BERLIN
DECLARATION

 

Berlin Declaration

Towards a Humane Model of Drug Policy

The current War on Drugs has transformed itself into a destructive spiral. The principles on which prohibition is based have shown that this war is a total failure.

The attempt to create a drug-free world through supply reduction and abstinence via State violence has failed to respond to the realities of each continent and region.

[…]

Committed to promoting the reform of the current international drug control model, grounded in public health and human rights. This reform should focus on offsetting the negative consequences of existing drug policies; promoting harm reduction; and combating large-scale drug trafficking.

United in diversity, and based on the promotion of justice and love that inspires us to move forward, we declare: That the War on Drugs must not exist!

READ THE FULL DECLARATION

The current War on Drugs has transformed itself into a destructive spiral. The principles on which prohibition is based have shown that this war is a total failure.

The attempt to create a drug-free world through supply reduction and abstinence via State violence has failed to respond to the realities of each continent and region.

This is creating anti-democratic, repressive and authoritarian structures, which end up strengthening the economic influence of organised crime. The global War on Drugs has resulted in systematic human rights violations, corruption, massive arrests and imprisonment, as well increasing social and health risks for people who use drugs (PWUD).

Prohibition is a mistaken political path that has transformed itself into a morbid ideology. The War on Drugs has reached an unprecedented scale in the Northern Triangle of Central America and in Southeast Asia, leading to terror and death. Meanwhile, the successes of decriminalisation and the development of scientific and therapeutic uses for illegal drugs in other parts of the world reveal the highly incongruent nature of prohibition. These policies demonstrate that the policy advocacy efforts from civil society and the scientific community can improve the quality of life of PWUD, and ensure their access to adequate social and health services through concrete public policies based on harm reduction.

As a result, and considering the millions of people suffering from the War on Drugs, we, as men and women of diverse Cosmovisions, Christians, activists, freethinkers, human rights defenders and PWUD, implore the United Nations, the United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the European Union, CICAD, the OAS, CELAC, politicians, churches, communities and social organisations to:

End the War on Drugs.

On the basis of the “Reconciliation Process for Peace, Justice and Creation” , we appeal to faith based organisations, Christian communities, secular groups, civil society organisations, international organisations and social organisations to end the War on Drugs.

We call for the need to improve judicial cooperation for real and effective targeting of terrorist organisations, organised crime and money and assets laundering.

Promote and analyse alternatives to policies based on prohibition and repression .

Implement systems for drug use prevention and education based on principles of harm reduction and human rights.

Promote increased space for civil society engagement in the post-UNGASS process.

Fund international campaigns that include information on international and local drug policies, and information pertaining to unbiased, evidence-based drug use prevention strategies in accordance to scientific data, without any prejudice and mysticism related to people that use drugs or drugs themselves.

Recognise the privacy of PWUD to decide freely on their life choices in accordance to the principle of self-determination.

The following institutions and leaders who are signatory to this declaration are:

Committed to promoting the reform of the current international drug control model, grounded in public health and human rights. This reform should focus on offsetting the negative consequences of existing drug policies; promoting harm reduction; and combating large-scale drug trafficking.

United in diversity, and based on the promotion of justice and love that inspires us to move forward, we declare: That the War on Drugs must not exist!

A useful and effective tool of lobbying and advocacy in the international debate on drug policy reform

The organizations, institutions, religious leaders, academics, scientists, specialists, social leaders and activists who signed the document express their commitment to the “reform of the current international model of drug control”, focusing on the negative consequences of existing drug policies , Promoting harm reduction, scientific research and combating large-scale drug trafficking.

They signed it

FAAAT joined 90+ organizations from around the world and some of the most influent social leaders, academics and experts, politicians, officials and former officials, journalists and opinion makers, business and philanthropic leaders, religious leaders, and activists have signed the Berlin Declaration.

Noam Chomsky

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Dr. Raquel Peyraube

Harm Reductionist, Uruguay

Pr. Hakim Himmich

Association for the Fight against AIDS (ALCS), Morocco

Pr. Hakim Himmich

Association for the Fight against AIDS (ALCS), Morocco

Ethan Nadelmann

Founder of Drug Policy Alliance, USA

Pr. David Nutt

Imperial College, UK

Farid Ghehiouèche

FAAAT think & do tank, France

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