www.globalcommissionondrugs.org

For Immediate Release:                          Contact: Tony Newman (646)335-5384

May 27, 2011

Former Presidents of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Switzerland, Prime Minister of Greece, Kofi Annan, George Shultz and Paul Volcker Call for Paradigm Shift in Global Drug Policy

Commission of World Leaders Urges New Approaches to Failed Drug War, Move from Criminal Justice toward Public Health Approach

Live Press Conference and Teleconference on Thursday, June 2 in New York City

The Global Commission on Drug Policy will host a live press conference and teleconference on Thursday, June 2 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City to launch a new report that describes the drug war as a failure and calls for a paradigm shift in global drug policy.
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The Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy has produced a report, released in April after 18 months of discussions, which concluded that marijuana is the illicit drug with less potential for harm. The document, which will to be delivered to the government in July, proposes an alternative way to combat the drug problem, since “achieving a world free of drugs” has proved to be an elusive goal.

The institution, formed by experts from various fields such as health, law, journalism, public security, athletism, social movements, among others, calls for an “honest debate” on the issue and the discussion on the regulation of marijuana, cultivation for personal, consumption and the decriminalization of its use. The report also cites the examples of Spain, Netherlands and Portugal, which adopted similar measures to those set by the Commission.

Carta Capital magazine discussed the report with the president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy, the doctor Paulo Gadelha, who advocates “depenalization” of the user, ie, it is still a crime, but no prison as punishment.

CartaCapital: The report proposes a new approach to fighting drugs. What would be the most appropriate way to deal with the problem?

To read the full text (in Portuguse), click here.