Quick correction - In Singapore the death penalty is available and regularly used for over 500g trafficking of cannabis, or 200g of resin (unsure if it's available for less). But this is more than 2oz re my comment (& you can buy 1oz in Colorado).
Some UK Police & Crime commissioners have called for cannabis to be made a Class A drug
In this interview I shoot down this ridiculous idea, and try to map out a better way forward
t.co/VXiARjVEaG
*Does drug criminalisation increase harmful drug use? A scoping review*
'these findings allow for the preliminary conclusion that drug criminalization may increase use among some population segments'
New paper in the 'Drug Science Policy & Law' journal
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Also; most cocaine related deaths involve polydrug use (Scotland 2020: only 8% were cocaine alone).
www.crew.scot/wp-content/u...
& whilst autopsy/forensics cant make a distinction, other data suggests most are related to smoked crack/injected cocaine rather than snorted powder (all are Class A)
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Drugs death data has always been something of a minefield - and UK methodology has evolved over this period
But stats pedantry aside, I hope this illustrates that any assumption harsher penalties will deliver better outcomes is tragically misguided & scientifically untenable
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Note: this is data for England and Wales only -
ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
Numbers are even higher if Scotland and NI (where data is compiled separately) are included
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'Making a drug class A will deter use & help keep communities safe'
A familiar Government narrative - but true or false?
Cocaine has been class A for 60 years - hows that worked out?
Here's a graph showing the 100x increase in cocaine-related deaths over the last 30 years
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"U.S. Dietary Guidelines are expected to eliminate the long-standing recommendation that adults limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per day", according to @reuters.com.
As the article states, this would be "a major win" for the alcohol industry.
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
🚨NEW BLOG🚨
*Harm reduction as a form of resistance*
The amazing plenary speech by Michelle Wazan, from
@Skoun_org in Lebanon, at the @HRInews #HRI25 conference in Bogota last month
transformdrugs.org/blog/michell...
The UN Coca Leaf Review and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights:
Can the @WHO Meet the Moment?
Brilliant new long read explainer in the @TNInstitute *Coca Chronicles* series - by @MartinJelsmaTNI & John Walsh from @WOLA_org
www.tni.org/en/article/t...
Woman with sunglasses on her head and a devil pitchfork along with man holding fusilli pasta and gluten free spaghetti
Blonde woman in colorful dress with navy jacket standing next to man with sharp Grey suit, pink shirt and dark tie. The are standing in front of a converted yellow ambulance that was the UK's first drug consumption room based in Glasgow from 2020 - 1, and in front of an art installation representing the drug related deaths, where each beautifully painted flower represents a beautiful soul no longer with us. The woman and man are good friends and now the woman misses her pal.
Heartbroken to hear about Peter Krykant. We had many adventures, scientific and ridiculous, here and far away. It was an honour to evaluate your van, the first UK drug consumption room, and I'll never stop talking about it. Thinking of his boys whom he loved so very much and all who loved him
There may be a time where toxicology & risk is properly established for some novel cannabinoids; if lower than legal cannabis this cld provide a justification for a regulatory model. We are nowhere near this IMHO; we know little about these products because they are so new
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Some places where the novel legal product mkts have become established (eg in NZ for SCRAs & Czechia for hemp derived cannabinoids) regulation models have been established before cannabis is legalised. While this is obviously mad it's also a legacy of cannabis prohibition
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My take on this; regulate cannabis (see Transform guide on how) and ban all these synthetic & semi-synthetic products.
This may seem prohibitionist... But there's no responsible regulatory model where you can just invent new drugs and start selling them unregulated.
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Notably use of these 'intoxicating hemp' products is twice as high in cannabis US prohibition states than in regulated cannabis states.
It is clear that the market opportunity for these products is created by the farm bill loophole combined with cannabis prohibition
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Research suggests in this largely unregulated wild west many products are mislabeled and/or contaminated. Many are also entirely synthetic (not hemp derived) & many contain hemp derived semisynthetic delta 9THC (ie regular THC) - in both cases federally illegal
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The speakers have made it clear how little is known about most of these substances in terms of toxicology, potency & risks. Even consumers often dont know what they are using
Amazingly these products are legal (but unregulated) in many states where cannabis remains illegal
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While some states have banned these novel cannabinoids (most - but not all - derived from hemp derived CBD)& there are efforts to close the loophole at a federal level - it has unleashed a policy shit-storm for US regulators & public health advocates
www.marijuanamoment.net/congressiona...
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Fascinating session at @CannRegulators assoc conference on novel & new cannabinoids - including an 'alphabet soup' of new semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta8 & HHC nominally legalised in the US by the 2019 Farm bill & widely sold, largely unregulated, across the US
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And finally on Thursday afternoon, before I head home, I'm sharing insights on EU policy developments at the International Cannabis Bar Association @theINCBA cannabis law institute
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On Thursday morning I'm joining a meeting of the Minority Cannabis Business Association - to learn about how evolving experiences with equity programs can help shape future devlopmenta in the UK and Europe.
minoritycannabis.org
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Im on a panel on regulating high potency cannabis products, but the wider event is a great opportunity to connect with many regulatory pioneers & learn about what's working (& what's not), how emerging challenges are being tackled and share analysis from Europe
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First up today is the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) summit; regulators from US reform states meeting external stakeholders (Inc a few international voices like us) to explore development and implementation of best practice
www.cann-ra.org/meetings/8cu...
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I'm in Denver, Colorado this week for a triple whammy of cannabis policy events....
Quick thread (discussion on policy to follow as they come up....)
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Looking forward to reading 'Psychedelic Capitalism' by Jamie Brownlee & Kevin Walby, which just arrived on my doormat
It explores the renaissance 'in the context of corporate capture, medicalization, and the war on drugs'
See this Talkingdrugs blog for an overview👇
t.co/XxwX2P6xWq
The Loop is back this Saturday, 26th April Come by to access non-judgemental drug harm reduction advice, with the opportunity to submit substances of concern for testing with us 🕥 When: 12pm - 7pm 📍 Where: Bristol Drugs Project @bristoldrugsproject 11 Brunswick Square, Bristol, BS2 8PE
We are back in Bristol this weekend at @bdpbristol.bsky.social to deliver our drug checking service!
Substances can be dropped off anytime between 12-7pm. You are welcome to call in to find out more about drug checking, the substances tested here in Bristol and around the UK, and related info.
The bill now has to pass through the senate (v. likely) & be signed off by the president (who has said he will sign it)🙏
..While momentum for much needed reform builds around the world the UK govt shamefully refuses to even engage in an adult discussion on alternatives to the failed status quo.
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The Czech house of deputies today approved a penal reform Bill that;
🟢 Decriminalises possession of up to 100g of cannabis in the home
🟢Allows for home cultivation of cannabis (3 plants) for personal use
🟢 Permits medical/therapeutic use of psylocibin
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