[pp.int.general] Petition: End the War on Drugs

[Pat Maechler v/o Valio]

Dear pirates,

I would like to bring your attention to a petition by the avaaz network 
that is in its last 72 hours and calls to a worldwide change in drug 
policies

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_drugs/

The signatures shall be handed over to the UN general secretary
As a reminder: The UNODC which is part of the UNO is capable of very 
democratic discussions on the actual issue [/irony]
http://drogriporter.hu/en/node/929

I know that this is not a core pirate issue ('though some parties do 
have drug policies in their programs), but I see still a lot of 
parallels between the War on Piracy and the War on Drugs.

You're free to discuss the issue at hand, but I'm currently cluttered 
with work, so don't expect me to reply very soon ;-)

Further sources (taken from the Avaaz mail):
---snip---
Reports that show the war on drugs has failed:
http://idpc.net/publications/failure-regime-selected-publications

Reports that show alternative approaches of decriminalisation and 
regulation are working:
http://idpc.net/publications/alternative-strategies-selected-publications

General report on drug law reform in practice:
http://www.tni.org/report/legislative-innovation-drug-policy

The Global Comission on Drug Policy that will call on the UN to end the 
war on drugs
http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Documents.aspx

Drug War by the Numbers
http://www.drugpolicy.org/facts/drug-war-numbers

Final Report of the Latin American Comission on Drugs and Democracy
http://www.drogasedemocracia.org/English/Destaques.asp?IdRegistro=8
---/snip---

regards
-pat