Reflection on the UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs – one year on

Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 2, Page 74-80, June 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show a reflection of one year on how the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) event was unfolded and its impacts and longer term implications. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a consideration of relevant past and present documentation and commentary. Experiences as a participant at some of the events described. Findings UNGASS was called for by countries affected by the failings of the existing conventions who wanted to introduce reformed alternative policies. Representatives of the status quo who opposed such change were partially successful in retaining some aspects of the prohibition approach and in minimising dissent and debate. Research limitations/implications Some decision-making discussions were not open to all potential participants – governmental, regional and civil society, including the author. Practical implications The wider debate prompted by the UNGASS indicated a breakdown in the previous consensus around the prohibition and punitive paradigm of the international conventions. Social implications Greater emphases o n health and human rights aspects of international drug policy were included in the final documents. This provides scope for continued evolution of these emphases in the future. Originality/value The paper presents an account of the UNGASS and pre-UNGASS proceedings from the point of view of a ref orm-minded participan...

Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - April 28, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research