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The future of CBD

02.09.2020

End of July EIHA shocked us all with a press article about some upcoming decisions of European Commission regarding CBD.

Gossips and rumours started, nobody really knew what it was about.
ENCOD members are private persons, PWUDs, shops, NGOS, etc., they all have common but also different interests. Together with our members and co-activists we came up with this letter to state our opinion.

We hope we expressed what is really important and hope that the European Commission will understand the needs of people concerned and decide accordingly.

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18.09.2020

We received the first reply from the European Commission, Directorate for Health and Food Safety.

 

 

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Political irresponsibility locks up innocent people in jail

Six members of La MACA Barcelona were sentenced to a total of 31 years of prison for an offence against Public Health and illicit association. The sustainable, transparent and healthy option that the Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) represent is being suppressed by the Spanish State.

An appeal will be made to the Supreme Court to demonstrate the injustice of sentencing an association that was involved in the process of regulation of CSC in Catalonia and on the national level. This sentence is a political sentence. La MACA stands for freedom of assembly and is a democratic association acting inside of the personal consumption construct.

We are seeds, plant the change!

Free La MACA Barcelona!

Political irresponsibility locks up innocent people in jail

The absolute hypocrisy of the Spanish State in drug policy is flagrant and counterproductive. Once again they have turned their backs to the associative model of cannabis use that has been demanding regulation for the benefit of public health and the human rights of. Public administrations and political representatives demonstrate great human irresponsibility by imprisoning us for our convictions. A serious attack on human rights experience in La MACA in the first person. 

La MACA was one of the first Cannabis Social Clubs established in Catalonia and was a pioneer in offering therapeutic support services led by Dr Joan Parés. La MACA is an association committed to social improvement It is made up of responsible members active in a political struggle to defend the rights of cannabis users. La MACA is part of CatFAC, ConFAC, REMA and ENCOD, and therefore is part of the Barcelona Associations Council, the Barcelona Youth Council, the Neighborhood Council, the Drug Dependency Working Group of the Barcelona City Council and the Vienna NGO Committee, among other entities. It is an association that is dedicated to improving the conditions of the people who live in their neighbourhood, who care about the environment, who actively participate in the surrounding community. In short, the association has worked tirelessly for citizen coexistence.

La MACA is made up of people like you, men, women, fathers, mothers, workers, students, unemployed, retired … activists who want to make their voices heard to give prominence to cannabis users. For a society that unites to create changes and give alternatives to the iron fist that continues to drown us with hypocrisies and control systems based on ideological postulates and not on scientific evidence. 

Today, we must denounce more than ever a serious attack on our rights. The 6 activists of La MACA have been sentenced to a total of 31 years of jail and very high fines for working for the benefit of all. For actively fighting against drug trafficking, mafias and providing health and safety of the chosen lifestyle. 

We are not criminals.

The sentence violates all our rights to a fair trial and is clearly unproportional and anachronistic. It does not take into account our work as an association, nor the witnesses presented, nor the defence. Justice is not fair if it is not legitimate and legitimacy is lost, if it does not contemplate the particularities of the specific case and the social context.

The hit has been very hard. But it won’t stop us. We will appeal to the Supreme Court. And we demand that policy-makers carry out the necessary regulation in Spain and give a political response to a social reality that allows dejudicialising and should be a challenge for the whole society. 

Many autonomous communities and city councils have already wanted to take a step forward to solve this situation that has such high costs, both for the administration and for us, ruining our lives. But this is the responsibility of the State, therefore, we demand that it fulfils it. Stop the illicit market and recognize our rights. Public health is also our health. 

We thank all those entities, people and companies that have supported us. In particular, we want to thank the members, who with their courage, loyalty and commitment, have carried out this project, without them none of this would have been possible. Today we need you more than ever. They want to stop us and maintain a criminal and prohibitionist system that has already been recognized as obsolete at the international level. 

“They can cut all the flowers – of cannabis – but they can’t stop the spring”, we are convinced of that. But right now we need you more than ever to continue the struggle.

The future is regulation, but we cannot achieve it without partners who help us. 

Everybody with La MACA

Everybody with the Freedom. 

Read in Spanish or Italian.
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Drug policy reform at the United Nations: A Youth Advocacy Handbook

Civil society engagement at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and related meetings has improved dramatically over the past decade – in terms of the numbers attending, the opportunities to interact and participate, and the levels of experience and professionalism of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) themselves. These changes are very important given that  the contribution of NGOs and civil society organisations make policy making more responsive to the needs of society. Moreover, youth involvement specifically makes the voice of those who are normally excluded from policy making but are disproportionally affected by the results heard. In their efforts to promote an inclusive and evidence based debate, SSDPers have been organizing side events and have even been elected on the board of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) which advocates for and oversees civil society involvement in CND proceedings. In order to encourage these dynamics, this Advocacy Handbook gives an overview of the main UN institutions involved with the making of global drug policy, as well as about the ins and outs of youth advocacy at the CND. We hope that such an overview will help you to make valuable contribution to the work of the CND and advocate for an evidence based drug policy embedded in the protection of human rights.

Please access the handbook here.

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ReLeaf Malta presented the proposal for legalised & regulated cannabis market

We are pleased to inform you that on 11 December ReLeaf Malta presented the proposal for legalised & regulated cannabis market to Hon. Julia Farrugia Portelli, Parliamentary Secretary responsible from the reform.
This proposal aims to provide local authorities with a brief over view of a regulated cannabis market for adult use and highlights the importance to enact legislative changes based on human rights and harm reduction principles.
ReLeaf underlines the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, therefore the need to include legal, social, economic, educational and health considerations when drafting a national framework regulating the cultivation, consumption and sale of the cannabis plants and its derivatives. As already proven by countries legislating and regulating cannabis for personal use, cannabis policy is best implemented through a balanced, evidence based and inclusive legislative framework.
Please find the Proposal here: ReLeaf-Presentation
and Video here: Releaf 2020 Proposal
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A seed for a better future: A proposal for a European regulation of cannabis use

We are proud to present our proposal, addressed to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the governments of the Members States represented in the European Council, related to cannabis use for recreational purposes and the decriminalization of minor offences related to illicit drugs.

The proposal defines the opportunities the European Union has to regulate the personal use of illicit drugs, as well as the cultivation or possession for such purposes in order to respect basic rights of the users. It presents the trends and legal possibilities to regulate cannabis supply systems, as well as provides arguments for the decriminalization of illicit drug use in the European Union.

It is necessary to give a voice to the civil society through the participatory tools in the Member States and to explore new models of regulation that are based on human rights and harm reduction.

For more information see: SUMMARY PROPOSALS FOR THE REGULATION OF CANNABIS FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

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ReLeaf Malta proposes Freedom to Farm for the Maltese Constitutional reform

In the past years, Malta experienced drastic demographic, technological and infrastructural change. These changes are having a direct effect on the country and positioning Malta at a curious cross roads between a conservative and closed past towards a more open, diverse and inclusive future.

A country that slowly but surely emerges from a relatively economic and socially stagnant past, and moving towards an innovative and modern future requires a constitution which reflects novel aspirations of the people, whilst include safeguards for the promotion of a democratic and just nation state.

The country is implementing these changes with a strong capitalist mindset and with commercial interests sometimes taking over human, environmental and health considerations. We are seeing a corporate take over in various fields, with the role and rights of the individual diminished in the name of good business.

It is curious that when it comes to certain substances, such as cannabis, the Government together with businesses is centralising cultivation, manufacturing and distribution to the extent that Maltese citizens continue to face harsh criminal repercussions if caught cultivating cannabis for personal use.

ReLeaf is therefore highlighting the importance to safeguard the right to personal cultivation of plants, including psychoactive plants and ensure Maltese citizens continue to enjoy the right to personal cultivation and freedom to farm.

Read the ReLeaf proposal for the Reform of the Constitution of Malta here: https://riformakostituzzjonali.gov.mt/documents/andrew-bonello-releaf-malta/?lang=en

Source: ReLeaf Malta

Survey: European Civil Society on Drugs Report (ENCOD)

We are very happy to present you the new survey: ¨European Civil Society on Drugs¨ by ENCOD. It will be used to create an updated report about the Drugs Policy in Europe and the situation of the most vulnerable people on drug matters: the users, the activists and the advocates.

 

It is addressed to activists, advocates and experts who want to participate, and it includes questions about the users’ experience as well. It is to draw the current situation on Drugs Policy in each European country. Please. It will take you ten minutes approximately.

 

The deadline to contribute to the survey is Saturday 15th of December 2018. Moreover, you can send to other activists and NGO’s to enlarge the sample in the collection of data.

 

Thank you for your confidence.

 

You can find the survey embedded below or visit this link.

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Encod Participates In Civil Society Meeting On Municipal Drug Policies In Member States At European Parliament

Brussels – 20 June 2017
An expert panel was held in the European Parliament organized by Michał Boni MEP, Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Polish Drug Policy Network on “Public safety and public health – municipal drug policies in the Member States”. Representatives of groups working “in the trenches” were invited to listen to panels and share their thoughts and questions.