2004-11-27
Brazil's Lula to Sign Drug Decriminalization Decree
>>From: "Alberto M. Giordano"
>>
>>November 15, 2004
>>Please Distribute Widely
>>
>>Dear Colleague,
>>
>>Weeks after some punishing setbacks for the government of Brazilian
>>President Lula da Silva, with his Worker's Party losing three of the
>>flagship cities in the world for Harm Reduction policies toward drug
>>users (São Paulo, Porto Alegre, and Curitiba), the Lula administration
>>has finally decided to make the groundbreaking local policies go
>>national.
>>
>>According to a report in today's Folha de São Paulo (subscription only),
>>Lula's government of has reached a "consensus" to step forward into a
>>bold new era of drug policy: decriminalizing the drug user nationwide,
>>and opening 250 safe drug use centers across the country during the year
>>2005.
>>
>>Lula is expected to sign an executive decree on November 24, taking drug
>>enforcement responsibilities away from police agencies, and placing the
>>problems of drug use under the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry,
>>which will be charged with supporting the safe drug-use centers and make
>>Harm Reduction - a policy to reduce the harms associated with drug use -
>>the law of the land.
>>
>>Here is an excerpt from today's report from Brazil's largest daily
>>newspaper:
>>
>>"Policy proposal considers drug consumption as a public health problem,
>>and no longer one for the police"
>>
>>"The government wants to create centers for drug use"
>>
>>"By Luciana Constantino and Iuri Dantas - Folha de São Paulo, BrasÃlia
>>Bureau"
>>
>>"After a series of internal disagreements about drug policy, the federal
>>government is preparing a realignment of national policy to define drug
>>consumption as a public health problem, and not one for the police as it
>>is today."
>>
>>"There will be a presidential order creating rules for treating drug
>>dependents, with emphasis on Harm Reduction..."
>>
>>To read more of the translation, and comment on this exciting new
>>development, head toward The Narcosphere:
>>
>>http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2004/11/15/94326/676
>>
>>The NarcoSphere
>>narcosphere.narconews.com
>>A Project of the Narco News Bulletin.
>>
>>---
>>
>>Brazil's Lula to Sign Drug Decriminalization Decree on Nov. 24
>>
>>By Al Giordano,
>>
>>Posted on Mon Nov 15th, 2004 at 09:43:26 AM EST
>>
>>According to a report in today's Folha de São Paulo
>>http://www.folha.uol.com.br/ (subscription only), the government of
>>Brazilian President Lula da Silva has reached a "consensus" to step
>>forward into a bold new era of drug policy: decriminalizing the drug
>>user, and opening 250 safe drug use centers across the country during
>>the year 2005.
>>
>>Lula is expected to sign an executive decree on November 24, taking drug
>>enforcement responsibilities away from police agencies, and placing the
>>problems of drug use under the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry,
>>which will be charged with supporting the safe drug-use centers and make
>>Harm Reduction - a policy to reduce the harms associated with drug use -
>>the law of the land.
>>
>>Here is an excerpt from today's report from Brazil's largest daily
>>newspaper:
>>
>>Policy proposal considers drug consumption as a public health problem,
>>and no longer one for the police
>>
>>The government wants to create centers for drug use
>>
>>By Luciana Constantino and Iuri Dantas
>>
>>Folha de São Paulo, BrasÃlia Bureau
>>
>>After a series of internal disagreements about drug policy, the federal
>>government is preparing a realignment of national policy to define drug
>>consumption as a public health problem, and not one for the police as it
>>is today.
>>
>>There will be a presidential order creating rules for treating drug
>>dependents, with emphasis on Harm Reduction...
>>
>>(More of the translation appears after the jump.)
>>
>>The new focus will include a change in the name of the policy. It will
>>be changed from "National Anti-Drug Policy" to "National Policy on
>>Drugs."
>>
>>"Changing the name is a symbol, and there will be a change in
>>orientation. The country is maturing in order to put forward a more
>>pragmatic policy," said Pedro Gabriel Delgado, the government's mental
>>health coordinator.
>>
>>The president's public safety secretary, General Jorge Armando Felix,
>>has also endorsed the proposal. "Drug dependents are a public health
>>problem. They should be treated as people like those with any other
>>illness, particularly in the area of psychiatry, they need support and
>>treatment."
>>
>>Through this new lens, Lula will sign a presidential decree to regulate
>>harm reduction programs, making possible a wider network of treatment
>>for drug users and the creation of local centers for safe drug use.
>>Before opening their doors, these centers will need authorization from
>>the Health Ministry and will count with permanent support.
>>
>>Preferably, the centers will be monitored by universities and dedicated
>>to high risk users, such as those who use crack or inject cocaine.
>>
>>The decree will create the role of Harm Reduction agent, a health
>>professional who will be responsible for the direct contact with the
>>users. And he, for example, will provide sterilized syringesÂ
>>
>>Today, non-governmental organizations, with support from the health
>>department, are already involved in Harm Reduction programs, but within
>>the limits of legal prohibitions, thus there has been no regulation of
>>this kind of workÂ
>>
>>The goal for 2005 is the creation of 250 such local drug use centers
>>around the country.
>>
>>After much controversy and six public hearings in different states, the
>>government will finalize the new policy on November 24th The emphasis
>>will be on demand and Harm Reduction.
>>
>>According to the national drug czar, General Paulo Robero Uchoa, the
>>government decided to put its efforts into combat against
>>narco-trafficking, leaving the drug user to medical attention. "A drug
>>is an inert thing. I don't combat penicillin Now I combat trafficking.
>>Drugs have to be understood to be able to educate and prepare society
>>and the youth to not use drugs carelessly."
>>
>>Translated from: Folha de São Paulo, 15 de novembro de 2004.
>>
>>---
>>
>> From somewhere in a country called América,
>>
>>Al Giordano
>>Publisher
>>The Narco News Bulletin
>>http://www.narconews.com/
>>new email: narconews@gmail.com
>>
>>Narco News is supported by:
>>
>>The Fund for Authentic Journalism
>>P.O. Box 71051
>>Madison Heights, MI 48071 USA
>>http://www.authenticjournalism.org
>>
>>The Fund receives online donations at this web page:
>>
>>http://www.authenticjournalism.org
>>
>>Apply for your co-publisher's account, here:
>>
>>http://www.narconews.com/copublisher/application.php
>>
>>Subscribe for free alerts of new reports:
>>
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconews
>>
>>SuscrÃbete gratis para alertas de nuevos reportajes en español:
>>
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconewsandes
>>
>>Inscreva-se para alertas gratuitos de reportagens do último minuto em
>>português brasileiro:
>>
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconewsbrasil
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]