Last time, we reported that Portugal is facing a very difficult situation due to the economic and financial crisis. The government claims that austerity measures must be introduced because of the international commitments of the country, and as a consequence, funding for harm reduction services has been cut back significantly. Although funding is still a huge problem (mostly because payments are late and NGOs are forced to close projects), the strong and coordinated advocacy efforts of civil society organizations seem to be bearing fruit.
European Drug Policy
Marijuana in the Bulgarian Parliament – protest against imprisonment sentence
A unique protest action took place in the Bulgarian Parliament last week against a disproportional sentence – a report from Sofia
The Economic Crisis is a Danger for Harm Reduction in Portugal
Portugal is well known for its progressive drug policy – but the economic crisis may undermine effective harm reduction services in the country. Read a short report from our Portugese partner, APDES, and learn how NGOs fight to keep harm reduction on the agenda!
Comparing Drug Policies in the Czech Republic and Romania
On November 28 – 29, 2011, the Czech Centre in Bucharest was the host of a two days conference as part of our EDPI project – read the report of our Romanian partner, Valentin Simionov and a Czech researcher, Vendula Běláčková
Is banning legal highs effective? Learning from the Hungarian experience
It seems we need more than supply reduction and law enforcement to stop the flow of cheap research chemicals from China and India – an HCLU report on legal highs in Hungary
Civil Society Forum on Drugs to Help the Commission to Draft a New EU Drug Strategy
Prohibitionist and harm reduction NGOs cooperate to make recommendations to governments on EU drug policies – a report by the HCLU
7 Reasons Why We Dislike the New Hungarian Drug Strategy
The Hungarian government decided to reject the progressive drug strategy of the country and to draft a new, prohibitionist one. The head of the Drug Policy Program of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union argues that this is an example how a government should NOT draft a drug strategy.
Drug Policy Reform in Poland: It’s Time for Revolution!
On December 9 the new Polish drug law came into effect and liberalized the drug policy – read the report of our Polish partner, Agnieszka Sieniawska!
Street Action in Bulgaria: Count the Costs!
Initiative for Health, a harm reduction NGO, organized the first street action in Bulgaria to promote drug policy reform. The event was part of a coordinated international advocacy campaign of the European Drug Policy Initiative – please read the report of our Bulgarian partner!
Drug criminalization procedures simplified in Romania
On December 5, 2011, the Romanian Government issued a new Emergency Ordinance (GED) which amends the current legislation on drugs. More specifically, the new provision simplifies the procedures for amending the lists with controlled substances: from now on it will be easier to criminalize a new substance, once identified.
