Far from having a deterrent effect, the number of drug-related crimes in Indonesia increased in the months after the executions were carried out in January and April 2015. During the subsequent crackdown, researchers and advocates also documented an increase in the use of coercive measures, prison overcrowding, including raids by law enforcement, forced drug testing, and compulsory detention. […]

Duterte wasted little time in his annual state of the nation address to defend a crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos. He said that though he valued human life, he needed to tackle “beasts and vultures” that were preying on helpless people and stopping foreign investment from pouring in. […]

Drug decriminalisation and heroin-injecting rooms around the world are being studied first-hand by one of Victoria’s top police officers, despite the Victorian government’s continued opposition to a supervised injecting centre. […]

Almost 20 years since Prime Minister John Howard scuttled a scientific trial into the effectiveness of providing prescription heroin to addicts, former ACT independent MLA Michael Moore believes its time to start the conversation about it again. […]

Victoria’s former police chief has spoken out in support of supervised injecting rooms for Melbourne, saying drug use is not an issue to “arrest your way out of”. Ken Lay, now Ambulance Victoria chairman, told Joy FM’s Saturday Magazine program that drug users were sick, not criminals. […]

McFarland Sánchez-Moreno turns to drug reform as her primary remit, at the head of an organization with a $15 million budget, offices in California, Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington, D.C.; a considerable cadre of experienced and talented professionals, and a well-earned reputation for being able to make drug reform actually happen. […]

Indonesia already has tough laws against drugs, and Mr Widodo has previously been criticised for ordering executions against convicted drug traffickers given death penalties in the country’s courts. Mr Widodo’s remarks have drawn comparison to that of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a brutal anti-drug crackdown about a year ago that saw many alleged drug dealers killed. […]

“(Srivijayan) was executed despite a pending appeal to have his case taken to the International Court of Justice, which would look into allegations that he was not given a fair trial,” the UN human rights body said in a statement. James Gomez, Amnesty International’s director for South East Asia and the Pacific, said: “That this cruel punishment has been administered after…

The paramedics who treat overdosed heroin addicts want a safe injecting room trial. The Richmond traders and locals who deal with users want a trial. The local government backs it. Health experts across the fields demand it. And Victoria’s coroner has twice recommended the state trial a medically supervised injecting room. […]

Next week, Uruguay will begin sales of legal marijuana for adult residents. The legalization proposal was put forward by former President José Mujica in 2012 as part of a comprehensive package aimed at improving public safety. Uruguay’s parliament gave final approval to the measure in December 2013, making theirs the first country in the world to legally regulate the production, distribution and…