Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Mar 21

Excellent analysis from Dejusticia of last week’s extraordinary meeting of Commission on Narcotic Drugs!

With the USA objecting to language around ‘gender’ & ‘biodiversity’, the consensus is now broken, & there maybe opportunity to review the drug treaties!

www.talkingdrugs.org/a-historic-v...

A Historic Vote at the CND: Colombia Challenges the Global Drug Control System - TalkingDrugs

At CND, Colombia made waves by pushing for a resolution to review the international drug control system, a first in its history.

www.talkingdrugs.org

4

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Museum of Homelessness @ourmoh.bsky.social · Mar 21

Please follow and support @crips-against-cuts.bsky.social

National day of action THIS SATURDAY 22 March

Crips Against Cuts♿️🌻 @crips-against-cuts.bsky.social · Mar 19

FIND YOUR LOCAL GROUP✊❤️

Poster with a big red fist punching up through a wheelchair and holding a walking stick. There is red blood dripping down from the top of the poster. The text reads: UPDATES. 📣 Organising Groups. ✊NEW TODAY Truro, Nottingham, Liverpool, West Midlands, Hull, Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Thanet, Manchester, Hampshire, Northamptonshire
✊EXISTING - Sheffield, Birmingham, Leeds, Bournemouth, North East UK, Exeter, London Central, Brighton, Bristol, Portsmouth, South Wales.
• You can join the organising groups via the Crip’s United community WhatsApp. There’s also a community chat for support and one for advice.

3 11

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Mar 19

Starmer in Times today ‘The rising benefits bill is “devastating for public finances” & has “wreaked a terrible human cost’.

Maybe address lack of progressive tax instead. Failing to tax the wealthy drives extreme inequality which ACTUALLY creates a terrible human cost & wrecks public finances

1 1 5

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Mar 18

Really angry about this! PIP literally helps people with disabilities live their lives including being able to work. The way this is being framed is disingenuous there is nothing ‘moral’ about this plan!

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Keir Starmer to unveil drastic disability benefit cuts despite opposition

Changes could deny benefits to people who need help to wash or to remember to go to the toilet

www.theguardian.com

2 8

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Mar 10

Tax the rich!

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Starmer decries ‘worst of all worlds’ benefits system ahead of deep cuts

PM expected to announce billions in savings from personal independence payment, the main disability benefit

www.theguardian.com

3

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Mar 9

Excellent piece on Spain’s drug decriminalisation model & the expansion of harm reduction from our colleagues at the fabulous Metzineres
www.talkingdrugs.org/spains-decri...

Spain’s Decriminalisation: Decades of Quiet Innovation - TalkingDrugs

Spain's drug decriminalisation system has been slowly improving over the decades, supporting people who use drugs across the nation.

www.talkingdrugs.org

1 7 17

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) @idpc.net · Mar 4

🚨 IMPORTANT — The US government's reckless cuts to foreign aid threaten #HarmReduction globally.

@inpud.bsky.social collects data to present before the intn'l community at #CND68.

Fill the survey to relay impact on your activities & share with relevant networks!

Documenting the early impact of the US foreign aid directives on harm reduction programming

Aid cuts disrupt harm reduction services and imperil lives — share your experience to bring the evidence to the upcoming UN CND.

idpc.net

3 4

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Feb 12

Just gave evidence to UN Cttee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights on the UK’s crisis of drug related deaths.

Read our submission to the Cttee submitted jointly with our friends @harmreductionintl.bsky.social @idpc.bsky.social & the drug user led group RATS.

www.release.org.uk/publications...

Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Our joint submission with Harm Reduction International (HRI), the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and Radical Acts to Survive (RATS) addresses the critical issue of drug-related deaths in ...

www.release.org.uk

4 4

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Feb 11

Read @releasedrugs.bsky.social joint submission with @inquest-org.bsky.social & @robralphs.bsky.social on drugs in prison. Really proud of this piece, calls for decriminalisation, decarceration, harm reduction & transformative justice.

www.release.org.uk/publications...

INQUEST, DPSC and Release submission to the Justice Committee’s inquiry on Drugs in Prison

Our joint submission with INQUEST and DPSC to the Justice Committee’s inquiry on drugs in prison presents a comprehensive analysis of drug-related harms and deaths within the prison system in England ...

www.release.org.uk

8

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Jan 17

Thank you Cait 😘

1

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Jan 17

The @ukhomeoffice.bsky.social letter to ACMD asking if Ketamine should be reclassified to Class A ‘use in…people, aged 16-24 years, has increased by 231% since March 2013”. Ket was made a Class B drug in 2014.

I don’t understand how they don’t see it! 🤦‍♀️
www.gov.uk/government/p...

Updated harms assessment of ketamine: commissioning letter

www.gov.uk

1 10

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Transform Drug Policy Foundation @transformdrugs.bsky.social · Dec 22

UK to open its first safe drug consumption room amid soaring deaths

Welcome news, tho political cowardice has caused yrs of delays, costing 100s of lives

As @niamhrelease.bsky.social notes, it's "shameful these facilities are not being opened across the UK”
www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

UK to open its first safe drug consumption room amid soaring deaths

The Thistle in Glasgow aims to save lives by providing a supervised environment in ‘Europe’s drug deaths capital’

www.theguardian.com

6 11

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Prof Harry Sumnall @profhrs.bsky.social · Dec 22

@shantidas.bsky.social Observer report on ASA’s ruling this week about the misleading practices of some private drug treatment brokers, including a short quote from myself www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

‘Free and impartial’ addiction helplines paid secret commission by rehabs

Advertising regulator reprimands services that claim to offer unbiased advice but then direct people to partner facilities

www.theguardian.com

3 8

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 22

Coverage of Glasgow’s drug consumption room due to open next month (hopefully!). Comment from me highlighting the need for these facilities across the UK to address the crisis of drug related deaths. (Would tag others but function doesn’t seem to work!).

www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

UK to open its first safe drug consumption room amid soaring deaths

The Thistle in Glasgow aims to save lives by providing a supervised environment in ‘Europe’s drug deaths capital’

www.theguardian.com

1 7

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 20

Brilliant news BC Government repeals public drug use bill which would have recriminalised people who use drugs who don’t have private spaces to consume!

Congrats to our friends & colleagues at Pivot Legal & CDPC & others 💪

drugpolicy.ca/for-immediat...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Province repeals public use law previously blocked by B.C. Supreme Court for irreparable harm - Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

Joint Statement from the Harm Reduction Nurses Association, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition and Pivot Legal Society xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, sḵwx̱wú7mesh & səlilwətaɬ lands Vancouver, BC | December 20, 20...

drugpolicy.ca

3

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 12

We are delighted to be hosting the London Joint Working Group on Substance Use & Hep C’s meeting to share the findings of the fabulous @pwud-pride.bsky.social research on safer inhalation pipes

1 2 16

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 12

Unsurprising nonsense from DM, demonstrating a total lack of understanding about fundamental human rights.

People who use drugs, like all ppl, are entitled to basic rights.

The Scottish Govt recognises realising ppls rights can improve health & social needs.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Outcry as SNP unveils soft-touch 'Charter of Rights' for drug users

The SNP was yesterday accused of 'doubling down' on its 'soft-touch approach' to drugs after a new 'Charter of Rights' for users was announced.

www.dailymail.co.uk

1 3

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 11

Such a rich & thoughtful discussions today at the launch of the Charter of Rights for People affected Substance Use. Enjoyed discussing decriminalisation, social & economic rights & broader human rights as part of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights panel

1 6

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 11

Really honoured to be part of the organising committee for this year’s Int Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP) in Manchester. Hosted by Manchester Met (who madly made me a visiting professor ☺️). Call for abstracts opened www.issdp.org

ISSDP

The International Society for the Study of Drug Policy

www.issdp.org

2 7 24

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 11

At launch of Charter of Rights for People affected by substance use. First Minister discusses need for ppl who use drugs to be listened to, for their rights to be respected & to be treated with dignity. @releasedrugs.bsky.social @globalcdp.bsky.social @idpc.bsky.social @harmreductionintl.bsky.social

4 7

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Michael Kessler @mickessler.bsky.social · Dec 5

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

New report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy reinforcing pùblic health, decrim and regulation in place of the failed & futile War on Drugs response.

@niamhrelease.bsky.social @idpc.bsky.social @kirstensdf.bsky.social

6 12

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 5

Excellent thread on the CSJ report

Alex Stevens @profalexstevens.bsky.social · Dec 5

The new Centre for Social Justice report on addiction and recovery is a mixed bag (a thread) 1/? www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/wp-content/u...

www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk

3

Niamh Eastwood @niamhrelease.bsky.social · Dec 4

Excellent insights from Zaved Mahmood from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights highlighting how drug policies must be grounded in human rights, emphasises the role of the Guidelines on HR & DP @unaids.bsky.social @undp.bsky.social @who.int

6

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Gillian Shorter PhD @gwshorter.bsky.social · Dec 3

A terrifyjng talk from Lauren Porter on the consequences of closing needle exchange in Budapest (funding gone, hcv/hiv testing down and cases up, public opinion change, drug pattern change, health declines, increase in criminal sanctions in severity/#, increased marginalization)- horrific #EHRC2024

Types of drug policy frameworks slide with Lauren Porter in front of the screen. Lauren is a white female researcher from USA who worked in Hungary at the time

A opening screen of a talk called Hungary's anti - drug strategy a public health evaluation

1 2 6

Reposted by Niamh Eastwood

Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · Dec 3

Mainline has been supporting and fighting for the rights of people who use drugs in the Netherlands for decades.

Their public funding is now at risk - meaning their org would disappear.

We're helping them fight to keep their funding - here's how you can too 👇
mainline.nl/en/rescue-ma...

Rescue Mainline: Email with us again! - Mainline

Next Thursday, the House of Representatives will vote on the fate of Mainline. Save Mainline and call on MPs to vote for the amendment.

mainline.nl

1 1