Drug supply reduction and internal security policies in the European Union: an overview.

The production and trafficking of illicit drugs poses complex and interlinked problems, which have a negative impact on public health and the security and stability of society. Focusing on actions directed at the EU’s internal security situation, this paper elaborates who is involved in setting policy, what legal and funding basis for action has been established, and what the main priorities are. Table of contents: • Summary • Introduction • Institutional arrangements • Legislation and financial programmes • Policy framework • Conclusions • Abbreviations • References • Acknowledgement

Drug policy, harm reduction & research in Ireland, 1996-2008.

THESIS 9189This study is part of the small body of general documentary research concerned with examining different aspects and features of Irish drug policy. While the contemporary history of Irish drug policy has been characterised by a great deal of developments there has been a limited documentary analysis of these events. This study explores events during the years 1996 to 2008. It was concerned with documenting and examining some of the main developments that occurred during these years in policy, the treatment system, and the role of research in these changes. It looked at the international context in which these events were set and explored the defining features of drug policy during this time. In addition, the study discussed the work of indigenous research bodies, as well as developments in parts of the treatment system. It was largely focused on the evolving public health response to challenges posed by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and injecting drug use (IDU)

Drug policy advocacy organisations in Europe.

This study explores the civil society organisations that engage in drug policy advocacy in Europe. An Internet search in English, French and Spanish combined with information from national sources in 30 countries identified 218 organisations actively seeking to influence drug policy. The paper categorises the organisations, looking at their advocacy objectives and orientations, how they pursue these, and at what political levels they operate. Table of contents: • Summary • Introduction • Advocacy • Identifying and categorising advocacy organisations • Overview of advocacy organisations in Europe • Exploring the forms of advocacy organisations in Europe • Advocacy organisations operating at the European or international level • Conclusions • Annex • References • Acknowledgement

Proximo, Location-Aware Collaborative Recommender

Abstract. Pervasive computing systems typically rely on a range of context data, from user preference and interaction through to the sensed environment. In Proximo we propose an approach to combine a collaborative recommendation system, with location-aware technology to provide personalised, dynamic and domain-driven paths through work and social spaces. For our purposes, context includes user preferences, current location, importance measures for digital artifacts and a community of other users’ measures. We report on an ethnographic study of two art galleries, the architecture of a privacy-centric proximation and recommendation system, an exploratory user study and results from a gallery tour application.

Peer, professional, and public: an analysis of the drugs policy advocacy community in Europe.

Background In recent decades a range of advocacy organisations have emerged on the drugs policy landscape seeking to shape the development of policy at national and international levels. This development has been facilitated by the expansion of ‘democratic spaces’ for civil society participation in governance fora at national and supranational level. However, little is known about these policy actors - their aims, scope, organisational structure, or the purpose of their engagement. Methods Drug policy advocacy organisations were defined as organisations with a clearly stated aim to influence policy and which were based in Europe. Data on these organisations was collected through a systematic tri-lingual (English, French and Spanish) internet search, supplemented by information provided by national agencies in the 28 EU member states, Norway and Turkey. In order to differentiate between the diverse range of activities, strategies and standpoints of these groups, information from the websites was used to categorise the organisations by their scope of operation, advocacy tools and policy constituencies; and by three key typologies - the type of advocacy they engaged in, their organisational type, and their advocacy objectives and orientation. Results The study identified over two hundred EU-based advocacy organisations (n = 218) which included civil society associations, NGOs, and large-scale alliances and coalitions, operating at local, national and European levels. Three forms of advocacy emerged from the data analysis - peer, professional and public policy. These groups focused their campaigns on practice development (harm reduction or abstinence) and legislative reform (reducing or strengthening drug controls). Conclusion The findings from this study provide a nuanced profile of civil society advocacy as a policy community in the drugs field; their legitimacy to represent cases, causes, social values and ideals; their focus on both insider and outsider strategies to achieve their goals. The level of convergence and divergence in Europe in relation to policy positions on service provision ethos and drug control regulation is indicated