About a drug: Khat
Khat is a scraggly plant that grows in the dry hillsides and sandy rocky soils of Africa. Its small green leaves and average height don’t leave a lasting impression on one’s mind, but chewing said leaves might.
Q&A: Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary-General and a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Kofi Annan took time to answer questions from Matters of Substance about his role on the board of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
Viewpoints: Should New Zealand have supervised injection sites?
Supervised injection sites are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities designed to reduce harm from injecting drug use. Overwhelmingly, the evidence shows they have reduced harm from intravenous drug use in these places, so is i
Decriminalisation of kratom in Thailand
Kratom leaves have long been used medicinally and recreationally and, more recently, as part of treatment for opiate addiction. The Thai Government is considering its legalisation.
Sounding the drug war retreat
There are clear signs that the global consensus on drugs is becoming increasingly fractured, writes Ann Fordham.
What’s going on in the smoke filled rooms?
Tobacco giants are making it known that plain packaging legislation will meet with forceful litigation in international courts and forums. What advice exists for advocates?
It’s not about the drugs
A new report has reignited the call for an even hand in the policing of drugs, citing figures that show the glare of police scrutiny is disproportionately focused on non-whites.
Growing alternatives
The UN has been encouraging development of alternative crops in poorer drug-producing countries for over a decade. Results have been mixed.
Synthetic solutions: the global response to ‘legal’ highs
A vast array of new psychoactive substances, rapidly spread via online sources, is causing havoc for law and policy makers worldwide.