Under the pretext of fighting a war on drugs to “protect the children,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is preparing a major crackdown on civil society and free speech. This could lead to harm reduction and drug policy reform being repressed—much like in Russia—including Drugreporter itself.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has declared a war on drug traffickers, announcing that Hungary will amend its constitution to criminalise drug use. However, civil society warns that this approach is bound to fail and a more integrated, health-focused approach is needed instead.

At its bi-annual gathering the European harm reduction movement addressed the multiple challenges of our time: rising populism, shrinking space for civil society, changing drug markets and changing needs of people who use drugs. Watch our film we produced at the conference!

In this interview, filmed at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, we discussed current developments of cannabis policy reform in Europe with Tom Blickman from the Transnational Institute.

The recent backlash against the decriminalisation of drug use is a worrying sign of decision-makers’ short-sightedness. We, as a society, need to reconnect with marginalised people and not re-criminalise them.

How does the use of new psychoactive substances, such as “herbal” or “crystal”, affect the Hungarian countryside and cities in 2024? How does Hungarian society treat the users of these drugs? Drug users, ex-dealers, the mayor, helpers and experts answer these questions in a new documentary by Drugreporter.

Drug use is now re-criminalised in Oregon – what are the lessons learnt for drug reformers? We interviewed Theshia Naido, Legal Director at the Drug Policy Alliance.

Civil society activists and decision makers discuss new drug policies that address the emerging drug policy challenges in Europe, and the importance of facilitating a broader public conversation on these matters. Our video presents a side event at the 67th UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

Tony Duffin is the CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project.  Established in 1982, Ana Liffey was Ireland’s first service founded on the principles of Harm Reduction. Tony, who has spent decades at the front line of Irelands burgeoning drug problem, has long advocated for progressive and evidence-informed responses to drugs use. Here Tony provides Drug Reporter with a brief reflection on Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use. In June 2023, Drugreporter visited Dublin where they interviewed key experts about Ireland’s drug policy developments. You can find a link to the film below!

The Andrey Rylkov Foundation urges countries to stop the war on drugs and provide full rehabilitation to the victims! On 26 June, the Andrey Rylkov Foundation joins the global advocacy campaign, Support Don’t Punish Day, to shed light on the devastating consequences of the War on Drugs in Russia and its expansion into Ukraine. Collaborating with Drugreporter, the Foundation releases a short video exposing the atrocities inflicted by punitive drug policies, aiming to raise global awareness and demand urgent change.