Michal Matczak (or as he is known among his fans: Mata) is a Polish rapper and activist who launched a campaign for decriminalisation in his country. We interviewed him in Vienna at the 66th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, where he came to share his story and promote decriminalisation.
Drug Policy and Law
Making the UN More NGO-friendly: An Interview with Jamie Bridge
Jamie Bridge is a Bedford-based harm reduction professional and the Chief Operating Officer at the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC). We interviewed him on the occasion of the end of his term as the chair of the Vienna NGO Committee – an organisation that links NGOs and the Vienna-based agencies involved in setting drug policy.
The 66th CND Sessions
Drugreporter recorded six side events, organised by NGOs at the 66th UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, between 13-17 March, 2023. The issues addressed are implementing a human rights approach in drug policy, the nordic drug policy reform, Ukraine’s harm reduction measures during Russian invasion, environmental impacts of the war on drugs and more.
LIFE UNDER OCCUPATION – Part II. Under the power of the Dementors
Imagine for a moment that you have been deprived of the ability to do the usual routine things; to leave the house whenever you like, to walk wherever you like, to go to the cinema, museums, or the theatre, to drink coffee with friends at the corner café, to buy something at the shop, to go to a neighbouring town or to another country. When – in one moment – you find yourself under occupation, you lose everything that your life consisted of.
LIFE UNDER OCCUPATION – Part I. The day that changed our lives
We found out about the war on the morning of 24 February. All the news channels were screaming about it. We were literally crushed by the news: missile attacks on Kiev, Odessa, Dnipro, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk… At the same time gigantic military columns were heading towards Kiev, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa…
A World Tired of Drug Prohibition: Impressions at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs
The Drugreporter team attended this year’s 66th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the largest annual global meeting on drug policies. This is a preliminary written report with some personal impressions – the videos are coming soon. The article has French and Russian translation!
Homage to Catalonia: Cannabis Social Clubs
“The essence of the cannabis social club model is sharing,” explained a cannabis activist to a group of international professionals, who came to Barcelona to study the pioneering cannabis policies of Catalonia.
The Italian Anti-Rave Law Violates Human Rights – Interview with Susanna Ronconi
A new law, that came into effect in December, criminalised “illegal rave parties” in Italy. We interviewed Susanna Ronconi from Forum Droghe, an organisation that opposes the law on human rights and public health grounds.
Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs
In this short film we summarise what the community of people who use drugs in Portugal acknowledges about the famous drug policy model of Portugal, but also what they would like to see improved.
Drugreporter News | 2022 November
In this episode: Two New US States Legalised Cannabis. Colorado Decriminalised the Use of Psychedelics. Key Points of German Cannabis Regulation Leaked to the Press. Italy Bans Raves and Free Parties. Racist Drug War in Brazil. Harm Reduction Advocate Elected to Danish Parliament.