• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Drug Policy and Law
  • Harm Reduction
  • Activism
  • Video Database
  • About Us
  • EN
    • HU
    • RU

Former Polish President: I Was Wrong

June 10, 2013 | Author: Péter Sárosi

Tweet

The former president of Poland, Alexander Kwasniewski apologized for supporting the criminalization of drug users in his speech at the opening session of the international harm reduction conference

There are three magical words very few politicans dare to utter: I was wrong. Mr. Alexander Kwasniewski, the former president of Poland is among them. Last May he published an op ed in the New York Times in which he publicly apologized for signing a bill in 2000 that criminalized people who use drugs. He has realized that the society had to pay a terrible price for criminalization. It has not led to less drug use but filled prisons with young people and created a huge black market. This year he is attending the Harm Reduction 2013 Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he spoke at the opening plenary. The Drugreporter video advocacy team filmed his speech and we posted it uncut:

Mr. Kwasniewski has joined the Global Drug Policy Commission, a group of globally known political leaders and businessmen who promote alternative drug policies based on human rights and public health principles rather than on the utopia of a drug-free world. He set an example in the region for politicians – we hope many others will follow.

Posted by Peter Sarosi
Video by István Gábor Takács

Filed Under: Articles, Video Database Topics: Criminalisation, Drug Policy and Law, Harm Reduction, Regulation and Control, UN Drug policy

Access to this article is free - but to produce articles and videos is not. Drugreporter is a non-profit website that needs your support to provide you with high quality contents.

Become a supporter and make a donation of 5 $ today!

Primary Sidebar

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF DRUGREPORTER! INVEST THE PRICE OF A COFFEE MONTHLY AND MAKE SURE DRUGREPORTER KEEPS RUNNING!
Subscribe to the Newsletter!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

In our new online video show, we regularly discuss new developments in the world of drug policy with professionals, activists and decision makers. You can also listen to the Drugreporter Café in Podcast format on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

COVID-19 Harm Reduction Update

On this info page Drugreporter provides regular updates about resources and news on how harm reduction service providers respond to the COVID-19 Epidemic.

Browse our video database!

Hundreds of videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights for streaming and download, also on a world map!

Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network

Browse videos produced by members of our Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network, from all around the world!

An animated documentary movie based on the original audio recording of Kostya Proletarsky, a drug user and HIV activist who died as a result of mistreatment and torture at a Russian prison. Animation and design by Lili Rontó. Directed and Edited by István Gábor Takács. Narrated by Anya Sarang. Festival appearances, news and resources are available here!

Russian language videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights.








Browse our topics here!

Activism Count the Costs COVID-19 Criminalisation Dose of Science Drug Consumption Rooms Drug Policy and Law Drugreporter Café Drugreporter News European Drug Policy Harm Reduction Hepatitis HIV/AIDS Interviews Just Say Know Video Series Lessons for Drug Policy Series Marijuana Policies Medical Marijuana Needle and syringe programs New Psychoactive Substances Opiate Substitution Overdose Prevention Psychedelic Medicines Regulation and Control Russian Drug Policy Sex Work TAKING BACK WHAT'S OURS! Documentary Series The Andrey Rylkov Foundation UN Drug policy US Drug Policy

Footer

Rights Reporter Foundation 2017
Hungary, 1032 Budapest
San Marco Street 70.
Email: rightsreporter@rightsreporter.net

Search

Our other websites:

The Rights Reporter Foundation

The Autocracy Analyst

Room for Change Campaign

Room in the 8th District Campaign

A Day in the Life movie website

Drugreporter