Despite all hopes that 2022 would be ‘covid-free’ and back to some semblance of normality, Omicron had different ideas. While this was the case, however, the team - and friends of the Observatory - remained busy, both in terms of activities and publications. Regarding the former, February saw Matt present ongoing work relating to an academic publication on the Global Drug Policy Index (GDPI) at a Swansea University Department of Politics, Philosophy, and International (PPIR) Relations seminar. This received some excellent constructive feedback from Departmental colleagues. He was also part of a Zoom side event on the Index at this year’s UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March. See a recording of the tremendous ‘The Global Drug Policy Index 2021: A global tool for evaluation and accountability’ session (co-sponsored by the GDPO), including Matt’s presentation on the methodology behind the GDPI. His plenary talk on the Index at the European Harm Reduction Conference in Prague in November 2021 is also now available to view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LUmN3GH0rU 

Continuing in its mission to help develop the next generation of drug policy scholars, the GDPO was once again central to the delivery of the PPIR MA module, The Global Governance of Drugs: Power, (Geo)Politics and Narco-Diplomacy here at Swansea University. Many thanks go to Matt, who amidst all his work on the GDPI, also stepped in to help Dave deliver and assess the course. And finally, as part of the Observatory’s Harm Reduction Project, Rick, Dave and Joe Janess (Department of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy) continued preparatory work on an exciting new collaboration with Hywel Dda Health Board here in Wales. Led by Joe, we’re pleased to be involved in the evaluation of the brilliant new Spike on a Bike service offered by Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service.

Concerning Observatory grey literature publications, January saw the publication of GDPO’s 18th Policy Brief, Scanning the Horizon: Drones and Counter-narcotics in Latin America by Jochen Kleinschmidt and Luca Trenta. Co-branded with Zilas (The Central Institute for Latin American Studies, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstatdt, Germany) and Observatorio Colombiano De Crimen Organizado, Universidad Del of Rosario, Colombia) this is part of an ongoing collaboration with the University of Rosario researching drones, remote warfare and the ‘war on drugs’ in Latin America. As part of the UN project, the GDPO and IDPC also published (Re)Framing Regime Performance: A Critique Of The INCB Report For 2020 And Its Special Report Celebrating The Anniversaries Of The 1961 And 1971 Drug Conventions. Furthermore, in March we were pleased to publish a very personal blog by former Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology MA student, Temitope Salami. ‘My Harm Reduction Journey form the University to an NGO’. This charts Temitope’s arrival in Swansea, his increasing fascination in harm reduction having taken one of Rick’s modules and finally securing a job with Harm Reduction International. We wish him all the best with the fantastic team at HRI. 

In terms of other publications, Rick’s co-authored (with Julie Hannah and Giada Girelli) ‘”Treatment in Liberty” Human Rights and Compulsory Detention for Drug Use’ was published in Human Rights Law Review. It examines compulsory detention for ‘drug treatment’ within international human rights law. GDPO Africa Project lead, Nelson Ediomo-Ubong was co-author, with Bridget O. Alichie, of ‘Chronic Pain and Prescription Opioid Use Among Socially Marginalized Nigerian Women: Exploring Supply Channels and Pathways to Misuse’ in the Journal of Drug Issues. And, after a (very) long time in the works, Dave and Chris were both thrilled to have chapters in Paul Gootenberg’s epic new edited collection The Oxford Handbook of Global Drug History. With Chris drawing on his PhD research, the chapters focused on ‘Interwar Drug Scenes and Restrictive Regulation in Britain’ and ‘The Creation and Impact of Global Drug Prohibition’.

Last, but by no means least, GDPO is thrilled to welcome a new member to the team. Eliza Kurcevič of EHRA joins us as a Research Associate to work on the Observatory's Harm Reduction Project. We look forward to working with you Eliza!

The GDPO team had another busy quarter involving a range of both existing and new projects and activities. Indeed, while the drugs and drones in Latin America project ticked away in the background, others - after many months of quiet hard work - broke the surface. Key among these was the launch of the Global Drug Policy Index (GDPI) in November. As the academic lead working with the Harm Reduction Consortium behind the initiative, the GDPO was involved in several launch events with Matt and Dave making presentations on the Index methodology at a number of forums. Key among these was Matt’s in-person presentation at the plenary opening session of the European Harm Reduction Conference in Prague, Czechia. All those involved with the Index were thrilled with the amount of media coverage received from around the world, including endorsement from Helen Clarke, Chair of the Global Commission on Drug Policy and former Prime Minister of New Zealand. Please do check out a video explaining the GDPI here. Work is ongoing to secure funding for a second iteration that builds upon this initial pilot. The GDPO was also pleased to be involved with several events relating to our new Harm Reduction Project. Moderated by Dave, Rick (Project lead) was joined by Eliza Kurcevič (Eurasian Harm Reduction Association) at an online event, ‘New Psychoactive substances in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: a qualitative study of people you use drugs and harm reduction services in eight countries.’ This focused on an ongoing collaborative project funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund. Shortly afterwards in late October Rick also hosted an online session with Damon Barrett of the University of Gothenburg. Here discussion focused on Damon’s recent book, Child Rights and Drug Control in International Law. Meanwhile, drawing on research conducted for the Observatory’s Crypto-Drug Markets project, Martin gave a virtual presentation ‘in’ Vienna for the VNGOC at the Intersessional meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Finally, continuing with the GDPO’s mission to strengthen the interface between drug policy research and teaching at Swansea University and beyond, Dave gave a guest lecture for Rick’s postgraduate drug policy module.

In that vein, in terms of publications we were also pleased to showcase the excellent research of several Swansea University Masters students. This included blogs by Ellie Harding, ‘The disposable foot soldiers of crime’ – media, County Lines and Moral Panics,’ and Temitope Salami, ‘Proposing a Harm Reduction Framework for Youth Drug Use in Nigeria: A Research Inspired Commentary.’ At the time of publication, November 2021, both were MA candidates in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology. Heavily involved in their supervision, Rick also co-authored (with Niamh Eastwood, Associate Member of the Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Middlesex University) a timely piece with The Conversation titled ‘Scotland won’t prosecute personal possession of class A drugs, but outdated laws prevent deeper reforms’ And rapidly developing a reputation as a publishing machine, the GDPO’s Africa project lead Ediomo-Ubong was busy both with GDPO publications and those within the formal academic realm. Regarding the former, October saw the publication of the Policy Brief Between Prohibition and Regulation: Narrative Analysis of Cannabis Policy Debate in Africa. On the latter he published in both the International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice and Substance Use and Misuse.

While as is often the case at this time of the year, the GDPO’s public facing activities slowed a little during the Quarter, work continued behind the scenes on various long running projects.  Indeed, Matt, Dave, and the team were very busy with the Global Drug Policy Index.  In addition to finalizing the Index structure and engaging with data capture processes, this involved engagement with information sessions for Harm Reduction Consortium members and partners.  This included a YouthRise organised webinar in late September covering South Africa, Uganda, and India.  Alongside this work stream, the drugs and drones in Latin America project also continued onwards and involved several Zoom meetings and editorial sessions with the various stakeholders in Colombia, Germany, Italy, and the UK.     

In terms of GDPO publications, the Quarter was relatively productive across the range of publication formats.  August saw the publication of Christopher Hallam’s blog book review of Stephen Snelders’ excellent Drug Smuggler Nation: Narcotics and the Netherlands, 1920-1995.  Pushing forward with its mission to help develop the next generation of drug policy scholars, the following month the Observatory was pleased to showcase the research of Swansea University undergraduate Tom Crouch. Tom’s blog, Harry and the Reds: A Revisionist Examination of Washington’s Cooperation with Moscow on International Drug Control Policy (1945-1962) is based upon his final year dissertation. The culmination of considerable research over a number of months (nay years…), July also saw the publication of Christopher’s important Working Paper Heroin-Assisted Treatment and the United Nations International Drug Control Apparatus.  Finally, the GDPO was pleased to be involved in the production of a co-branded Briefing Paper with IDPC, Health Poverty Action, Transform, WOLA, and TNI.  Authored by friend of the Observatory, Benoit Gomis, Cannabis regulation: Lessons from the Illicit Tobacco explores an increasingly important aspect of the fast evolving drug policy debate and looks likely to feature as part of a side-event at the 2022 Commission on Narcotic Drugs.  

Meanwhile, members of the team were also productive with a range of other traditional academic publications.  These include Ediomo-Ubong’s ‘I cannot stop taking weed cos it makes me survive’: cannabis use, criminal sanctions and users’ experiences in Nigeria’ in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, Rick’s, with Julie Hannah and Giada Girelli, ‘”Treatment in Liberty” Human Rights and Compulsory Detention for Drug Use’, Open Access in Human Rights Law Review and his review of Damon Barrett’s excellent Child Rights and Drug Control in the International Journal of Children’s Rights.  Christopher and Dave also welcomed the publication of their chapter, ‘The International Drug Control Regime: Crisis and Fragmentation’, in Annette Idler and Juan Carlos Garzón Vergara (Eds), Transforming the War on Drugs: Warriors, Victims and Vulnerable Regions, (Hurst & Company, 2021).  

It was no great surprise that the ongoing pandemic pushed back the main annual meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) a few weeks from its usual March date.  And as such, while typically in a state of post-Vienna recovery, April saw many in the drug policy field, including the GDPO, engage with the multilateral session in a COVID-19 induced ‘hybrid’ format.  The Observatory’s key activity at this year’s session was the co-hosting, with partner organisations the Transnational Institute (TNI) and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Cannabis Research, The University of the West Indies, Jamaica (ICCR), of an on-line side-event.  Moderated by Dave and with an audience of more than 100, ‘The Future of Cannabis in the Caribbean’ comprised a panel involving Jerrol Thompson (Executive Director Medicinal Cannabis Authority, St Vincent and the Grenadines), Faith Graham (Acting Chief Executive, Cannabis Licencing Authority Jamaica), Vicki Hanson (ICCR) and Pein Metaal (TNI).  

April also saw the Observatory team involved with several other on-line events.  The first of these was in relation to the Global Drug Policy Index (GDPI) project. Here, with International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) colleagues, Dave presented the GDPI to the GIZ’s Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD) team as part of their ‘Quick Academy Series’.   Second, Observatory team members Dave, Luca and Dennis took part in the initial meeting of the GDPO’s ‘Drones and counter-narcotics in Latin America’ project. While ticking over for some time, this was the project’s formal kick-off with Ross Eventon and project partners from the Colombian Observatory of Organized Crime (OCCO) at the University of Rosario, Bogota.  It is our pleasure to welcome to the research team Delina Goxho  and Jochen Kleinschmidt. The work stream will involve several publications and related workshops and dissemination events.

During May, GDPO Research Associate Constanza Sanchez Aviles participated at the Social and Family Affairs Committee at the Malta Parliament to provide input on the cannabis decriminalization initiative that is currently underway. Constanza spoke about Cannabis Social Clubs in Spain and in so doing drew on research from her 2018 Observatory Report, Better to Ask Forgiveness Than Permission: Spain’s Sub-national Approach to Drug Policy.  You can read more about the Committee session here. GDPO research was also evident in several other media stories, including Ross’s work on aerial fumigation of coca crops in Colombia and Dave’s on cannabis policy reform.

In relation to more recent research, June saw the publication of a GDPO Policy Report by Martin Horton-Eddison, Patrick Shortis, Judith Aldridge, and Fernando Caudevilla. Drug Cryptomarkets in the 2020s: Policy, Enforcement, Harm, and Resilience builds upon some of the work presented at a side-event at the 2020 CND in Vienna and represents the beginnings of stronger research collaborations with colleagues in the Department of Criminology at The University of Manchester.  The Brief is also accompanied by a video explainer. 

Finally, the quarter saw some restructuring and changes in personnel, both at the GDPI and among partners.  Regarding the latter, in April the David F Musto Center for Drug Policy Studies (Shanghai University) became the International Center for Drug Policy Studies.  The GDPO was please to send a congratulatory video for the inaugural opening ceremony.  Closer to home, Axel’s formal relationship with the Observatory came to an end.  We wish him all the best in his new role as Project Coordinator, Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security, ECOWAS, and thank him for all his contributions to and support for the GDPO since its establishment.   However, we also welcome as a new member of the team one of Axel’s African colleagues, Ediomo-Ubong Nelson.  Based in Nigeria Ediomo-Ubong (also known as Nelson) is Alcohol and Drug Policy Advocacy Officer at the International Blue Cross and, under the leadership of Prof. Isidore Obot,  Associate Researcher at the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse.  We look forward to working with Nelson as lead on our Africa project.

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