptions to alcohol prohibition in Gujarat, which include:

• personnel of the armed forces are permitted to buy alcohol 
• retired personnel are allowed to buy a specific quota per month:
• "anyone over 40 in Gujarat can apply for a liquor permit on “health grounds”, securing a monthly ration of one bottle of hard liquor or 10 bottles of beer” (Basant Rawat, The Telegraph) 
• liquor can be purchased for medical reasons, if prescribed by a doctor 
• foreigners are allowed to acquire a permit and drink liquor 
• “to encourage corporate houses to hold business conferences in Gujarat instead of going over to nearby Mount Abu (Rajasthan) or Diu, the government allowed group permits so that delegates could drink liquor at hotels” (Rawat) 

However, liquor permits in Gujarat are expensive, and whether the officials like it or not, people prefer to buy from bootleggers! For example, a bottle of whisky costs Rs 1,000 in permit shops, which are located in select hotels. But a bootlegger sells the same brand for Rs 750 (Rawat). This leads to events such as the hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in July 2009 where over 109 people died. Vinay Dholakia, director of the award-winning Parzania (2005) is making a film that addresses the issue of prohibition in Gujarat. The film covers all related issues from revenues to religion, the politics of prohibition to communalism and the mafia involved. (http://box4.chakpak.com:9080/articles/?p=16470)

In any case, I’ve still got lots to learn and discover by seeing first-hand how people are suffering and dealing with alcohol prohibition in Gujarat. I’ll keep you posted!

*It is believed that the biggest gangsters in Gujarat started their careers as bootleggers, as opposed to gangsters in Mumbai who started with kidnapping and theft.

Here’s more information if you’re interested: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-09-23/ahmedabad/27215207_1_new-tourism-policy-foreign-tourists-tcgl

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090712/jsp/nation/story_11226165.jsp

Overdose awareness- our demands

August 31st was overdose awareness day. An event was held on the human rights monument in Ottawa, ON. There were speakers, an exchange of information and a call for action.

here is what I (Alex Rowan) had to say.

Now that we have addressed the issue of overdose in the city of Ottawa, I want to discuss what needs to happen to deal with this devastating trend.

         First, I want to tell you about a medication called naloxone. It is an opioid antagonist which blocks the opioid receptors and quickly reverses life threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system. It is essentially an opiate antidote.  It lasts for about 30-90 minutes, giving the individual time to access emergency medical services. It is a safe medication and will not cause harm if administered to someone who isn’t overdosing. This medication is often used by emergency medical professionals. However, some areas run peer based naloxone distribution and training programs, which have resulted in very positive outcomes and have saved many lives.

Ottawa needs this.

These programs train users how to identify and respond to opiate overdose, including when and how to administer naloxone. This gives people the opportunity to literally save the lives of their peers. Unfortunately, we do not have a way for people to access this drug and learn how to use it. That needs to change.

Our next demand is accurate reporting of overdose related deaths. It is incredibly difficult to find information regarding the number and frequency of overdose deaths. Often the cause of death will not be labeled as an overdose, but instead as a “heart attack” or something else. Though that may look better on an obituary, it makes finding information that much more difficult. It is also harder to develop public health education on overdose prevention and to advocate for programs such as naloxone distribution without this information. This also needs to change.

Our final demand is far more broad, but still crucial. We need to view overdose as a human rights issue. That’s why we chose to hold this event here. People who use drugs deserve better than they’re getting. We need better access to appropriate, evidence based treatment. This includes harm reduction programs like methadone maintenance and safe consumption rooms. We need to improve access to health care services, especially for street involved drug users. We need affordable housing. We need to stop criminalizing people for drug use, as it only makes the problem worse.

I know that’s a lot to ask for, and it will take a lot of work to get to that place. However, our demands for naloxone distribution programs and accurate reporting of OD deaths are a great place to start. These suggestions will both reduce the number of overdose related deaths and give us more accurate information so that we can move forward. We will strive for a community that respects everyone’s right to life and the highest level of health possible. We need to realize that people who overdose are worth keeping alive.  If you only take one thing from this event, I hope that’s it. 

Safer crack use kits

Thank you for visiting CSSDPs new blog. It isn't all that ornate, but we're ok with that. We are excited to post more entries from a variety of members.

And now on to a recent issue close to this posters heart.

Some of you might be aware that Safeworks, a harm reduction service provider in Calgary, AB has been ordered by Alberta Health Services (AHS) to discontinue their crack pipe distribution program last week.

After the recent media surge following Vancouver’s implementation of a crack pipe distribution program, writers at the Calgary Sun went to see if Calgary had any similar sort of service.

And they discovered Safeworks, who have been distributing the same supplies since 2008.

Upon discovering this, the sun published two articles condemning the program, claiming it is “enabling” drug users and wasting tax dollars. Shortly after these articles were released, Alberta health services distributed a memo calling for Safeworks to discontinue the distribution of crack pipes.

Later that day, news spread across social media. When I learned of the news I could hardly contain my shock and anger.

And hopefully when you finish reading this, you will understand why.

Many people understand the purpose of needle exchange programs. There is well-established evidence to support the argument that such programs reduce the transmission of blood borne pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis. It is obvious how sharing needles involves the transfer of bodily fluids, but less so for crack pipes.

The answer? Mouth sores.

Often people who smoke crack will have mouth sores, especially when using non-recommended equipment such as pop cans. Therefore, blood borne pathogens can be transmitted when sharing crack pipes.

The arguments in support of these programs don’t end there. There is also evidence to suggest that having access to clean inhalation equipment reduces the frequency of injection crack use. While smoking crack has obvious risks associated, it is far less harmful than injecting.

So there are just a couple medical arguments….

But to truly understand the significance of this program, we have to go deeper.

Now I’m going to bring you back to last year when I got the opportunity to join the Safeworks van for a night.

I was visiting my family in Calgary, and was excited to be invited on a ride along. I had just began to get involved with drug policy activism, and it was my first time experiencing frontline harm reduction work.

What I saw still inspires me to this day.

We drove around to various areas of the city stopping at points to distribute supplies. As I watched the staff interact with clients, I came to realize that what they were offering was so much more than clean crack pipes.

“Hey Joe, I got you an appointment with a new housing worker”

“Martha, how is your leg healing up?”

They were building relationships with people. They were watching out for people who may have otherwise been forgotten.

The staff did amazing work that night, and will continue to do so today. Only now they’ve lost an integral part of their program.

This week I’ve become overwhelmed by the hatred and ignorance people have been displaying. Reading more Calgary sun articles and the comments included, I have been horrified by how insensitive people can be.

However….

I am also encouraged by those who I have discussed this issue with, and have left the conversation with a new perspective. I was born and raised in Calgary, and I know that most people there are intelligent, compassionate individuals.

So I ask whoever reads this to consider my argument. If you feel comfortable, please contact the CEO of Alberta health services, Alberta justice, and spread the word to those in your community.

Everyone is worth health and happiness.

Alex Rowan

alexr@cssdp.org

What you can do to support Safeworks:

• Read and share this post


• Share other articles explaining the benefits of safer crack use kits, such as this one by Louise Gallagher: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Gallagher+Free+crack+cocaine+pipes+enable+saving+lives/5284982/story.html?cid=megadrop_story


• Contact Alberta Health Services and the Alberta Justice department and voice your support for harm reduction and complaints over the cancellation:

Alberta Health Services CEO: E-mail: ahs.corp@albertahealthservices.ca
Phone: 780-342-2000
Toll free: 1-888-342-2471

AHS patient concerns officer: Phone: 1-866-561-7578

Alberta Justice: Phone: 780-427-2711