Integrating organisations into networks
ENCOD as European representative of reformist NGOs
It seems to me that NEF's funding priorities and the European Parliament conference of September 17th are both interested in the same fundamental issues. Both are encouraging ENCOD to become the representative group for drug reform NGOs.
The purpose of the conference is to establish networks of organisations interested in drug policy reform, whether for reform or against it. A forum would be established, and other means of communication, so that prohibitionists and reformers may debate their opposing views and work toward resolving them. An advisory organisation would be created to encourage all organisations to contribute to policy making procedures within Europe, currently very complicated. They wish to establish a list of organisations with a short summary of each organisation's role and policy but NOT the reasoning behind their views - that will come later. The conference will debate how to establish these networks, the forum and the advisory organisation - and any other similar ideas.
The NEF are interested in creating an integrated network of reform organisations as part of this process. ENCOD must try to show the NEF that it has the expertise and responsibility to become the umbrella organisation for all European drug reform organisations. To achieve this we must understand the different reasons why each member organisation wants drug law reform - and each of us must respect other members' interests which may be very different from our own. There are many roads to the same goal and some of us will be approaching that goal from opposite directions. There may be large numbers of other organisations with the same goals as us that have not become ENCOD members, partly because they may believe we are too activist, too anti-authority. If ENCOD cannot integrate its members, and other non-member reformists, into a unified organisation we will not achieve respect from the authorities. ENCOD may split into 2 groups, one fighting against the authorities, the other working with the authorities to reform it. Both strategies can work together, if we make it happen. Otherwise we will never represent all reform organisations. We need to get legal drug harm reduction organisations to join ENCOD and help others form NGOs to represent, e.g. law enforcers, justice system personnel, politicians etc - reformist individuals within the authorities as opposed to within public services or the public itself.
Questionaire to establish role and policy of member organisations:
Why is your organisation interested in drug law/policy reform?
1. We support drug users rights: (e.g. cannabis activists - LCA, UKCIA)
(a) Consumer rights - the right to informed choice and to consumer protection (quantity/quality control, safe use instructions, sales restrictions to young people etc).
(b) Human rights - the 'unalienable' right to 'Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness' so long as no harm is done to others. (e.g. Amnesty International)2. We support drug supplier rights - the right to meet a natural demand that suppliers of other drugs are permitted to meet and profit from. (e.g. cannabis cafes, medicinal cannabis suppliers, illegal drug producing countries, prescribing doctors)
3. We support drug producer rights - the right to exploit natural resources sustainably without harming the environment, to export our products in fair competition with other drug producers and to provide our citizens with employment. (e.g. medicinal cannabis producers, illegal drug producing countries)
4. We support environmental rights - the right to maintain a healthy sustainable environment free from pollution. (e.g. illegal drug producing countries)
5. We support harm reduction strategies that attempt to minimise the actual specific harm caused by illegal drug production, supply and use. These strategies are needed because the authorities do not regulate illegal drug production, supply and use to limit harm caused to others; harm reduction policies, often run by health or education services, do provide some consumer protection (e.g. UKHRA, IHRA)
6. We support the rights of legal drug users to have access to drugs that may be significantly safer alternatives. All citizens have the right to laws that discourage the most harmful drug use while encouraging the most beneficial use. The right to informed choice and fair law. (e.g. WHO, ASH, Alcohol Concern, PALAD)
7. We support the modernisation of government organisations to enhance democracy: accountability, transparency, non-discrimination, financially efficient use of tax-payers money etc. (e.g. Transform)
(a) Politics (e.g. MPs - Paul Flynn MP [UK], Chris Davies MEP [UK], Marco x)
(b) Justice system (e.g. lawyers)
(c) Law enforcement (e.g. police officers - LEAP)
(d) Health (e.g. World Health Organisation)
(e) Education (e.g. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)
(f) Economics (e.g. NEF)
There may be organisations in each country concerned with each of the above topics.
Some will restrict their activities to one drug, some will cover all illegal drugs and some will cover all drugs.