This UN resolution will be up for vote until Friday, July 23rd. I will cast my votes based on the results of this poll.

Remember, only nations that reside in Canada may vote in this poll, and even if you have more than one nation residing in Canada, you may only vote once.


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Description: The NationStates United Nations,

OBSERVING the continued health risk posed by injecting drug use (IDU), as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its June 25, 2004 report titled, "World Drug Report 2004";

AWARE that it is common for injecting drug users to share their needles, in a practice that is commonly referred to as "needle sharing";

TAKING NOTE of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) report "2004 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic", dated July 6, 2004;

CALLING ATTENTION to the fact that the UNAIDS report states that the "HIV epidemic remains largely concentrated among injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, sex workers, clients of sex workers, and their immediate sexual partners";

BEARING IN MIND that the UNAIDS report also found that in many regions of the world that 60% of injecting drug users are infected with HIV;

ALSO AWARE that due to the illegal status of most injecting drugs in many nations, that injecting drug users, like many other people living with HIV/AIDS and high risk groups, are less able to participate in prevention and treatment programs;

CONCERNED by the UNAIDS estimate that "AIDS is intensifying chronic food shortages in many countries where large numbers of people are already undernourished" due in part to the fact that people living with HIV/AIDS account for large portions of the agricultural work force;

ACKNOWLEGDING that while the best prevention and treatment programs are tailor designed to the individual cultures and societies to which they seek to help, that the scope of the AIDS Epidemic is global in nature;

NOTING the success of reducing HIV/AIDS (as well as other diseases such as Hepatitis B and C) through domestic, local, and non-governmental based needle and syringe exchange programs; [1], [2]

OBSERVING reports that needle and syringe exchange programs do not increase IDU, but instead have resulted in decreases in the number of injections per day; [3]

1. AFFIRMS the basic human right for all people, including injection drug users, to equal access to HIV/AIDS based prevention and treatment programs;

2. ENCOURAGES all nations to review existing free needle and syringe exchange programs and to consider adopting trial or study level needle and syringe exchange programs tailor suited to the cultural and society in which the program will be applied;

3.STRESSES that for IDU HIV/AIDS prevention programs to be successful, that the individuals that organize or participate in these programs shall not be subject to arrest or harassment, nor shall participation in these programs imply drug use;

4. COMMENDS existing national, local, and non-governmental needle and syringe exchange programs; and

5. REQUESTS that existing needle sharing prevention programs share the findings of their studies with other national, local, and non-governmental organizations interested in developing their own needle and syringe exchange programs.


NOTES:

[1] Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis C, and Related Diseases for a real-world example.

[2] "Seattle and King County Needle Exchange Program" is another real-world example that these programs are cost effective and save money and lives.

[3] 1998 University of California San Francisco study titled: "Does HIV Needle Exchange Work?"

Once again, I am in the minority here, but I vote a resounding no. The resolution is targeted too specifically at drug users, and the money would be better spent preventing the drug use than cleaning up the mess.

Saving drug users from their own destruction? :wall: NO!

My concern is saving the general population from infection - all it takes is one cross infection from a drug user to a non-drug user to spread an epidemic upon the law abiding. In the end, it is less costly to exchange needles then pay for drugs to keep infected persons alive.

Drug users or not, we should do what we can to prevent the spread of AIDS. As Bweezy said, it doesn't take much for the disease from a drug user, to a non-drug user.

To stop the spread of Mad Cow diesese, they kill em.... seems quite effective.

yeah to be honest with you, I'd be sadly tempted to adopt a similar stance if I were ever granted eternal freedom and power. Junkies would be excommunicated and expelled from the nation into a walled out region, to suffer withdrawl to their wits end.

I would vote for this resolution if it were angled better; as it is, it just appears to be to help drug users.

It's a start.




I gotta say that I'm not impressed with the amount of empathy going out to drug users.
<_<

Not all are useless human beings. Some have had awful lives and they do drugs to try to mask the pain.

(It's generally the people being screwed up already that make them want to do drugs.)

Oh I voted yes for this resolution.

but you're right I have no sympathy for the people who choose to further throw their lives away.

I don't see it as a mask for anything. It's a degrading way to live. And it's a poor excuse to use pain and suffering for doing it. That is the worst copout. I've seen a lot of shit in my own life and would never touch the stuff to mask my pain. Nor would countless others.

Blame it on poor education, antisocial personalities, whatever. In the end it still is a personal choice, except for those who are forced into it physically, which are few and far between anyways.

We all go through shit in our lives. It's just the weaker of us that choose to do drugs and blame it on it. *looks at africa*. Thems some crazy shit going down there. Last I checked the starving ethiopian I sponsored wasn't using needles.

I have sympathy for the weaker/less fortunate among us.

I hope that none of you that seem to me to be so "high and mighty" -- read not weak -- ever have your child suffer so as I wonder just how you would deal with it??

I don't consider myself superior by far. And yes these people need to be reached out to. But most of the time they will just ignore you or your intentions anyways. They are equals in society. They make their own choices and thus live with the consequences. But what happens when they start hurting other people as well.



How would I deal with adversity?

Hold on, be strong. And if I crack, it won't be on crack. As bad as it can get, it can get better.

Doctors Without Broders story. My cousin is from the Ivory Coast/Siera Leone region of Africa. He and his 2 triplet brothers were abducted as children and forced into the army. Now he was still nearly a baby so when DWOB came in, and he was abandoned to a refugee camp. one of the doctors took pity on him and decided to adopt him. Imagine going from war to a new home, and then the doctor goes through a messy divorse and has to give up the kids - being separated from your twin brothers, to a group home, and then to a stable home (my aunts). He doesn't do needles. And it always gets better.

But then theres the wallstreet tycoon with white powder on the tip of his nose, and marks in his arm where him and his hooker girlfriend shoot up every other weekend. "Shooting up in vain".

by far am I not superior. I am fundamentally flawed as much as anyone. But my life doesn't need to go downt he crapper either just because I don't like reality.

Eagle eye Cherry - Shooting up in vain

Waking up as the sun goes down
Body all in pain
Straight out the door to the worst part of town
Shooting up in vain

Slips all his money to the man
Here we go again....here we go again
Got bags of mercy in the palm of his hand
Shooting up in vain

CHORUS:
So he heads for the closest rooftop
And now he's free with the skyline begind
But it won't be long until his high will drop
Then you know what he'll try to find
Such a shame

Now he's back on that hunt for more
Body all in pain
Wanting to get back to where he was before
Shooting up in vain
So now he goes and sells his wedding ring
Here we go again......here we go again
But now he's sold exactly everything
Shooting up in vain

CHORUS

Such a shame

Down to the bed as the sun goes up
Body all in pain
Now he swears he's going to stop
Shooting up in vain
He's Dr. Jekyll and he's Mr. Hyde
He's got to listen to that voice deep inside
Got a one-way ticket on a derailed train
Got a one-way ticket on a derailed train
Shooting up in vain
Such a shame
Such a shame

Got a one-way ticket on a derailed train

Got to stop shooting up in vain.............(REPEAT)

Even when we disagree, I like the way you put things, MrP. :)

Check this song out: http://www.wfmu.org/Comics/sounds/Love_Signed_DC.mp3

It's not the version I remember, but it's pretty good.

What would you say to legalizing, or at least decriminalizing drugs and controlling them?

I've heard it said many a time that it's harder for an underage kid to buy cigarettes than it is for them to buy illegal drugs.
Maybe that's too simplistic. *shrugs*

What about the never-ending war on drugs?

What do you think of this article, for instance?

http://www.hi.lp.org/drugwar.htm

Just curious... :)

Doesn't work. Government tax would make the market inaccessible to some of the most at risk groups. This would place an extereme demand on public/private healthcare systems to deal wil the immediate crisis. In 99% of cases where I've come across substance-misuse (both Youth/Community and Mental Health), there is never a clear cut diagnosis or root-problem. In many cases drug use is related to Mental Health Issues, either resulting from substance-misuse or diagnosis of psychotic disorders.

The way to combat this is not a short-sharp-shock, but gradual rehabilitiation and education of those users and, if necessary to enable this empowerment, the provision of services that are equipped to facilitate safer alternatives in taking drugs such as needle-sharing projects. It's not a condition, and it's not an illness. It's a series of autonomic-neural responses as a result from affecting the brains 'normal' parameters. It's an addiction pure and simle and can therfore be cured. Irrespective, most of the breakthoughs in modern science have been theorised and proven whilst under the influence of mind-altering substances.

Rant over, my 2 pence's worth. I also voted 'Yes'.

I believe I adressed this once before with respect to the marijuana debate we had many months ago. It's not feasable. And to be blunt, it wouldn't work. It would provide more access to hard drugs.

And why would you want to condone or do that to people? They are already having enough trouble stamping out the smoking crisis. And addiction centres are already maxed out.

Just because frued was a coke head, and because a few great poets had a wormwood and opium problem, doesn't mean it was the cause of their geniuses. Advancement is inevitable with our species.

And while I'm all for curing addiction, it still becomes a choice in the end. You don't know how many times I've heard "I'm not addicted. I could stop any time, IF I WANTED TO."

Hence my toss em out and let them fend for themselves idea. Of course it would never be implemented. Nor would I condone it if someone suggested it seriously. But I dunno man....some people just don't want help. And they just hurt mor and more innocents because of it. That's the oldschool prison theory. Well I say we rewrite the prison books. Create a prison province, give them basic farming skill, give them a variety of tools, and hand thema few textbooks. And wall out the area. Not to sound pessimistic but in a lot of cases, especially for repeat offenders, rehabilitation is a joke.

Nobody chooses to be addicted to drugs, and I hate this tone like your so superior to them.
who the hell wakes up one morning and says let's throw my life a way to get high.
it's a sickness and whether you want to own up to it or not is a problem that needs to be dealt with

sorry wrong quote that was for mr popo

Wrong (in my opinion). Addicts choose to be addicted to drugs. I'm sorry. It's only a sickness when you choose to make it one.

Until then, it's just recreational, right? No, I don't agree. Very few people are FORCED to do drugs (some are, and I feel sad for them and want to hug them all). In taht case, it's a disease. For everyone else, it's self mutilation.

And I never said I was superior. I have my problems too.

Surprisingly a lot of people do. Most of them just dont see the small "throw my life away" print.

How would you propose we deal with it?

I completely disagree
drug addiction is a big word, it's like... it's like car accidents, everybody drives but if your reckless and fuck around then you'll get into an accident.
and everybody does it once in a while, speed up during a yellow light and run a stop sign.
There's been a genetic correlation between people who are most likely to be addicted to certain things.

What I know works is drug education at a young age and rehabilitation, people who use need treatment though crime commited because of this need is not to be excused. People who deal drugs need jail time. Rehabilitation is effective but how effective can it be if they're all AID's infected anyway? It's called harm reduction, it's already been instituted in most of the major cities in Canada. We're not giving people heroin or cocaine, we're just providing them with a safe way to use it.

It's like giving out condoms in my opinion and in no way are we condoning drug use, just fighting a war against aids.

I agree. I agree with this resolution.

But that still doesn't solve the problem. The problem is solved only in one of 2 ways. Get rid of the dealers, or get rid of the addicts.

Dealing drugs should be prosecuted as attempted genocite, punishable by execution.

Pull in on the reins here, "Whoa Silver, whoa!" A life for a life? An eye for an eye? What kind of pseudo medi-evil anarchic approach to justice is this? I appreciate your position MrPopo but could not, and will not, condone such a unilateral argument lacking any solid justification for this approach.
By the definitions previously argued, all coffee and tea manafacturers should also be imprisoned (and dutifully killed) as should developers of prescription drugs. After all don't Chemists or Pharmacists deal drugs? You pay them for a mind/body altering substance. You may consider the drugs they deal to be safe, however the question I ask you is: Are they? What's the difference? There is none. It comes down to risk assessment. Take Heroin, in it's pure form (dia-morphine), for example. It is one of the most effective pain killers/supressors still avilable today. It is also still used for spinal injuries and sever pain treatment/control.

I think that clarification of definitions is sorely needed here. Your comment about ridding the world of dealers will not work as the users will find alternative sources of their drug. Conversely, if you rid the world of users, the dealers will just find more people to push on. It's a catch twenty-two or Kobiashimaru. There is no one quick fix wonder it will take a lot of time, effort, and revenue of services to combat the problem effectively.

My opinion is that it won't be solved any time soon. The state of the world at the moment is far from unified and fringe groups are constantly being made.

One last example. What monitors do people use here? 50, 60, 70+ Hz? You realise that although it's oscillating too fast to percieve, your brain still registers the pretty flashing lights and becomes addicted due to the release of neural-adrenaline.

NO! Giving needles to junkies just makes them junkies with needles. They are no better off the day they get fresh needles then they were the day before. Money for needle sharing would be better spend elsewhere to get people of the junk, and others not to start on the junk in the first place.

NEW

I'm sorry guys...I was unable to vote on this one...

Forgive me?



If it's any consolation, it passed anyways :)

np, Checkers! :)

Yeah I know. I was being brash. I don't think I would ever condone such an action myself.

But something does need to be done. Too much misuse of harmful chemicals.

Taking drugs is not the same as being an addict, not is dealing them tantamount to murder.

It's really a freedom issue. Why should I not be able to purchase and consume chemical products? I'll be honest. I've tried a fairly broad spectrum of drugs. I haven't consumed anything stronger than Guiness in about a year and a half, nor do I have any intension of resuming drug us. Nothing became habit forming, because I was careful, and I think that my GPA would give credit to the statement that "no permenant damage occured." This was my choice, I learned from it, and I don't regret it at all.

What's my point? Why should the government get this deeply involved into my life? I know that there are people that wouldn't have as diligently research each drug, and propably would have had had a better chance of getting hooked, but what is the purpose of our government? I don't think that it should be to heavy handedly tell me what I should and should not do.

Now clearly there has to be SOME guidelines that the government lays out, but I think that those guidelines should be minimalize. I think that drugs is a personal issue, and UNTIL it becomes a problem for other citizens (through other crimes) that it should be legal and permitted. A couple of kids smoking a joint is not a threat to society as an act itself, so why is it illegal? Two friends in a university dorm room try mushrooms, who is hurt? Maybe themselves, but I think that we as a society have to treat our citizens as responsible, rational creatures until proven otherwise. To just ban drugs is like treating our people as children, or sheep.