Reflection on the UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs – one year on

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show a reflection of one year on how the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) event was unfolded and its impacts and longer term implications.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a consideration of relevant past and present documentation and commentary. Experiences as a participant at some of the events described.FindingsUNGASS was called for by countries affected by the failings of the existing conventions who wanted to introduce reformed alternative policies. Representatives of the status quo who opposed such change were partially successful in retaining some aspects of the prohibition approach and in minimising dissent and debate.Research limitations/implicationsSome decision-making discussions were not open to all potential participants – governmental, regional and civil society, including the author.Practical implicationsThe wider debate prompted by the UNGASS indicated a breakdown in the previous consensus around the prohibition and punitive paradigm of the international conventions.Social implicationsGreater emphases on health and human rights aspects of international drug policy were included in the final documents. This provides scope for continued evolution of these emphases in the future.Originality/valueThe paper presents an account of the UNGASS and pre-UNGASS proceedings from the point of view of a reform-minded participant.