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Moving Harm Reduction Policy Forward

Moving Harm Reduction Policy Forward. Report on current situation in Poland. Action plan. Brief history of Polish drug policy.

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Moving Harm Reduction Policy Forward

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  1. Moving Harm Reduction Policy Forward Report on current situation in Poland. Action plan.

  2. Brief history of Polish drug policy • In 1985 first Law on drugs was introduced in Poland (possession of any amount of drug was not criminalized, although it was illegal; trade and production constituted criminal offences) • In 1997 complex legislation on drugs was adopted (only possesion of small quantity for personal consumption was depenalized)

  3. Current legislation • In 2000 a critical amendment was introduced to the Drug Prevention Law, which criminalize possession for personal consumption. In theory this amendment aimed to fight drug dealers. However, number of instituted preparatory proceedings for drug dealing stayed at the same level, but police found ‘easier targets’. In practice, the amendment directly hit drug users, generating new class of criminals.

  4. Current drug policy problems • Drug users criminalization • Lack of clear directives for harm reduction in the Drug Prevention Law • Marginalization and stigmatization of drug users • Increase of risk behaviours among IDUs • Undertaking some harm reduction programmes, such as testing of recreational drugs is forbidden by criminal law • Proposed drug tesing in schools which is not openly debated

  5. Conference issues • Methadone on Essential Drug List. • National conference in Poland after Methadon is included in that List by WHO, aiming to extend avaibility of Methadone in our country. • Advocacy for equal access to HIV treatment for IDUs • Poland to host an international meeting on access to ARVs in the new EU countries (19-20 November)

  6. Advocacy for equal access to HIV treatment for IDUs • - unstable situation in health care – Poland has a 4th Minister of Health this year • - people on ARV were instructed by physicians to store a month supply of medication • - the budget for ARVs is over 3 mln EURO short this year • - some clinics require drug users to present a support document showing that they are worthy of treatment (for example from drug treatment program) • - 6 month long abstinence is required, or participation in methadone program • - full diagnostics are not available before people are placed on ARVs and certain drugs are promoted over others (whatever is compiled in storage)

  7. Methadone • There are only 700 methadone slots in the country (the need is around 20,000). . • Poland buys very expensive methadone from an Italian company. No other methadone is registered.

  8. Conference issues • cooperation of harm reduction network and human rights NGOs – HR4HR; still looking for future partners • Link into international movement – CEEHRN, ENCOD, co-founders of Coalition on Drug Policy Reform in CEE and CA, Drug Policy Alliance

  9. Actors working on drug policy reform • Polish HR Network • Probacja Association • Kanaba.info – informal drug users union which advocates for drug policy reform • Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights • CRANSTON

  10. Plan of activities (part 1) • October 2004 – Drug Policy Reform – Kanaba.info organising the meeting with MPs, media, experts and drug users • Launch of new book on drug prohibition – UNDP Poland (author: prof. Krzysztof Krajewski) • November: UNDP training for media • HFHR conference - effects of current drug policy in society

  11. Plan of activities (part 2) • November: Probacja NGO training for judges and prosecutors • Social AIDS Committee/EATG/IHRD/GMHC sponsored meeting on access to HIV treatment for new EU states • Discussion on drug policy during 1st Polish Social Forum • January 2005: Batory Foundation conference – Polish drug policy – good or bad?

  12. Plan of activities (part 3) • Introduction of WHO guidelines for ARV treatment. A discussion is required with a group of people living with HIV. • Treatment issues should be included in the shadow report for UNGASS.

  13. Opportunities • Current Minister of Health is one of the signatories of the letter to Kofi Annan on stopping international war on drugs • Chief of Lower Chamber of Parliament’s Health Commision advocates for cannabis legalization • Other friendly MPs and politicians

  14. International potential of Poland • Even though Poland does not have many institutional, complex solutions, it does have a number of individuals with experience that could be helpful to others. Those include HIV doctors, methadone providers, mother to child transmission specialists, HIV prevention trainers. We welcome your ideas for cooperation.

  15. Moving Harm Reduction Policy Forward Report on current situation in Poland. Action plan.

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