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Many people think and hope that the Obama era may indeed lead to change in the drug policies of the United States. This would surely have repercussions at the international level. Not only in the consumer countries, but also and above all in those countries defined as producers. Not only the hundreds of million persons who would like to smoke their joint in peace think this way. Many more are starting to understand that drug prohibition has failed.

The goal that was announced in 1998 during the UNGASS session in New York, and then repeated ten years later, i.e. a drugs free world, will never be realized. It has become obvious that this goal cannot be maintained, as appeared from the discussions in the last CND meeting in March in Vienna.

In recent months, several events that occurred on the other side of the ocean have been received with moderate optimism by the associations and organizations that are promoting a different policy on drugs in the USA, such as NORML and DPA. Of these signals, we remind the following:

 the announcement to end the DEA raids against the medical cannabis dispensaries for patients by Eric Holder, Attorney-General and head of the Justice Department, in those states where the law allows this. Rhode Island, California and New Mexico have installed a regulation on dispensaries, while the number of states where the therapeutic use of cannabis is allowed equals 13;

 the declarations of Gil Kerlikowske, the new head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, who has spoken about a radical change of perspective in the efforts of the nation to fight drugs, beginning with the elimination of the term “War on Drugs”;

 the proposal to legalize cannabis for recreational use in California and the open minded declarations of governor Schwarzenegger on this possibility. Economic calculations as the subsequent taxation would bring several millions of dollars to the treasury of the State start to appear; but it would also halt the advancing violence in the southern states of the U.S. as a result of the wars between the Mexican drug trafficking cartels, and above all, it would empty the crowded American jails.

The appeal to legalization was reiterated by the hundreds of thousands of persons who participated in the Worldwide Marijuana Marches that took place in more than 250 cities all over the world in the first weeks of May. Also in the international press and on TV, voices were heard of those who explained that the end of prohibition will enable better approaches for dealing with the drug phenomenon worldwide.

From South America, the Presidents of some of the states that are most involved in coca production and cocaine traffic — such as Morales from Bolivia, Chavez from Venezuela, Correa from Ecuador and Lugo from Paraguay — have appropriated the coca leaf as the symbol of their campaign to save the planet and the “mother earth” through a radical change of the current models for production and development.

International Conventions must be revised, that the dialogue must be opened to look into fundamental issues such as the respect of human rights and cultural diversity, and in this process of change the citizens of all countries must be permitted to play a fundamental role — citizens both of those countries that are involved in drug production as well as those where mostly consumption takes place.

Today Europe, far distant from the high ideals that inspired those who started to build the Union in remote times, is reduced to a gigantic bureaucratic apparatus that exists to the advantage of the rich and powerful.

On 26 June, the European Commission will present its next initiative on the issue, a "European Action on Drugs". When this initiative was presented at the last session of the "Civil Society Forum on Drug Policies in the EU" , a meeting of 35 so-called drug experts from several civil society organisations, it was rejected by all except the Foundation for a Drug Free Europe.

This European Union that only protects financial interests but does not have a heart, where decisions are taken by a narrow elite, is about to renew its Parliament, a perfect symbol of its false democracy. Giusto Catania, a young Italian Member of the European Parliament, at least was successful in the five year period that is about to finish, in obtaining a majority of the MEPs regarding a set of clearly antiprohibitionist proposals. Nevertheless, these recommendations were completely ignored by the governors of the Member States and by the European Commission.

And rather precisely from Italy itself, perhaps due to the vicinity of the European and administrative elections, alarming news on real censorship arrives. The "New World" Fair, that also hosts the Cannabis Tipo Forte stands (a hemp fair that reached its 5th edition in 2009), did not receive authorisation to take place during the planned dates in the end of May. The veto against the Fair by the municipality of Faenza was raised by the Democratic Party (in theory, left-wing), after pressure by exponents of the U.D.C (Catholic Party) and with the support of the central government in the person of undersecretary in charge of drug issues, Giovanardi. Satisfied with the ban, Giovanardi thanked the local Prefect and Mayor for "demonstrated sensibility in face of the issue".

Some months before, the municipality of Bologna had denied the organisers the access to the "Palanord-center", where the Fair was carried out since 3 years. Here security reasons were invoked. By "mere coincidence", the start of the renovation activities had been established 4 days before the planned dates of the fair. Still the organisers remain confident, that there still exists a freedom of expression in Italy and the Fair will be held in September.

We hope that this summer, which coincides with the beginning of a new cycle for Encod that will renew its Steering Committee, will contribute its light and heat to produce an autumn full of good fruits and new perspectives. We also hope that the winds of change that come from across the ocean can be felt in the old continent. That the European Union begins a new phase in which not only economic interests and strong powers will determine its policies. Where citizens and civil society organisations will achieve a central role in decision making. We hope that the rulers of various countries start as soon as possible to come to terms with a new international reality.

Also therefore, Encod must continue its work, trying to unite the realities that work in Europe for just and effective policies on drugs. Concrete proposals should be developed that sooner or later will have a role in the change that is about to happen. During the forthcoming General Assembly in Barcelona, we will plan a continuation of campaigns and actions that were promoted in recent years, such as the Cannabis Social Clubs. And in the near future Encod hopes to carry out a first experiment of fair trade coca tea that will be ecologically produced in Bolivia and commercialised in Europe, based on a direct contact between producers and consumers, through completely legal channels.

By Alessandra Viazzi