UN institute reprimands Latin American countries for decriminalizing drugs

[Derechos]

MEXICO CITY, Mexico — The United Nations' drug law enforcement body has reprimanded Latin American countries that have decriminalized narcotic use, delivering a blow to the growing movement looking for a change in drug policy in the region.

The U.N. body says it is particularly concerned by a 2009 law in Mexico that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and other drugs.

“This legal act may give the wrong signal,” says a report released Wednesday by the International Narcotics Control Board, an independent body that monitors the implementation of U.N. drug control conventions.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/mexico/100223/latin-america-decriminalizing-drugs-united-nations

[EFerrari]

1. I wish again I had a twin that had the time to look up the membership

of this body and in detail.

[rabs]

3. Get ready, the Russians, Nigerians and Chinese will be coming after California in November

:evilgrin:

“They are making comments based on conservative moral perceptions and not on legal or medical considerations,” said Pien Metaal, of the Drugs and Democracy Program at the Holland-based Transnational Institute.

While the United States has historically pushed for the war on drugs at the U.N., other powers are now bringing conservative ideas to the table, Metaal said.

Among the current narcotics board members are representatives of the Russian Federation, China and Nigeria, which all support hard-line prohibitionist policies toward narcotics.

Meanwhile, the United States itself is beginning to take a more flexible line, with a growing number of states decriminalizing the possession of marijuana and legalizing the drug for medical sales.

In November, Californians will vote on a motion to fully legalize marijuana. If approved, such a law would put California at legal odds with the narcotics board.

“These kind of reports show the INCB is just a profoundly political organization,” said Ethan Nadelmann, director of the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance. “The board needs to be abolished.”

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"Quasi-judicial control organ" whatever that means

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the independent and quasi-judicial control organ monitoring the implementation of the United Nations drug control conventions.

http://www.incb.org/

[EFerrari]

4. Maybe my prince will finaly get here!

LOL

That's an interesting combo, rabs! :hi:

[bemildred]

2. Whom is the INCB "independent" of? The UN?

If it is independent of the UN how is it a UN body?

[naaman fletcher]

5. Good for the latin american countries..

the notion that their countries should suffer waves of violence and corruption because Americans do a lot of coke is ridiculous.

[protocol rv]

6. Wll, I say tell the INCB to re-think their position

But they probably wont.. Let's remember a board of people whose paycheck comes from stopping drug flow, is not about to say legalizing drugs is a good idea. Those guys sit in NY getting fat paychecks from the UN membership, do you think they are going to put themselves out of business? It's like the guys who run a jail, do you think they really dream about low crime rates? They would have nothing to do.