The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the central policy-making body for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the final decision maker on the scheduling of substances. The Commission holds its annual meeting in Vienna, Austria every March with additional conferences in December, and inter-sessional meetings, as needed, throughout the year.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is represented in these meetings by its Austrian chapter who are working tirelessly to amplify the voices of young people, a demographic whose protection the UN claims to prioritize.

This year’s CND begins next week, March 12th,  and with the help of SSDP Österreich (Austria in German), we are starting a project, mirroring the acclaimed Humans of New York series, to introduce you to the humans on the front lines of global drug policy and advocacy.

 

Farid Ghehioueche, Head of Advocacy at Foundation for Alternative Approaches to Addiction (civil society representative)

“There is a long road ahead until legal regulation of drugs is a reality, but now we are finally seeing the light. More and more people are aware that the World is not benefitting from the prohibitionist approach and a Peace on Drugs is needed.”

 

Dr. Larissa J. Maier, UNODC Drug Research Section (former Consultant in Drug Use)

“As a psychologist and addiction researcher, I am interested in human behavior and its impact on health and well-being. And well, I think there are no good or bad drugs but there are good and bad patterns of use depending on frequency and amount of use. Overall, it is our responsibility to ensure that all people who use drugs have access to information and treatment. The fact that the stigma against people who use drugs is still high in many countries of the world makes it more difficult to try new and innovative approaches.

Nevertheless, no person ever deserves the death penalty and no person ever should be criminalized for drug use or possession of small amounts. In the short-term, my aim is to conduct evidence-based research to inform drug policy. In the long-term, I aim to understand how changes in drug policy can affect existing inequalities in societies in a beneficial way.”

 

Ian Hodges, Health Canada (country delegate)

“It is important for governments to continue to work on broad drug prevention efforts. At the same time, regardless of the kind of substances that people are using, we have to make sure citizens have fact based information, so they can make choices free of stigma and that they are well aware of the risks of their decisions. We have to make sure they are able to do so in a safe and healthy environment.”

 

Konstantin Labartkava, Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, Executive Director The New Vector (civil society representative on behalf of GeNPUD)

“We need more civilized approaches, such as prevention of harm, medical rehabilitation, social programs, therapies. Psychedelic treatments have shown fruitful results for problematic drug users and rather than repressive measures, it gives them an opportunity to care for themselves, their families and communities.” (Special thanks to Natia Vardzelashvili for interpreting)

 

Kenzi Riboulet Zemouli, Head of Research at Foundation for Alternative Approaches to Addiction (civil society representative)

“I know many people who use illegal drugs that act more rationally than those who defend this strange  idea of a drug-free World.”