For a split second, the door to drug policy reform in Canada opened ever so slightly. But then Justice Minister Peter MacKay was quick to slam it…
Harm Reduction Comes of Age in Canada, or Does It?
This post first appeared in the Centre for Addictions Research of BC’s blog Matters of Substance. The Supreme Court of Canada’s September 2011 decision allowing Vancouver’s supervised…
The Road to 2016 – Drug Policy Consensus Shattered
There’s a Crack in Everything – That’s How the Light Gets In (with thanks to Leonard Cohen) I couldn’t help it. Sometimes my mind would wander while…
Treat drug use as a public health issue, not criminal issue, say UN agencies
Criminal activity and drug trafficking. Distressingly, those are dominant discussion points at this week’s annual UN drug policy conference – the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). As…
What will Canada contribute to a new global drug policy?
Canadians take pride in being viewed favourably on the global stage. And not just for of our scenic landscapes or plucky Olympians, but also because our contributions…
Measuring lives saved: the facts about safer consumption services
This post first appeared in the Centre for Addictions Research of BC’s blog Matters of Substance. Despite the pragmatic nature of harm reduction programs, and their demonstrated…
Our 2013 Top Ten Drug Policy Moments Countdown
What a year it’s been. Litigation, legal regulation, anniversaries, confessions, people in high places talking about their drug use and political leadership drew the headlines. We launched…
World Aids Day 2013: If our goal is zero, drug policy reform is crucial
Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths. That is the goal set by UNAIDS over the next two years. But when it comes to stopping…
Cannabis regulation is by no means a simple matter, but it can be done
At the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC) one of things we’ve noticed is that any blog we publish on cannabis regulation attracts more attention than any other…