E-Substance October 2008

13 October 2008

Dear reader,

Welcome to October's e-Substance.

This month we update you on local tobacco control activities, and report on the latest international alcohol and drug policy issues including a recent meeting, attended by the Drug Foundation's Ross Bell, hosted by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime.  Also, there's a chance to have a say in a global alcohol policy consultation.

We remind you that nominations for election to the Drug Foundation's Board of Trustees are due this month, and your feedback on the National Alcohol Action Plan is due next month.

In the news: the drink-driving toll at its highest since 2004, cannabis spray could become legalised for medicinal use, and the courts decide whether alcohol-based hand wash gets you over the limit.

As usual, we bring you the website of the month, important events and situations vacant, including a policy analyst position at the Drug Foundation.

Thank you for your continued interest in our work and happy reading.

 

Smoke and mirrors: Happenings in the world of tobacco

The Commerce Commission has concluded their investigation into whether the descriptors ‘light' and ‘mild' on cigarettes could be potentially misleading under the Fair Trading Act, because 'light' and 'mild' cigarettes are likely to be just as deadly as regular strength cigarettes.

The Commission investigations revealed "a body of evidence to suggest that smokers who use ‘light' and ‘mild' tobacco products may compensate in their smoking behaviour, by inhaling more deeply when smoking these products, by using the filters differently or by smoking more cigarettes to receive the same or nearly the same amounts of toxicants as they would obtain through smoking regular strength cigarettes".

Smokefree Coalition chair Jane Patterson was disappointed the companies only received a warning. "The tobacco industry has a long history of lying. In this latest example, they are misleading smokers by suggesting light and mild cigarettes have health benefits over regular or higher yield tobacco products."

Otago University's George Thomson and Nick Wilson discussed the Commerce Commission's decision in the latest Smokefree Coalition's newsletter:

"The removal of remaining 'light' and 'mild' descriptors from tobacco packs will do little to stop the deception of smokers. Tobacco companies have long prepared for the continuation of the deception by using other descriptors and by using pack colours. For years they have been ensuring that smokers recognise 'blue', 'fine', 'white', and 'silver' as substitute descriptor names for 'light', 'extra light' and so on. So comprehensive change is necessary, not just warning the tobacco industry after the stable door has long been left open."

British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco said they would remove the descriptors from their packaging. Philip Morris has undertaken to do the same by 17 October 2008.

Meanwhile, the Health Select Committee has recommended a complete ban on tobacco retail displays. The Committee considered petitions by Dalton Kelly and 20,000 others, and by Craig Foss. The Committee's conclusion was that tobacco display units should not be located in retail outlets where they are visible. The report says some members did not agree with the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores "that there would be a significant loss of revenue if they were required to place these units elsewhere in their shops".

ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) welcomed the recommendation. "The evidence that these displays are tempting our kids into a life of addiction is overwhelming. This is yet another big step towards ridding New Zealand of tobacco displays for good," Director Ben Youdan said.

The Green Party also strongly supported the call. "There is no question that having cigarettes prominently displayed at the checkout counters in thousands of retail outlets around New Zealand is a constant temptation to young people and people who have given up smoking," Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said. "We need to remember that cigarettes are not just ordinary consumer products. They are highly addictive and harmful substances, and tobacco related diseases are a huge burden on society and cost to our economy. So it's crazy to allow these harmful products to be advertised and promoted in almost every dairy and supermarket in the land."

 

UNGASS on drugs update

The international community is stepping up in its efforts to review the global drug control system. The final working groups met in Vienna in September to discuss ways of reducing demand for drugs, pre-cursors and amphetamine-type stimulants. Five working groups' reports will prepare the work for the high-level meeting in March 2009, where drug policy ministers will meet to review the "drug-free-world" decade and identify a way forward.

E-substance will keep our readers informed on the progress as we countdown to the March summit.

Keen observers of global drug policy can read the working group reports here. Of particular interest to e-Substance readers might be the drug demand reduction report, as it was at this meeting where the New Zealand delegation made some impact. The delegates, Chris Laurenson from the Ministry of Health and Ross Bell from the Drug Foundation, made two crucial interventions.

The first intervention stated that reducing negative health, social, and economic consequences of drugs deserved equal treatment in international drug control, alongside supply and demand reduction approaches. While this intervention met support from a number of delegates, especially among those seeking to name harm reduction as an essential strategy, it did not receive enough support for an overall consensus.

The second intervention strongly endorsed the Beyond 2008 NGO review. While this intervention was well received, it did not initially get consensus support, but in the end a number of NGO-related recommendations were included in the final report, including an acknowledgement of the Beyond 2008 process.

Meanwhile, the international drug policy NGO community has given thumbs down to the UN's annual World Drug Report, especially to its claim that the global drug market is being successfully contained.

The International Drug Policy Consortium report on the 2008 World Drug Report analyses four key issues:

  • Is the global market for controlled drugs being successfully contained?
  • Does the history of opium use in China provide valuable lessons for 21st century drug control?
  • How can we develop a workable international strategy on cannabis?
  • To what extent can we rely on the data available globally on drug production, distribution and use?

In each case, the IDPC critiques the positions taken in the report, and articulates the nature of future challenges faced by member states prior to the high-level review meeting in March 2009.

Not that the international NGO community can claim to be perfect... As e-Substance reported in August, the global NGO community came together in a significant display of unity at the Beyond 2008 forum in July.

However, the consensus was challenged when in September pretenders to the throne, defenders of the UN drug control treaties, and proponents of a "drug free world" hosted their own meeting in Stockholm. The newly-created World Forum Against Drugs released a competing declaration, signed by 11 (yes, eleven) delegates. Among many of its thoughtless claims, the WFAD declared that "harm reduction is too often another word for drug legalisation or other inappropriate relaxation efforts". This statement surprised many, including the International Harm Reduction Association who said:

"From this description one would think harm reduction is an approach limited only to the lunatic fringes of some out of touch local governments. In fact, at least 82 countries and territories worldwide support harm reduction in official policy. Harm reduction is the official policy of UNAIDS, UNICEF, WHO and the European Union. Even WFAD's beloved UNODC and INCB support harm reduction now."

IHRA further critiques WFAD on its blog. The Transform Drug Policy Foundation joins them, saying Transform will not become a signatory to the WFAD declaration.

"The Conventions should not be treated like religious Covenants, such that those who challenge their wisdom are denounced as heretics. They are agreements misguidedly signed up to by those who had no idea of the discrimination, degradation and death that they were unleashing on future generations."

For the record, New Zealand Drug Foundation, a keen supporter of the Beyond 2008 process and member of the International Harm Reduction Association, has also advised WFAD that we will not support their declaration. Instead, we will continue to champion the Beyond 2009 Declaration at every opportunity.

 

Harm reduction conference returns to Thailand

Five years on from their Chiang Mai conference, the International Harm Reduction Association returns to Thailand with the 20th International Harm Reduction Conference to be held in Bangkok on 19-23 April 2009.

Abstract submissions are being invited and are due 10 November 2008.

The conference organisers are interested in receiving abstracts from delegates who are involved in delivering innovative harm reduction services, have some new and ground-breaking research to report on, have an example of an effective or successful advocacy campaign, or wish to discuss or debate a particular area of harm reduction policy.

At the last event in Barcelona (May 2008), over 1,100 abstracts were received - of which around 200 were accepted for oral presentation and a further 300 accepted for poster presentations. Harm Reduction 2009 aims to cover a large range of topics and issues - from alcohol harm reduction to needle exchange to human rights.

In order to submit an abstract, you must first register for the conference online. Once you have created a new user account, simply click on "your submissions" and follow the instructions. Abstracts must be submitted in English and be no longer than 300 words. For more information read the short ‘Guide for Developing and Submitting an Abstract'.

In addition to abstracts, film submissions for the International Drugs and Harm Reduction Film Festival are requested.  This film festival has become an integral part of the IHRA conferences.

Following the success of the fifth event in Barcelona in 2008, festival organisers are pleased to provide an even bigger stage in Bangkok for film-makers to present their latest films, training videos, documentaries or fictional works.

The Sixth International Drugs and Harm Reduction Film Festival in Bangkok will run from 19-23 April 2009 as a parallel stream to the conference program.

Visit the film festival website for more information or email filmfest@burnet.edu.au.

For more information about Harm Reduction 2009, please visit www.ihraconferences.net.

 

Get active! Global consultation on alcohol

"The harmful use of alcohol is a leading risk factor for premature death and disability in the world. Every year at least 2.3 million people die from alcohol-related causes," one of World Health Organisation's assistant director-general Ala Alwan says.

Recognising this level of harm the World Health Organisation is running an online consultation for inter-governmental organisations, health professionals, non-governmental organisations, and economic operators on ways they could help reduce harmful use of alcohol.

"We encourage our Member States and other governmental institutions, as well as civil society groups, academic and research institutions, private companies, individuals and other interested parties to participate," director of WHO's department of mental health and substance abuse Benedetto Saraceno says. "We are particularly interested in getting views on integrated approaches that can protect at-risk populations, young people and those affected by harmful drinking by others."

The online consultation runs till the end of October. Click here to have your say.

Closer to home, consultation on the draft National Alcohol Action Plan is underway. The draft plan informs the direction of future alcohol policies and interventions in New Zealand over the next five years. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 7 November 2008.

 

Around New Zealand

Road toll highest since 2004

The number of alcohol or drug-related road deaths increased for the third year running in 2007. The 128 alcohol-related deaths were the most since 2004. The statistics are mirrored in the number of drink-drivers busted by police, up 13 per cent on the year before, and by the number of drivers killed who were above the legal limit - now more than a quarter of all road deaths.

NZ Transport Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said a further $3.3 million would be spent on advertising aimed at drink-drivers. "Were it not for the significant investment in enforcement and education targeting drink-driving, the figures would be much worse," he said.

Medicinal cannabis spray could become legal

The government is considering whether to allow the marketing and sale of cannabis spray, Sativex, after an application from its British maker. The government faces increasing pressure from some patients and scientists to legalise cannabis use to alleviate chronic pain for accident victims and some sufferers of multiple sclerosis and cancer. A group of medicinal cannabis users presented a petition with 3000 signatures to the health select committee in July, urging law reform for medical purposes.

Approval to use Sativex had been granted for three patients, and a further application was pending. The spray, which is administered under the tongue, was developed by British firm for multiple sclerosis patients and has been legal in Canada since 2005.

For more on medicinal cannabis read our Pain, pot and politics story published in Matters of Substance, February 2007 and our med pot policy position.

Hand wash case update

Earlier this year a Masterton surgeon Ian Denholm attempted to defend a drink-driving charge claiming his skin absorbed an alcohol-based sterilising rub. Prosecution expert witness scientist Allan Stowell, concluded it was "very, very unlikely" that the hand wash could account for anywhere near what Denholm had claimed. He was stopped by police and breath-tested and returned a positive reading of 593mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg. The surgeon's claims didn't wash with the judge, who has reserved his decision pending Denholm's application for a discharge without conviction.

 

Drug Foundation News

Lose some, win some

We bid farewell to Lisa Weakley, who leaves us for Shanghai, where she will manage the visa team for the New Zealand Immigration Service. We are very sad to see Lisa go, but wish her the very best as she embarks on this new adventure.

And bienvenu to Gemma Williamson, who we welcome as our administrator. Gemma has recently returned from France where she managed and taught at the Langochat association language school in Bordeaux.

Gemma is likely to be the first person you talk to when you contact the Drug Foundation. Her phone number is 04 801 6303, and her email is admin@drugfoundation.org.nz.

Work for us - Senior/Policy Analyst

Do you have the courage to champion complex ideas about critical health and social issues in a sensitive policy environment?

Here's your chance to use your exceptional policy and analytical skills to effect change on alcohol and other drug issues.

You will have solid policy development experience, excellent writing skills, and a proven ability to build effective relationships. You can think innovatively about ways to analyse, communicate and advocate within a resource-limited organisation. You will be sensitive to the serious harms that alcohol and other drugs cause individuals, families and communities, and have a commitment to excellence.

Prior experience in alcohol and drug policy is a distinct advantage, including an understanding of drug law/legislative reforms, and knowledge of human rights, drugs and health.

This role is ideal for an intermediate-level analyst who wants to extend their skills. Success in this role is critical to the Drug Foundation's reputation as a credible and rigorous policy organisation.

Applicants for this position can obtain the job description and application form here.

Applications close Friday 24 October.

Become a Trustee of the Drug Foundation

Nominations for election to the Drug Foundation's Board of Trustee close at 5pm, Thursday, 23 October 2008.

This is a great opportunity for someone to join our professional, energetic and action-focused governance team.

To nominate someone, please email the name of the nominating member organisation, the name of the nominee and a short statement outlining their suitability and reasons for seeking election to admin@drugfoundation.org.nz or post to PO Box 3082, Wellington.

Annual general meeting

The Drug Foundation is hosting its Annual General Meeting on Monday, 17 November, 3.30-5.30pm at the Museum Hotel, Wellington.

This year's guest speaker is John Rogerson, who is the chief executive of the Australian Drug Foundation. John will reflect on the extensive alcohol policy debates currently underway in Australia, including their work in exposing industry tactics, and the opportunities the new Labor government has presented.

It's our pleasure to invite you all to our meeting. To RSVP, please email admin@drugfoundation.org.nz or phone 04 801 6303.

 

Website of the Month


 

 

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is the hub of drug-related information in the European Union. Its main aim is to provide the EU and its Member States with a factual overview of European drug problems and a common information framework to support the drug debate. The EMCDDA website offers comprehensive and up-to-date information ranging from statistical reports, countries' overviews, drug policy and law through to responses to drug use and in-depth reviews of selected-topics.

Hot news this month is the adoption by the European Commission of the new EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-12. The plan proposes wide-ranging measures to strengthen European co-operation to curb the adverse consequences of drug use and reduces drug-related crime. These measures include improving the quality and availability of treatment and harm-reduction programmes for drug users, and creation of a European Alliance on Drugs.

For more details on the Action Plan, its background and the EU's way ahead, check the EMCDDA website at: www.emcdda.europa.eu.

 

Events

For details on these and other events, and to submit your event, visit www.drugfoundation.org.nz/events.

 

Vacancies

For these and other vacancies, and to submit your vacancy, visit www.drugfoundation.org.nz/jobs.