Drug policy

A drug policy is the policy, usually of a government, regarding the control and regulation of drugs considered dangerous, particularly those which are addictive. Governments try to combat drug addiction with policies which address both the demand and supply of drugs, as well as policies which can mitigate the harms of drug abuse, and for medical treatment. Demand reduction measures include prohibition, fines for drug offenses, incarceration for persons convicted for drug offenses, treatment (such as voluntary rehabilitation, coercive care, or supply on medical prescription for drug abusers), awareness campaigns, community social services, and support for families. Supply side reduction involves measures such as enacting foreign policy aimed at eradicating the international cultivation of plants used to make drugs and interception of drug trafficking. Policies which may help mitigate the effects of drug abuse include needle exchange and drug substitution programs, as well as free facilities for testing a drug's purity.

Drug Policy Alliance

The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is a New York City-based non-profit organization, led by executive director Ethan Nadelmann, with the principal goal of ending the American "War on Drugs". The stated priorities of the organization are the decriminalization of responsible drug use, the promotion of harm reduction and treatment in response to drug misuse, and the facilitation of open dialog about drugs between youth, parents, and educators.

Overview

The Drug Policy Alliance was formed when the Drug Policy Foundation and the Lindesmith Center merged in July 2000.

The organization has offices in five states as well as a national affairs office in Washington, D.C., which lobbies for federal reform. Administrative and media headquarters are located in New York City, NY. The office for legal affairs is located in Berkeley, CA, with two additional state offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The remaining three state offices are located in Trenton, NJ, Santa Fe, NM, and Denver, CO.

Transform Drug Policy Foundation

The Transform Drug Policy Foundation (Transform) is a registered non-profit charity based in the United Kingdom working in the field of drug policy and law reform.

Transform began as an independent campaign group called Transform Drugs Campaign Ltd, and was set up in 1997 by its current Head of External Affairs, Danny Kushlick. The organisation achieved charitable status in 2003 and was renamed 'Transform Drug Policy Foundation' in 2004. In 2007 Transform became the first UK based non-governmental organization (NGO) actively calling for drug law reform, including the legal regulation of drug production supply and use, to be granted special consultative status at the United Nations.

Policies

Transform's mission statement is:

and

Transform describes its activities as to:

Danny Kushlick

Danny Kushlick is a British political activist and founder of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation (TDPF). He stood in the 2010 United Kingdom general election for The People's Manifesto.

Career

Kushlick founded the Transform Drug Policy Foundation in 1996. He is currently that organisation's head of external affairs. He has previously worked with various support organisations, covering learning difficulties, unemployed ex-offenders, drug counselling, and homelessness.

In 2004, he co-authored the report After the War on Drugs: Options for Control, which is a critique of current drug policy in the UK and recommendations for reform. He is a regular commentator on drug policy in print and broadcast media - including BBC, Guardian, Observer, OpenDemocracy, Chatham House Magazine (World Today). His contributions can be accessed through Transform's blog.

The People's Manifesto

In 2010, Kushlick was chosen to stand for Mark Thomas's The People's Manifesto in the 2010 general election in the Bristol West constituency. Kushlick only stood on policy – the legalisation and regulation of drugs – which was drawn from the original manifesto.