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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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National Drug Users Development Agency
Alun Buffry Conference Report
Saturday 02 Mar 2002 NOTE: The Legalise Cannabis Alliance sent two representatives, Don Barnard and Alun Buffry, to the conference as part of a "group representing the interests of cannabis users". This was because we were invited and because we feel that even though the LCA policies do not extend to substances other than cannabis, we recognise that we are in many ways part of the larger drugs and law reform issues. National Drug Users Development Agency, Fist Annual General Meeting London, March 1st, 2002. The conference was attended by about 200 people representing drug users from around the UK, and representatives from the LCA and cc-news. ERIN O'MARA opened the conference saying that it was the first example of all types of drug users coming together with the object of working together. MAT SOUTHWELL, Chairperson National Drug Users Development Agency "The drugs users movement, roles, relationships and partnerships", said For drug users there are 2 key agendas: 1. Changing drug laws and campaigning for Human rights 2. Improving services for drug users and gaining better representation on official bodies - seeking harm reduction. Elaboration: 1) Not a role that the Government wants to support. Not a role that fits with charitable law. National networks provide a space where groups can talk. The partnerships are between drug user groups, Human Rights groups such as Liberty, and law reform groups such as Transform. The Angel Declaration brought these together. Work must never be funded by money from the Government of charities - we are the National Drug Users Network (not the Agency) 2. This is work that can be funded by Government and charities that are willing. The Drug users self-organised groups are seeking money but will have to make clear what type of work they are doing and have the right organisational status. The National Drug Users Development Agency can only work with drug users self-organised groups when they are charities or doing charitable work. There is a big distinction between the National Drug Users Development Agency and the National Drug Users Network - there is different funding and the latter can have fringe meetings such as the Angel Declaration working group planned for later in the day. GRANT MCNALLY, National Development Worker, NDUDA: "Supporting and developing local users groups" said: The NDUDA was set up to support the NDU Network and there is an important political difference. The primary aims of the NDUDA are: - to support drug user self-organised groups - to support drug user involvement in professional services. To achieve this we must: - understand what groups need, - arrange, support and build meetings - help setting up groups formally (with a constitution that enables funding etc) - support budget settings - help apply for funding to Comic Relief etc - advise on dealing with local services - understand and share what works - sort out "fights" - conflict resolution - help groups run themselves in their own communities. The priorities are: - to support applications to Comic Relief for funding - coordinate local and national groups - to pilot successful working with local services. The results so far are: - 25 groups have received up to £3000 per year each from Comic Relief - first year we did well - Comic Relief have agreed to increase funding. - the NDUDA write guidelines for the NTA (national Treatment Agency) - the NDUDA and local groups feel more involved. - the NDUDA is geared to help local groups but still has limited resources. MAT SOUTHWELL, Chairperson National Drug Users Development Agency: "Building and Funding the Development Agency" - Been in existence for 4 years but there was no funding available in the UK before. - No Drug User group had a good history of dealing with money or running things - Central Government and services had been suspicious of users doing it themselves and panicked at the thought of groups with their own agendas. - Drug user groups had been unable to speak with one voice - there had been too much public arguing - Some groups had merely been professional fronts but these have been disposed of. Limited resources and limited management time had forces some critical decisions. Choices: - Experience from Scotland and Jersey have taught us not to rely on professional funding. - Build a united movement. - Set up "institutions" that would help with funding - Work with Comic Relief as a charity willing to take risks. - Talk with the Deputy Drugs Tsar, Mike Trace, about Government funding, because he has asked us - there were 7 bids first round but no funding yet. - Look to earn money to try out ideas. - Look for other funds. The Drug Tsars office themselves had no money to give us. The issue was still not a priority for civil servants or politicians. Achievements: - £250,000 was available for funding through small grants. - NTA had provided £30,000 from January to March this year. - We have proved we can do it ourselves - Comic Relief were increasing funding available - The NTA are offering £50-£60,000 for 2002/3 - The Department of Health offer funding to the Methadone Alliance. - Funding discussions with the Greater London Authority. Way forward: - Agreements on proposals for a Scottish Executive - Dedicated work with women's groups, crack use etc - Need to build better levels of working with local authorities and in the Channel Islands, Ireland - Need to secure funding - Need to build beacon groups in the weakest parts of the country - Our own in-fighting is the biggest block to funding - We need to involve more people. - We need to communicate better. - We need to trust each other more. - We need to sort out differences within the movement. Floor Discussion, points raised: Q: The isle of Mann - what was happening there? A: Need resources and contacts. Q: Will we have access to national database of contacts? A: The database contains many personal addresses that will not be released but mail can be sent via the Agency. There is an e-mail list, an Internet users list and a mailing list. Q: Does the term "users" include ex-users? A Yes, there is no differentiation between current, ex, recreational or medicinal users. Q: Many users and ex-users experience difficulties getting employment, is anything being done? A: yes, we currently support challenges on dismissal or prejudice and discrimination through release and Human Rights lawyers. Often threatening to sue produces results so court cases are avoided. Q: Are carers groups and parents groups involved? A: ADFAM is part of the network and represents the interests of families of users. BILL NELLES, General Secretary Methadone Alliance, "Drug users voices and drug treatment policy" Our concern is to help people with problems and help people get treatment sooner when they need it. We champion the Rights of people in treatment. We know e can run our own services pretty well. We want to involve more users. We believe continuous supervised methadone treatment to be cruel and will fight it ALAN JOYCE: UK uesrs list gatekeeper To subscribe to the announcemnet list of the discussion list, send a request to: Joyce1Noyce@aol.com There was a fringe meeting on the Angel Declaration. Points raised were the lack of mention of Scotland or consultation with Scottish persons, and the question of whether people convicted of supply offences would be barred from getting licenses to supply. There was also a fringe meeting on drug law reform, campaigning and Human Rights. Most of the time was spent discussing with a mother of an ex-addict of heroin: her approach was that although she had nothing against cannabis and did not want to target users, she directly confronted dealers and hassled them to stop (in Stockton). She was often approached by police looking for addicts who had stolen property or done shop-lifting and was often able to find them and tell them to go to the police station rather than wait to be found. She was able to do this because she had entered the world of illegal drug supply to help her son with his addiction. Others in the group tried to explain that zero tolerance would not work, and that locking up dealers merely created openings for others to step in. It was suggested that legalisation and licensing of supply as a better approach. That limited time but there was an explanation of what had happened so far with Human rights legal action - the results may yet be several years away and may still be negative. It was also mentioned that there were now moves from within the UN against countries that had already or were proposing changes in their drugs law and claims that it was contrary to international treaties such as the Single Convention and that there was now an urgent need to attack those treaties. The meeting was closed by ABDI HASSAN Despite some original concerns, the day was very enjoyable, very educational and very positive. We were well looked after in a good hotel with excellent food provided. Many thanks to the organisers of the Conference. Alun Buffry National Coordinator Legalise Cannabis Alliance. 2 March 2002
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