Newsletter Tag: May 2026

A French translation has been released of a landmark report exploring how the legal regulation of stimulant drugs could provide an alternative to prohibitionist policies that have failed to reduce production, consumption, and drug-related harms worldwide. Originally published in 2020, the report examines how substances such as cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamines could be regulated through a public health- and social justice-oriented framework designed to reduce violence, exploitation, and overdose deaths associated with illegal markets.

The report proposes measures including government-controlled supply chains, state-regulated retail outlets, standardized dosages, plain packaging with health warnings, and restrictions on advertising and commercialization. It also emphasizes the importance of investing revenues from regulated markets in harm reduction, treatment, education, and sustainable development initiatives, particularly for communities most affected by the “war on drugs”.

The French edition was produced by Association des intervenants en dépendance du Québec (AIDQ), Fédération Addiction,  Fédération bruxelloise des institutions spécialisées en matière de drogues et addictions (féda bxl), and Groupement Romand d’Études des Addictions (GREA), and features a foreword by Commissioner Ruth Dreifuss. Readers are also invited to watch the webinar recording featuring Commissioner Dreifuss discussing the report and its proposals.

Read the full guide in English, French and Spanish

A new report by Acción Andina – Bolivia and the feminist coalition Programa Libertas documents torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment linked to the implementation of drug policy in Bolivia. Drawing on a decade of socio-legal research, casework, and testimonies from affected individuals, the report examines abuses experienced by people who use drugs, people accused of low-level drug offenses, and coca growers from Los Yungas in La Paz.

The publication documents patterns of violence during police operations and in detention facilities, prisons, and so-called “rehabilitation centers,” highlighting the racial, socioeconomic, and gendered dimensions of these abuses. It also underscores the widespread impunity surrounding such practices, as well as the lack of justice, care, and reparations available to survivors.

The findings were submitted to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture ahead of its evaluation visit to Bolivia in December 2024.

Read the full report in English and Spanish

The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) has published a new advocacy note outlining how the independent expert panel established by Commission on Narcotic Drugs Resolution 68/6 can ensure meaningful engagement with civil society, affected communities, academia, and youth organizations. Adopted at the Commission’s 68th session in March 2025, the resolution established a multidisciplinary panel to review the international drug control system and develop recommendations to strengthen its implementation.

The note argues that inclusive and transparent consultations will be essential to ensuring that the review process advances health, human rights, social justice, and evidence-based drug policies. Drawing on practices from across the UN system, it proposes recommendations for a coordinated and participatory consultation process to better inform the panel’s deliberations and outcomes.

Read the full advocacy note in English

A new expert review examines trends in cocaine use in France in the context of increased A new expert review examines trends in cocaine use in France in the context of increased availability, evolving trafficking methods, and changing patterns of consumption. The report highlights rising use across broader population groups, including increased use of crack cocaine, and examines the associated health, social, and economic impacts. It reviews evidence on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, social support, and criminal justice responses, with the aim of identifying effective and promising public health strategies. The analysis underscores the need for coordinated and integrated policies that address the health, social, and market-related dimensions of cocaine use.

Read the full report in French