The legalisers are doing their best to try to convince people that decriminalisation and/or legalisation of drugs is the ultimate solution to the drug problem.
Today, June 2nd, those in favour of harm production will host a press conference in New York, where a GlobalCommission of Failed Leaders will urge new approaches to what they describe as a failed drug war. They want to move from criminal justice toward what they prefer to call a public health approach.
They urge nations to experiment with decriminalization and also to experiment with legal regulation.
This complete nonsense is supported by “formers”, former Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan being among them, former presidents, a former minister of foreign affairs and other “formers”.
The fact that the names of these guys are well-known to the general public doesn´t make drug policy. If somebody is impressed with the title “former” so be it, but drug policy is not a specialty for any of the subscribers to the ideas of decriminalization and or legalisation. They are just being used as tools by those who want to achieve legalisation of all drugs.
Legalisers have a tendency to repeat themselves. It is worth comparing today´s efforts with the story told by British journalist Melanie Phillips back in January 2003.
In January 2003, the then Hassela Nordic Network provided the following story on the same topic:
As reported on Wednesday, fifth columnist Mike Trace has resigned from his very brief sojourn as Head of Demand Reduction at the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime in Vienna. Anybody with working brain cells have realised that this was the expected outcome for somebody who was prepared to work as a fifth columnist from within the UN.
Several individuals have been active for years, working hard to undermine the UN conventions on drugs. Some of the more vocal representatives are in charge of ‘chapters’ where they have gathered their allies to plot against global, restrictive drug policies. ‘Hangarounds’ in the form of mediocre self-appointed ‘scientists’, civil servants, political advisers, a few odd police officers and active potheads, who want to join them, work as errand boys before they get a chance to become ‘prospects’ and earn the trust of the leaders of the ‘chapters’ in charge of undermining activities.
According to information, containing letters, minutes from secret meetings, secret plans, references to meetings and phone calls received by HNN over a long period of time, there was no doubt that Mike Trace, a UK ex-deputy drug czar, working for the UK National Treatment Agency and the Lisbon-based EU Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, worked as a fifth columnist. In a letter, forwarded to HNN, Trace writes, referring to his position within the United Nations, “A fifth column role would allow me to oversee the setting up of the agency while promoting its aims subtly in formal government settings.”
The UK organisation Release served as ‘cover’ for the undermining activities, a secret steering group was formed, and money was raised from the Soros-funded Open Society Institute.
The British daily Daily Mail published details of Trace´s involvement in the work to undermine the UN conventions on drugs. As it turned out that a former Australian politician, Cheryl Kernot, had joined the undermining ‘chapter’, the Australian Daily Telegraph published some interesting details as well. Other media obviously didn’t have the courage to reveal or do any follow-up on this scandal in the top layers of the United Nations and EMCDDA.
Mike Trace and his undermining ‘chapter’, in co-operation with other ‘chapters’ have been very active for quite some time. The ‘chapter’ has tried to infiltrate wherever it has been possible for them to find inroads, including the Greek government, presently holding the EU presidency. In order to try to influence the EU position for the UN meeting on drugs in April this year, Trace established contact with George Papandreou´s advisers to get them hooked on his agenda for the UN meeting. Before Christmas last year Mike Trace was able to report that “we have succeeded in persuading the Greek government to hold an EU Drug Policy conference in March 2003. George Papandreou will be the host, and I am currently working with his advisors to agree the agenda, which will be specifically orientated towards a critical review of current policies”..”I have also succeeded in attaching a one-day seminar to this event…”
Mike Trace seemed to be sure that he could promote his fifth columnist agenda within the UN offices in Vienna. In a message on October 15 to Aryeh Neier, President of the Soros-funded OSI, Trace wrote, “The Executive Director, Antonio Costa, is, at least for the moment, asking me for guidance on how to handle the April meeting, so I have the opportunity to influence events from the inside, while continuing to work on this initiative.”
Well, that “moment” no longer exists. Trace not only cheated Executive Director Costa and the UN agency; he cheated all the people that thought that Trace would be the right man to work hard to guard the UN convention on drugs. When Trace was appointed chair of the Lisbon-based European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, a position he left a week ago, he said “Drugs know no boundaries. It is co-operation between countries and organisations such as this and by working in partnership that we will overcome the problems caused by drug use.”
Today such a statement by Trace would mean nothing when we know what happened. However, together with people close to EMCDDA in Lisbon and organisations elsewhere, investigations into the undermining activities will continue.
As for the Greek EU Presidency and drugs, Greece as well as other EU Member States are recommended to take a very close look at the plans, contents and present outcome of Trace´s activities with George Papandreou´s advisers.
Mike Trace has resigned from the UN, EMCDDA and the UK National Treatment. So what happens next? Rest assure – this is not the end. The story is developing regarding some interesting ‘chapters’, ‘prospects’, and ‘hangarounds’.
Further reading:
Statement from Communications Director Rafael Lemaitre on Global Commission Report on Drug Policy
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