Tom Blickman

Researcher, Drugs and Democracy Programme

Tom Blickman (1957) is an independant researcher and journalist, based in Amsterdam. Before coming to TNI he was active in the squatters and solidarity movements in Amsterdam. He worked for Bureau Jansen & Janssen, a research institute on intelligence and police matters. Now he specialises in International Drug Control Policy and Organised Crime as a researcher at TNI's Drugs & Democracy Programme.

Areas of expertise:

International Drug Control Policy, Transnational Organised Crime, Global Enforcement Regimes

Languages spoken:

English, Dutch

Selected publications:

The Ecstasy Industry

Recent content by Tom Blickman

Hollande will not go Dutch on cannabis (20 May 2012)

The new president of France, François Hollande, is not likely to change cannabis policies. His choice as Minister of the Interior, Manuel Valls, is a declared opponent to any reform on cannabis.

Cannabis social club activists in Spain liberated (22 Nov 2011)

Cultivation and consumption of cannabis is decriminalised to an extent but lack of guidelines causes rogue social clubs to undermine the success of self-regulated social clubs. The result; an unwarranted arrest of three Pannagh activists.

Immediate release for Martin Barriuso and his two fellow activists (17 Nov 2011)

The arrest of Barriuso and two fellow activists of Pannagh is uncalled for. They should be released immediately.

The urgent next steps in ATS and Harm reduction (10 Nov 2011)

Now is the time to implement low cost and simple harm reduction measures for amphetamine-type stimulant users.

In memoriam: Adrian Cowell (31 Oct 2011)

Adrian Cowell, a groundbreaking documentary film maker and good friend, died early October in London.

Amphetamine Type Stimulants and Harm Reduction (10 Oct 2011)

Little is known about the methamphetamine market in the region, but there are strong indications that the situation is deteriorating with substances becoming stronger, methods of use more harmful and the number of users steadily increasing. There is an urgent need for donors and governments to introduce effective harm reduction measures.

Time for a realistic new international drugs framework (25 Mar 2011)

It is time to face up to the fact that the 50 year old 1961 UN drugs convention is obsolete, impossible to amend and has lost its integrity.

Coca leaf: Myths and Reality (18 Feb 2011)

Many myths surround coca. Every day press accounts around the world use the word coca in their headlines, when they refer in fact to cocaine. TNI's Drugs and Democracy Team expose the myths and reality surrounding the coca leaf.

Argentina and Mexico clash with the INCB, Italy with Europe (3 May 2010)

At the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna this year, Mexico and Argentina object to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)'s criticisms as an incursion on national sovereignty, while Italy blocks the EU's planned "harm reduction" legislation.

Hulp VS in Mexicaanse strijd tegen drugs (24 Mar 2010)

De Verenigde Staten gaan Mexico helpen in de strijd tegen drugs. Een delegatie onder leiding van de Amerikaanse ministers Clinton en Gates, belooft Mexico onder meer geld en extra manschappen. Tom Blickman van Transnational Institute doet onderzoek naar drugsbeleid over de hele wereld en schat de effectiviteit van de steun in.