by Zara Snapp*
For the past 100 years, drug prohibition has been defended around
the world (with a few exceptions), demonstrating a so-called “consensus”
that is based on the three primary drug control treaties[1],
written in 1961, 1971 and 1988. It has only been in the last years that member
states have openly defied these international instruments, advocating on the
grounds of cultural importance, in the case of Bolivia and the coca leaf,[2]
and respecting human rights, as in the case of Uruguay and the legal regulation
of cannabis[3].
Perhaps the biggest change has come from the guardians of the
current drug control system—the United States—
which has historically advocated for prohibition, a focus on supply
reduction and preserving its authority to support wars around the world under
the justification of drug control. And
yet, that authority appears to be rapidly shrinking, with four US states (as of
now) regulating cannabis for adult, recreational use and 23 other states
allowing for medical cannabis use. A majority of US voters support regulating
cannabis for adult use, and the federal government has not been able to stymie
that momentum. While the international discourse reflects a respect for the
treaties and only moderate reforms, internal changes have shown that a new
paradigm is possible.
In 2012, countries in Latin America, specifically Mexico,
Colombia and Guatemala, requested that the United Nations host a General
Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Drugs from April 19-21, 2016. These member
states advocated for the meeting to take place sooner than expected, citing an
urgency due to levels of violence and a lack of clear evaluation of the current
strategy. Latin America has been at the forefront of implementing US-led
policies and evaluation has shown it to be ineffective in curbing production,
trafficking or use.
Photo: idpc.net
The light is beginning to show through the cracks of the
prohibitionist regime.
The war on drugs (or drug trafficking) was launched in Mexico in
2006, under the leadership of then-President Felipe Calderon, and with the
monetary and technical support of the United States. The results have been devastating: more than
150,000 people killed, more than 30,000 people disappeared, and many more
displaced due to the violence[4].
Behind each of these numbers, lies a person, with a story, a family and a
community that feels the pain of that loss. And yet, a militarized strategy
that rules with violence and which has been accused of numerous human rights
violations continues to be the law of the land, although the leadership is now
in the hands of current President Enrique Peña Nieto. The
importance of upholding a controlled image has become the official public
discourse within his administration, while the reality is that the numbers of
deaths and disappearances attributed to the fight against organized crime
continue to rise.
Thus, it came as a surprise to Mexican civil society when the
country joined forces with Colombia and Guatemala to call for the UNGASS and complement
it with a discourse that has been based in promoting human rights, health and
new approaches at the United Nations. Over the past two years, on the
international stage, Mexico has played an important role in calling for an
open, honest and transparent debate at the UN. They have gone up against
countries like Russia and China to advocate for civil society presence and,
regionally, they have defended this posture against Cuba, Peru and Chile. Although this fresh discourse from Mexico is
a welcome change for reform advocates, Mexico has not implemented any domestic
reforms, which only encourages skepticism among the general population within
the country.
Between the US defending the drug control treaties, states
openly defying these, and Mexico pushing for human rights, health and reducing
social harms while waging a war, the United Nations Special Session is sure to
be full of surprises. The question is: will anything have changed on April 22, 2016?
*Zara
Snapp was born in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico, grew up in the United
States and is currently based in Mexico City.
She has worked on varying social issues for the past 15 years,
including drug policy reform, human rights, reproductive rights, civic engagement
and judicial reform. Zara currently collaborates with the Global
Commission for Drug Policy as the policy and communications officer
and is a member of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity.
[1] Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961,
Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention
against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/treaties/
[2] Bolivia wins a rightful victory on the coca leaf. Transnational
Institute. https://www.tni.org/en/pressrelease/bolivia-wins-rightful-victory-coca-leaf
[3] Uruguay stands up to the UN on marijuana
legalization. PanAmPost. http://panampost.com/panam-staff/2015/06/29/uruguay-stands-up-to-un-on-marijuana-legalization/
[4] Official estimates vary between 120,000-150,000
people killed during the Calderon administration. At one point, they stopped providing the
public with the numbers for “public security” purposes. More than 22,000 people
were killed in Mexico 2013, however it is unclear how many were related to
drug-war violence.
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