In November 2018, the UN System CEB adopted the ‘UN system common position supporting the implementation of the international drug control policy through effective inter-agency collaboration’, expressing the shared drug policy principles of all UN organisations and committing them to speak with one voice. The CEB is the highest-level coordination forum of the UN system, convening biannual meetings of the heads of all UN agencies, programmes and related institutions, chaired by the UN Secretary General. 

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Un fallo de la Sala I de Casación bonaerense trazó una fuerte marca sobre los criterios de tenencia de lo que en la jerga policial/judicial se denomina "estupefacientes". El fallo hizo lugar a un habeas corpus colectivo y preventivo presentado por Gabriel Díaz, como presidente de la Asociación Marplatense de Cannabicultores, que busca evitar las detenciones por tenencia para consumo personal en Mar del Plata que la Bonaerense realizaba pese a existir incluso órdenes desde las fiscalías para impedirlo. La Sala I de Casación bonaerense hizo lugar al habeas corpus, y ordenó a la Bonaerense y demás fuerzas de seguridad en el Departamento Judicial de Mar del Plata no realizar detenciones cuando de la cantidad requisada "surja inequívocamente que la tenencia es para exclusivo consumo personal".

Hace 25 años, Colombia tuvo la gran oportunidad de adoptar una política más humana, eficaz y democrática frente al problema del abuso de sustancias psicoactivas; pero malgastamos esa ocasión. La oportunidad fue la sentencia C-221/94 de la Corte Constitucional, que hace exactamente 25 años declaró inconstitucionales las normas que penalizaban con cárcel el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas ilegales, como la cocaína o la marihuana. El argumento esencial de la Corte fue que esas normas violaban la autonomía y el libre desarrollo de la personalidad, pues la conducta del consumidor no afecta, en sí misma, derechos de otras personas, por lo que no podía ser penalizada.

Sentencia relevante en torno al cannabis. El juzgado de lo contencioso administrativo nº5 de Murcia ha dictado una sentencia, solo recurrible ante el Tribunal Constitucional, por la que establece que el Ayuntamiento de Yecla no tiene competencias para tramitar sanciones por esta cuestión. Esto abre la puerta a anular miles de multas por tenencia de droga en la vía pública en los últimos cuatro años impuestas por los ayuntamientos. El caso atañe a una multa concreta –de 10.401 euros por reiteración en posesión de cannabis en la calle– puesta a un residente de esta localidad murciana, pero el abogado que ha llevado el juicio, Francisco Azorín, explica que va mucho más allá.

Vancouver is proposing to become the first Canadian city to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. Mayor Kennedy Stewart, who is forwarding the motion, says it would allow the city to fully embrace a health-focused approach to substance use. “We all know that the overdose crisis is getting worse, it’s been impacted by COVID, and the level of deaths is intolerable,” Mr. Stewart said. “This can help to reduce stigma and connect folks with health care.” The mayor will introduce the motion Tuesday. If approved by council, the city and Vancouver Coastal Health will submit a formal request to the federal ministers of Health and Public Safety and to Justice Minister and Attorney-General David Lametti. (See also: Vancouver mayor proposes decriminalization of simple drug possession)

Cannabis would be legal and regulated in Victoria (Australia) by 2024 under a Greens proposal, being announced ahead of November’s state election, that the party says could help raise $1.21bn in revenue over 10 years. Under the plan, costed by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office, it will be legal for Victorians aged over 18 to buy cannabis, which would be taxed at a rate of 30% of sales – largely in line with levies on alcohol. Penalties for selling cannabis to people under 18 would also be introduced, set at double the penalty for selling alcohol to underage drinkers. The plan also involves decriminalising small quantities of other drugs, which could save the state an additional $250m, due to savings in the justice system.

In February 2021, two states decriminalized drug possession. One was much anticipated; the other seemed to come out of nowhere. On February 1, Oregon’s ballot Measure 110 became law, making possession of small quantities—less than 1 gram of heroin, for example—no longer criminally punishable. Then, to the bewilderment of many, drug possession was decriminalized in Washington state on February 25. In an opinion authored by Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud, a majority of state Supreme Court Justices found the statute RCW 69.50.4013—establishing felony criminal punishment for drug possession—to be unconstitutional. Washington is the only US state to criminalize the unknowing possession of drugs, subjecting defendants to up to five years in prison and large fines.

Let’s give out heroin, for free, to anyone who wants it. This is not a provocation meant to make you gasp or to elicit angry clicks—rather, it’s a proven strategy for reducing the harm of opioids that’s already in use in several countries across the globe. We face two drug-related crises in the United States. The first we can all agree on: Drugs are killing people at unprecedented rates. Over 90,000 people die each year from overdoses in the US, an amount that has quintupled since 1999. The second crisis is disputed, but no less deadly: Our drug policy leaves people to fend for themselves, while we waste time and resources.

More changes to the law on cannabis could be in the works, the Minister of Social Development and Sport in Bermuda has signalled. Michael Weeks said that more discussions on the island’s attitude to the drug would take place — with further liberalisation of the law not ruled out. Mr Weeks said: “Legalisation is something that’s going to have to be talked about and may have to be sooner rather than later. There’s an almost worldwide trend. Right now, here, it’s medical use, but some countries have legalised for recreational purposes.” Two licences have been issued to local doctors to prescribe the drug for medical reasons. Parliament approved the decriminalisation of 7g or less of cannabis last December.

Scotland has the highest rate of drug-related deaths in Europe and the numbers are continuing to rise at an alarming speed. Both the Scottish government and the UK government are holding summits in Glasgow this week to discuss how they can tackle the drugs death crisis. Plans for drug consumption rooms to get addicts off the streets have been called a "distraction" by the UK government minister for crime. Glasgow's plan for a special facility to allow users to take their own drugs under medical supervision are backed by the Scottish government. But drug legislation is reserved to the Westminster government. (See also: Bring ex-addicts on board to tackle drug deaths crisis, say experts)

Joe Biden has selected Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his vice presidential running mate. She has evolved significantly on marijuana policy over her career. Though she coauthored an official voter guide argument opposing a California cannabis legalization measure as a prosecutor in 2010, she went on to sponsor legislation to federally deschedule marijuana in 2019. Harris is the chief Senate sponsor of the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act—a comprehensive piece of legalization legislation that includes various social equity and restorative justice provisions. Advocates will be watching to see if she continues to advocate for the reform move as she’s on-boarded to the Biden campaign. (See also: 67% of Americans are ready to end federal cannabis prohibition)

The Home Office should climb off its “high horse of oppression and prohibition” and stop pursuing the “fantasy” of a drug-free society, the chair of an influential international consortium on drug policy has said. As a new Global Drug Policy Index is set to rank each country’s approach to tackling narcotics, former New Zealand prime minister and chair of the Global Commission on Drug Policy,Helen Clark, said that the UK was fixated with a “self-defeating” strategy to the issue that bred misery. Clark also said that the Home Office’s approach to drug policy meant it deterred police and crime commissioners in England and Wales who might otherwise advocate for a more liberal strategy.