International Drug Policy Consortium

The IDPC is a global network of 24 national and international NGOs that specialise in issues related to illegal drug use. The Consortium aims to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and supports evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harm. It disseminates the reports of its member organisations about particular drug-related matters as well as offers expert consultancy services to policymakers and officials around the world.

The Consortium was initiated at the seminar entitled Global Drug Policy-Future Directions held by the Beckley Foundation in the House of Lords, Westminster Palace in 2004. It is chaired by the Co-director of the Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, Mike Trace.

Current members of the Consortium are:

• AKZEPT (Germany)
• Australian Drug Foundation (Australia)
• The Beckley Foundation (UK)
• Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (Canada)
• CanadianFoundation for Drug Policy(Canada)
• Correlation - European network Social Inclusion and Health(Europe)
• CEEHRN - Central and eastern European Harm Reduction Network (Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia)
• Centro de Respuestas Educativas y Comunitarias A.C. (CRECE) (Mexico)
• Drugscope (UK)
• Drug Policy Action Group (Ireland)
• Drug Policy Alliance (USA)
• European Netwrok for Drugs and Infections Prevention in Prisons (ENDIPP) (Europe)
• ERIT (Europe)
• Forum Droghe(Italy)
• Groupement Romand D'tudes des Addictions (GREA) (Switzerland)
• Hungarian Civil Liberties Union(Hungary)
• Intercambios(Argentina)
• International Harm Reduction Association
• International Harm Reduction Development Programme
• New Zealand Drug Policy Foundation
• Persepolis (Iran)
• Release
• South Eastern European-Adriatic Treatment Network SEEAN (Europe)
• Trans-National Institute (The Netherlands)
• Turning Point
(Australia)
• Washington Office of Latin America (USA)

The overall purpose of the work of the Consortium is to produce evidence and analysis that assists policymakers in producing effective future policies and programmes; to distribute these materials widely and promote discussion of their findings; and to make specific recommendations to national governments and international agencies when official policy reviews are being conducted.

For more information visit the IDPC website www.idpc.info

These are all the IDPC publications up to date, available to download on pdf format:

Position Paper 1: IDPC - Commission on Narcotic Drugs Position Paper 2: IDPC - Drug Policy Objectives Should Increasingly Focus on the Consequences of Drug Use Position Paper 3: IDPC - Efforts to Reduce the Supply of Drugs Should not Focus on the Punishment of Growers Position Paper 4: IDPC - The European Union Drug Strategy: Progress and Problems. Position Paper 5: IDPC - The UN System Should Develop a More Co-ordinated Approach to Drug Policy Issues IDPC Briefing Paper One The UNGASS Evaluation Process Evaluated IDPC Briefing Paper Number Two The 2006 World Drug Report

IDPC Briefing Paper Three Civil Society Involvement In the European Union Drug Strategy. IDPC Briefing Paper Four The European Union Drug Strategy Progress and Problems. IDPC Briefing Paper Five Report of the 2007 Commission on Narcotic Drugs IDPC Briefing Paper Six The World Drug Report 2007 IDPC Briefing Paper Seven The International Narcotics Control Board: Current Tensions and Options for Reform IDPC Advocacy Guide October 2007. This document serves as an introduction to the structure and operation of the UN drug control system, and describes the forthcoming process of review leading to the political meeting in 2009.