Mindful of a number of issues, it looked as if the 54th CND would be an intriguing event. Held in Vienna between 21-25 March, the Commission would be the first for the new Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr. Yury Fedotov. It was also the first meeting...

This paper argues the case for the legalization of addictive drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. It maintains that there are no “market failures” which could justify a banning of these substances, and that, as in the earlier historical case of prohibition of alcohol, our present...

The international drug control structures, the UN drug control conventions and drug policy in Austria. On Friday 9th and Saturday 10th March 2012, the South East Europe Drug Policy Network (SEE Network) held its annual meeting in Vienna, Austria. The programme of the meeting focused on the...

Economics deals with the allocation of scarce resources in a society with unlimited desires. When resources become scarce, people face difficult choices. This general concept holds true in the field of drug addiction treatment as well. Since drug use and its consequences are associated with...

In the current legal landscape, it is possible to craft policy that combats drug abuse and drug harms, protects human rights, and complies with international drug control law in good faith, by regulating the recreational uses of cannabis products rather than outlawing them. This essay proposes...

The 51st meeting of the CND took place in Vienna from 10th to 14th March 2008. It was an eventful meeting, and this summary of proceedings covers the key aspects of the week, including NGO involvement, the Thematic Debate, progress of resolutions, human rights, coca leaf, harm reduction and the INCB