Press Releases

New Report: U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition

7 October 2010 [Vancouver, Canada] – The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) today released a new research report that demonstrates the clear failure of U.S. marijuana prohibition and supports calls for evidence-based models to legalize and regulate the use of cannabis. The British Medical Journal, one of the world’s most influential medical journals, published a supportive commentary to coincide with the report’s release today.

Victoria Council Endorses the Vienna Declaration, Supports Evidence-based Drug Policies

9 September 2010 [Victoria, Canada] – Victoria City councillors will vote today to ratify their unanimous endorsement of the Vienna Declaration, a recently released document that highlights the failure of the global ‘War on Drugs’ and calls for a transparent review of the effectiveness of current drug policies.


Toronto City Council Endorses Vienna Declaration and Calls for Evidence-based Drug Policy

26 August 2010 [Toronto, Canada] – Toronto City Council today voted to endorse the Vienna Declaration, a recently released document that highlights the failure of the global War on Drugs and calls for a transparent review of the effectiveness of current drug policies.


Three Georgian Leaders Sign Vienna Declaration, Strengthen Call for Science-Based Drug Policy

22 July 2010 [Vienna, Austria] - The Vienna Declaration is a scientific statement seeking to improve community health and safety by calling for the incorporation of scientific evidence into illicit drug policies. More than 12,580 people – including Nobel laureates and leaders in science, medicine and public policy – have signed the declaration since it was launched three weeks ago. The Declaration was published in the Lancet medical journal to coincide with AIDS 2010.


Three Former Latin American Presidents Sign Vienna Declaration, Join Global Call to Action for Science-Based Drug Policy Reform

13 July 2010 [Vienna, Austria] – Former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso (Brazil), Ernesto Zedillo (México) and César Gaviria (Colombia) today announced their endorsement of the Vienna Declaration, the official declaration of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) taking place from 18 to 23 July 2010.


The Vienna Declaration: A Global Call to Action for Science-based Drug Policy

28 June 2010 [Vienna, Austria] – Three leading scientific and health policy organizations today launched a global drive for signatories to the Vienna Declaration, a statement seeking to improve community health and safety by calling for the incorporation of scientific evidence into illicit drug policies.


GLOBAL REPORT: Prohibition, drug law enforcement drive violence, gun offenses and homicides

27 April 2010 [Liverpool, England] – A comprehensive study released today by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) exposes a deep connection between drug law enforcement efforts and increased drug-related crime, homicide and gun violence.