Informal Drug Policy Dialogue Overview

TNI

Mayo 2009

In 2004, the Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Andreas G. Papandreou Foundation (APF) started an Informal Drug Policy Dialogue. Purpose of the dialogue is to have an open-minded exchange of views on current dilemmas in international drug policy making and discuss strategies on how contradictions might be resolved. The meetings are guided by 'Chatham House Rules' to encourage a free exchange of thoughts and confidentiality.

Participants include government officials, representatives from the United Nations and European and other international institutions, and non-governmental drug policy experts and academics engaged in an open-minded debate about ongoing trends. The first dialogue meeting took place in the Orthodox Academy of Crete, in Kolymbari, Crete in June 2004.

In 2007, a similar dialogue series in Latin America started.

Final report on the meeting in Amsterdam, 10-12 December 2009
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The seventh meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue (IDPD) series, a joint initiative of the Andreas Papandreou Foundation and the Transnational Institute, took place from 10-12 December in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The dialogue was co-hosted by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Over 40 people attended the Amsterdam meeting based on personal invitation, with approximately half policy makers and half representatives of non-governmental organizations or academic institutions. The two-day dialogue focused on several themes: law enforcement, human rights and proportionality of sentences; the classification of controlled substances; current developments of the Dutch drugs policy; and various UN-level drug policy developments and preparations for the upcoming CND.

Prior to the Dialogue an Expert Seminar on the Classification of Controlled Substances was held. The issues under discussion were the UN treaty schedules – inconsistencies and options for reform; National classification systems – comparing the UK and Dutch models; and Conclusions - achieving more consistency and rationality. Download the Report on the proceedings.

Final report on the meeting in Crete, 22 & 23 May 2009
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The sixth meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue series, a joint initiative of the Andreas G. Papandreou Foundation and the Transnational Institute, took place in Kolymbari-Chania, Crete, on 22 and 23 May, 2009. This meeting was held at the same venue where the dialogue series began in 2004. Subsequent meetings were held in Budapest (2005), Bern (2006), Rome (2007), and Berlin (2008). A similar series of events also recently began in Latin America in 2007 and Asia in 2008. Thanks are due to the Orthodox Academy of Crete and its staff, at which the May 2009 dialogue was hosted, and to Thanasis Apostolou, Martin Jelsma and Ernestien Jensema for preparation and organization of the meeting.

Final report on the meeting in Berlin, October 9-11, 2008
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The fifth informal drug policy dialogue took place in Berlin in cooperation with the German Federal Health ministry. The principal focus of the meeting was the UNGASS review process, the Political Declaration to be adopted at the next CND meeting in March 2009 and future goals in international drug policy. There were sessions on harm reduction and demand reduction; law Enforcement and supply reduction; decriminalisation and the proportionality of sanctions; and expectations for the future

Final report on the meeting in Rome, November 9-10, 2007
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The fourth informal drug policy dialogue took place in Rome in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Social Solidarity. The two-day dialogue had seven sessions focused on (1) New developments in the field of Harm Reduction; (2) Drugs and prisons; (3) Social spending of confiscated criminal assets; (4) Access to controlled medications; (5) Evaluating the UN drug control system and the 1998 UNGASS review; (6) Towards another control model for cannabis and a reassessment of the coca leaf?; and (7) What to expect from the UNGASS review process.

Final report of the meeting in Bern, November 6-7, 2006
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The meeting was co-hosted by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, which generously provided hospitality and logistical support. Participants, most of whom are actively involved in policy, included over forty people from 21 countries, six inter-governmental organisations, five international NGOs and several academics. The two-day dialogue had four sessions focused on (1) the effectiveness of law enforcement in supply reduction, (2) recent developments around HIV/AIDS and harm reduction, (3) Bolivia and legal options for the coca leaf and (4) preparations for the 2008 UNGASS Review. In addition, participants were invited to visit the Bern city drug injection facility, where managers explained how the facility functioned and gave a guided tour of the premises.

Final report of the meeting in Budapest, October 21-22, 2005
(>Download PDF)The meeting was co-hosted by the Department for Drug Strategic Affairs of the Hungarian Ministry of Youth, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, which generously provided hospitality and logistical support. As in 2004 on the isle of Crete, the meeting had an informal nature. The two-day dialogue was focused on three themes: (1) harm reduction developments at the regional and UN level; (2) alternative development: dilemmas around coca and opium reduction efforts; and (3) preparations for the 2008 UNGASS review.

Final report of the meeting in Crete, June 4-5, 2004 (PDF)
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The meeting is hosted by the Orthodox Academy in Kolymbari. The thirty participants include ministerial officials from several countries, representatives from UN and European institutions, and non-governmental drug policy experts. The two-day dialogue was focused on three themes: (1) explore common ground within a set of general parameters by which 'best practice' or effective drug policy is judged not on dogma or on moral principle but on scientifically evaluated, empirical evidence; (2) the policy debate on cannabis; (3) harm reduction developments at the regional and UN level; and (4) supply reduction.