Protecting citizens from the harmful effects of drugs and drug trafficking. Says protecting public health, citizen security, and rule of law should be main focus of drug policy. How we engage these will see where we get in UNGASS 2016. Three drug conventions are the foundations are the foundation of these. Civil Society helps bolster these. We need to embrace evidence-based policies. We welcome the chance to discuss reform at this CND. 1) Neuroscience shows that addiction is a disease of the brain. We need to look at it from a health perspective. Focus on prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. 2) It is not our task to incarcerate everyone who takes drugs. Criminal networks thrive in underserved spaces. When we provide alternatives to incarceration we can stop the revolving door and save lives. 3) international cooperation between member states. NPS are a good example. Over 200 new uncontrolled substances hit the market in the past year. Member states have developed mechanisms to protect citizens from these substances.  This is the future of drug policy. We need a holistic balanced approach.  Reason evidence and common desire to protect health and wellbeing of our citizens. Succeed we shall because succeed we must.

Please click here to view the full statement: http://myconference.unov.org//Documents/Get/2dfe4408-0851-44b4-9f13-48c510f895f1