Legal Network News 27 – June 2007

FEATURES Warsaw conference showcases Legal Network’s harm reduction work Legal Network steps up access to medicines advocacy in Ottawa AGM honours Ruth Carey and HALCO, hears stories of grassroots action to influence policy change MEDIA SCAN MOVING ON Taslim Madhani and Alana Klein head east PROFILE Students’ paths converge at Legal Network IN BRIEF MSM … Read more

Letter to the UN Secretary-General re: Exploitation by China of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

“As has been reported repeatedly in international media, since 1990 China has ‘celebrated’ the International Day by executing persons convicted of drug crimes. These executions are often held in public venues, such as stadiums, and sometimes shown on television. In addition to the basic due-process questions and other human rights concerns raised by these executions … Read more

HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review 12(1) May 2007

FEATURES Male circumcision and HIV prevention: a human rights and public health challenge Commentary: Engendering bold leadership against HIV/AIDS CANADIAN DEVELOPMENTS Subcommittee fails to recommend legal reforms needed to promote human rights of sex workers Conservative government ends funding for research on Insite Draft evaluation suggests pilot safer tattooing program had potential to reduce disease … Read more

A Helping Hand: Legal Issues Related to Assisted Injection at Supervised Injection Facilities

According to the current legal framework and professional guidelines in Canada, safe injection facility (SIF) staff cannot assist clients in the administration of their drugs and SIF clients cannot help each other inject. However, recent evaluations show that the HIV prevalence rate for people who require assistance when injecting illegal drugs is double that of … Read more

Do Not Cross: Policing and HIV Risk Faced by People Who Use Drugs

This paper reviews the research literature of relevance to Canada on the impact of law enforcement practices on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment for people who use illegal drugs. We consider the impact of national and provincial/state laws and municipal bylaws or regulations, as well as the impact of policing at a local level. We … Read more

Closed to reason: time for accountability for the International Narcotic Control Board – Commentary in Harm Reduction Journal, 2007, 4:13

“For more than two decades, the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) has tried to stop harm reduction and its HIV prevention programs. This posture is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of their responsibilities and of drug addiction itself — i.e. as a public health and clinical care matter made criminal by decree. A recent focal … Read more

Tories’ addiction plan misses mark – Toronto Star letter to the editor

“The new national anti-drug strategy announced in the federal budget ignores the impressive body of scientific evidence on the value of investing in harm reduction and alternatives to criminal prosecution for non-violent drug offences. The new strategy funds law enforcement, prevention and treatment programs — three of the four so-called “pillars” common in many drug … Read more