The government majority in the Hungarian Parliament has passed an amendment to the Criminal Code introducing stricter penalties for drug offences. Civil society organisations that have criticised these legal changes and advocate for harm reduction are now facing threats and defunding.

The Trump administration’s slashing of foreign aid is already having a devastating impact on harm reduction and HIV services around the world. But the harmful effects extend far beyond that. Drugreporter interviewed key experts at the annual UN drugs meeting, the CND in Vienna, to provide a clear picture of the real impacts.

This side event at the 68th CND explored the growing body of evidence highlighting the shortcomings of current drug policies to achieve their stated goals of safety, security, public health and ending stigma, while contributing to significant human rights violations. Organised by Norwegian Association for Humane Drug Policy.

Each year, the UNODC reports an estimated half a million drug-related deaths – deaths that could be prevented with well-funded harm reduction services and an enabling political and legislative environment that provides care and support for people who use drugs, instead of punishment. This side event was organised by the International Drug Policy Consortium.

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!

The City Council of Budapest rejected a proposal from the government party, Fidesz, to abolish the city’s progressive drug strategy and to create a new, repressive strategy.

The UN drug treaties prohibited the use of coca leaf but Andean people are now promoting its re-legalisation. We asked Cesar Aguilar Alcedo, a member of the Bolivian delegation at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, to explain why.

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.