Making Sense of 'Drugs'

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/drug-reform-is-any-improvement-a-step-in-the-right-direction/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2022/07/10/our-children-deserve-better-our-drug-laws-place-them-at-risk/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2023/02/08/isnt-legalising-drugs-a-reckless-idea/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2022/07/01/take-home-naloxone-in-aotearoa-who-cares/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2022/02/04/regulation-must-address-the-fundamental-harms-of-prohibition/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/harm-reduction-beyond-clean-needles/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/power-democracy-and-drug-reform-change-in-2015/

Can changes be made to improve the existing system? Should we swap drug use as a crime issue for drug use as a public health issue? Can we incrementally end prohibition one drug at a time?

In this episode I explain how driving drugs underground creates numerous serious risks for the user and spawns a range of other undesirable outcomes NB I have narrated this episode to make a change from the pretty impressive computerised narration

This was a paper I delivered at the New Zealand Drug Policy Symposium shortly after my arrival in 2011 There is a presentation online to supplement the podcast https://prezi.com/p3fuglzqymmg/?preview=1

Discussion why we should decriminalise drugs.

Drug law and policy is rooted in fear, ignorance, racism and vested interest. Drug discourse continues to be shaped by punitive populism, isolated tragic incidents and ideologically driven moral crusades, rather than science, evidence, reason and rationale. To encourage mainstream critical debate I’ve highlight 75 key myths, lies and misconceptions, that underpin, shape and misinform our thinking around 'drugs'. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/exposing-75-fallacies-that-underpin-the-prohibitionist-drug-discourse/

It's not drugs that should be on trial - prohibition should be on trial. If we collude with the propaganda that drugs are inherently dangerous and fail to expose the real causes of harm we will prolong the tyranny and damage caused by prohibition. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/the-problem-is-drug-policy-not-drugs-and-regulation-isnt-the-solution-either/

In 2008 the New Zealand Law Commission began their review of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The comprehensive report that took 3yrs to complete, was published in 2011. It made numerous recommendations for drug law reform, including rescinding the MDA 1975 and replacing it a new drug law under Health. The step forward for New Zealand never happened....why? This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2020/10/16/new-zealand-drug-policy-2010-2020-the-lost-opportunity-for-drug-reform/

Drug testing may seem like a good idea but it may create far more issues than it resolves This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/the-misleading-simplicity-of-drug-testing-complex-issues-in-a-binary-driven-worl/

Legalising cannabis makes good sense - but will it inadvertently extend prohibition? This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/will-legalising-cannabis-help-end-or-extend-prohibition/

This episode outlines the problem of prohibition and explain what we need to do and why. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2018/05/15/breaking-free-from-prohibition-a-human-rights-approach-to-successful-drug-reform/

Should we seek to incrementally reform drug prohibition laws, or should we seeking to take steps to abolish prohibition? This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/what-will-drug-reform-deliver/

This episode argues that rather than being a disastrous failure, the drug war is serving it's purpose very well providing considerable benefits to powerful groups. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/20-benefits-from-the-war-on-drugs/

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2021/10/30/is-compulsory-treatment-for-drug-use-rather-than-prison-a-step-in-the-right-direction/