Decriminalisation is a step in the right direction, but is it the destination?

Yesterday's evidence by Russell Brand was a welcome shot in the arm in a public debate about drug law reform played out in the ongoing inquiry conducted by the Commons home affairs select committee.

It was useful to hear from a former addict who has successfully completely rehabilitation, as too often the voices of those who are or have been directly affected by current laws aren't highly prioritised by decision makers.

I also think he brought a welcome dose of reality to the debate, describing the illegality of taking a given drug as 'at worse an inconvenience' rather than an effective deterrent. The perception that giving drugs a higher classification, or indeed classifying them as controlled at all, acting as any deterrent has been hugely undermined by developments in relation to the classification of 'legal highs' alone in the last 18 months, but it is still persistently argued by those who are anti-reform.

However, I personally took issue with his statement that while he would consider decriminalisation a positive change, he wouldn't welcome 'legalization' of drugs.I remain concerned that unless we address the status of drug provision, not just use, being illegal we won't actually be addressing many of the harms created by the current status quo.

If a primary aim of drug law reform is to prevent harm, then we need to ensure that those who use drugs can obtain them safely. This is ALL drug users, not just drug addicts, who need to be able to access drugs from a legal source, to prevent overdose from uncertain strength or polydrug death. Obtaining drugs legitimately would also play a vital part in users feeling able to seek accurate information and ask questions about the drugs they use without fear of judgement, losing their jobs or being kicked off their degree courses.

This is not to mention how illegality of drugs supply is funding and fuelling crime in a way that has been extraordinarily devastating in Central and South America, and indeed communities on our own doorsteps.

So, to sum up, Brand's contribution was a welcome break in what is generally a predictable public debate about more enforcement leading to less drug use. However, until we deal with a regulated supply chain we will only have half solved the problem, which is no solution at all.

Katherine Bavage is a member of the Executive Board of SSDP UK and the liaison for the External Communications Working Group. She can be reached at katherine.bavage@ssdp.org,uk or via @Bavage on twitter 

Ask not what SSDP UK can do for you...but fill in a survey!

Now is a vital time for the drug law reform movement, as increasingly we see the orthodoxy of prohibition challenged by the stark realities of drug addiction, gang violence, disproportionate policing and the erosion of human rights in myriad ways. There are thousands of reasons to be angry that this stupid state of affairs is still the status quo, but getting angry is not enough. We have to have our voices heard.

I am a passionate believer in the power of a group of people, democratically organised and dedicated to the pursuit of their cause, to effect change. I am proud to tell my family, my friends and my work colleagues that I am part of the group charged with helping run the largest UK student-led organisation campaigning to end the war on drugs. A drugs policy based on evidence and compassion should naturally come from places of education, research and learning in our society, and from the voices of young people who often bear the brunt of prohibition.

For most of us our contact with SSDP UK may have started from a chance meeting at a Freshers fayre, or perhaps through seeing an event and turning up with half an idea in mind about what drugs law reform was about. Perhaps then you came to a social, or a larger event like our day school in 2009 or two national conferences subsequently. Hopefully you're on the facebook group, and maybe perhaps you follow us on twitter.

But; how will you make sure that in years to come SSDP UK is successful in having our voices heard?

For the next two weeks you have the opportunity to fill in a members survey, and after that, to come to our conference in April and share your thoughts about how to ensure the future success of the organisation.

Filling in a survey or joining a discussion group probably doesn't sound very exciting, but out there in our membership is a teeming pool of talent, activism and enthusiasm. Taking a moment to share your thoughts now may well provide the spark lead to the organisation that delivers a fairer drug law reform in the UK within a generation.

So, take five minutes, fill out the survey; tell us what you know we can do more of, and the best way to do it. We promise that we'll be listening.

The deadline for filling in the survey is Saturday the 24th of March.

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Activism across Europe

SSDP UK boardmember Katherine Bavage reports back from a visit to Poland to meet with other youth and student drug law reform activists.

I'm writing this in the offices of the Polish Drug Policy Network in Warsaw, Poland. Me and Levent Akbulut, both members of SSDP UK's national executive board have been here since Tuesday morning meeting with our European counterparts.

I first met Jan Stola, Bjarke Jørgensen and Luca Stefenelli at the first European Youth and Student Drug Policy Reform Conference, held in Manchester last year by SSDP UK. At the time I was impressed with the depth of knowledge and activist organisation already present in youth groups across Europe, and as we catch up nearly a year later its clear that progress has continued.

Studencka Inicjatywa Narkopolitiyki - or SIN, as my lack of Polish speaking ability prefers! - have been doing some exciting work. They've recently held a well attended activist training session in Warsaw, and are looking to work to deliver harm reduction advice during the European Football Championship as part of the 'Safer Games' campaign many organisations are involved in.

Meanwhile, Bjarke is working on developing a youth advocacy organisation in Denmark. Based in Copenhagen the intention is to build on existing meetings with danish street lawyers and activists to raise the profile of drug law reform issues in the public policy sphere - this week they've launched their website and are looking to get the word out there and get supporters on board.

Finally, Luca is based in the University of Trento and has worked to set up Dipendenza Alternativa in the area. Just this week they are too launching a website, and are really keen to raise public awareness in Italy of the problems caused by prohibition to the Italian people - including severe prison overcrowding.

It's been a fascinating few days of learning about how other organisations across Europe are striving in their different ways to achieve the same things as SSDP UK. Myself and Lev will report back to the UK board and I hope continue to learn from and support our European counterparts. Its a potentially very exciting idea to look at trying to achieve out aims on a European scale, and I am hopeful that our members will have a chance to meet and discuss the issues with European delegates at our conference in April.

- If you would like to find out more about SSDP's annual conference in london in April 2012, please visit the facebook event or take a look at the call for papers
- If you are interested in finding out more about other European groups and their work please email Katherine at Katherine.bavage@SSDP.org.uk

Follow SSDP on Facebook and Twitter. If you are interested in writing for the SSDP UK blog,please get in touch.

SSDP UK conference call out

Call for Papers/Presentations: Students for Sensible Drug Policy UK annual conference 2012

“Building Leadership in the Drug Policy Reform Movement”
School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
20-22nd April 2012
frequently justify the millions of pounds spent on fueling The War on Drugs as a means of protecting our youth from drug harms. For many young people, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds, the reality of punitive drug policies mean increasing amounts of police harassment, surveillance and unnecessary criminalisation.

How does drug prohibition impact on young people today?

What role do young people have to play in fighting against drug prohibition?

How can we empower young people to become leaders of our movement?

Every year SSDP UK hold a conference to bring together activists, academics and young people from across the UK and Europe to mobilise against the drug prohibition. This year our conference will focus on practical ways to empower young people in our movement.

A non-exhaustive list of issues we are interested in:

- The impact of punitive drug laws on young people, particularly those from ethnic minorities

- The impact of discriminatory policing practices, particularly in a post-riot social landscape

- Practical and innovative ways to create a space for young people to be empowered

- How should the drug law reform movement organise?

- The role of Cannabis Social Clubs, Drug Users Unions, Students societies and community groups in mobilising against drug prohibition

We welcome proposals for papers, presentations, videos, workshops, art pieces, on a variety of subjects (be creative!). Due this year’s conference location in London, we are especially interested in hearing from London based activists, artists, academics, young people, and youth workers who can give the local angle, but don't let that put you off getting in touch if you are from elsewhere :)

Please email levent.akbulut@ssdp.org.uk or education@ssdp.org.uk with your ideas by Wednesday 7th March.

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Student Elections

Yes, its this time of year again - where student politicians start gearing up to convince the student body that they are the best candidate to vote for in the upcoming student elections.

At SSDP, we reckon that it can be really quite useful to get SSDP activists involved in student unions politics. Sabbatical officers can ensure students are getting unbiased and relevant harm reduction information and are well placed to advocate on behalf of students facing eviction from halls of residence for drug use.

If you are interested in standing in your union elections and you want some advice on what policies around drugs and welfare that could be good to include in your manifesto then please get in touch at education[at]ssdp.org.uk

Even if you aren't interested in standing in students union elections, emailing the candidates during the campaign period and asking them what their stance on drug policy reform and providing harm reduction information within unions is a great way of ensuring that drug policy remains a relevant issue on campus. If you publicly publish the answers within your facebook group and through your mailing lists than your members can also have a better idea of which candidates to vote for.

Research on mephedrone

G Jones summarizes some new research on the effects of mephedrone.

The research done here indicates that there is no neurotoxicity caused by mephedrone to the dopamine systems in the brain. Amongst other things, these systems affect reward, learning, motivation, sexual gratification and attention span, and the fact that even in doses resembling significant binges (1-3g for a 70kg person) there is no damage here is very reassuring. That said, there is evidence which shows that mephedrone causes significant and persistent serotonin deficits, similar to MDMA.

Read the papers exploring mephedrone's effect on serotonin and dopamine. If you are a current student, it is likely you can read the papers by logging in through your university's VPN client or through Athens, or alternatively check it out at the library.

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Statement regarding Peter Reynolds and CLEAR

It has come to our attention that the current leader of CLEAR (Cannabis Law Reform), Peter Reynolds, has in recent weeks come under fire for his allegedly homophobic, racist and sexist blogposts.

Drug prohibition affects us all. Yet discriminatory practices in policing, healthcare and wider society mean that young people and minorities are often disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Students for Sensible Drug Policy UK has long enjoyed good relationships with BME people, young people, disabled people, LGBT people and women based on solidarity and friendship, and we hope this situation will continue.

We feel that BME people, young people, disabled people, LGBT people and women are and should be actively involved at every level of our organisation and the wider movement, and as such we cannot risk this alienating commentary to go unchallenged. We unreservedly condemn racism, ableism, sexism and homophobia, particularly from within our own movement.

On the formation of the Cannabis Law Reform party, SSDP UK welcomed endeavours to re-engage the cannabis community with grassroots drug law reform activism, and what we have witnessed overall was largely very positive. Recently, however, we have been greatly disappointed by the reported inappropriate, unprofessional and discriminatory behaviours of a few individuals. We believe that public figures have a responsibility to the movement when they chose to make their private views known in public forums - and they should not be unprepared to be criticized where these are offensive to the vast majority of activists, or descend into petty ad hominem attacks on individuals. We believe that all activists within our movement should behave in an appropriate manner, and condemn any attacks on individuals' private lives.

SSDP UK feels that the mismanagement of this issue by CLEAR is potentially damaging for the wider movement's credibility and reputation. It is for this reason alone the Board has refrained from making this statement or its concerns public to date.

We do not wish to interfere in the running of other organisations, but as the executive board of SSDP UK we have a responsibility to our members to ensure that our movement is a safe space for them to organise. As such, we feel that the actions of the CLEAR leader has made a working relationship untenable and we cannot allow SSDP UK to be associated with CLEAR until we feel that their leadership demonstrates it understands the seriousness and problematic nature of recent events, and takes appropriate steps to remedy the situation.

We hope that we are able to maintain and strengthen our good relationships with the committed cannabis activists who share our values of solidarity and equality.

UPDATE: This post has been edited on 29/01/2012 to include the phrase: "We believe that all activists within our movement should behave in an appropriate manner, and condemn any attacks on individuals' private lives."

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