68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND68) 

Addressing the Human Rights Impact of Synthetic Drugs: Challenges for Vulnerable Groups in the Americas 

The Cross-Border Working Group on Synthetic Drugs is a civil society initiative convened by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) with the purpose of bringing evidence-based information and policy proposals grounded in science, health, compassion, and human rights to decision-makers in response to the synthetic drug overdose crisis, decision makers and other stakeholders champion key strategies and avoid failed and harmful paradigms. 

Watch highlights from the session here.

When: Tuesday, March 11^th, 2025 

Participants 

• John Walsh, Washington Office on Latin America (moderator) 

• Steve Rolles, Transform Drug Policy Foundation  

• Theshia Naidoo, Drug Policy Alliance 

• Lisa Sánchez, México Unido Contra la Delincuencia 

• Renata Demichelis, Elementa DDHH 

• Nick Boyce, Canadian Drug Policy  (view presentation slides)

Drug Decriminalization: Separating Fact from Fiction 

The harms caused and exacerbated by drug policies that rely on criminalization and punishment are well documented.  In response, jurisdictions around the world have turned toward alternative strategies that center health and human rights, including over 70 national or subnational regions that have adopted various forms of drug decriminalization. While some of these policies have been operational for decades, other, more recent, reforms have faced backlash and setbacks. This side event will discuss the harms of criminalization, provide facts to counter misinformation about health centered drug policies, and discuss strategies employed by and lessons learned from recent decriminalization efforts. 

Watch the session here.

When: Wednesday, March 12^th, 2025 

Chair: Global Commission on Drug Policy  

Speakers: 

• Theshia Naidoo Drug Policy Alliance, U.S 

• Nick Boyce, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition  

• Isabel Pereira-Arana, Dejusticia, Colombia  

• Michael Kessler, Michael Kessler Media 

• Daniel Joloy, Amnesty International 

• Niamh Eastwood, Release, UK 

NGO co-sponsors: 

• Amnesty International 

• Canadian Drug Policy Coalition 

• Dejusticia 

• Disentir  

• Drug Policy Alliance 

• International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy 

• International Drug Policy Consortium 

• INPUD 

• LANPUD 

• Release