SteveRolles
@steverolles.bsky.social
Senior Policy Analyst for Transform Drug Policy Foundation
www.transformdrugs.org mostly tweeting on drug policy/law reform. Own views etc. Also/formerly @stevetransform on *the other place*
www.transformdrugs.org mostly tweeting on drug policy/law reform. Own views etc. Also/formerly @stevetransform on *the other place*
'Making a drug class A will deter use & help keep communities safe'
A familiar Government narrative - but true or false?
Cocaine has been class A for 60 years - hows that worked out?
Here's a graph showing the 100x increase in cocaine-related deaths over the last 30 years
1/
A familiar Government narrative - but true or false?
Cocaine has been class A for 60 years - hows that worked out?
Here's a graph showing the 100x increase in cocaine-related deaths over the last 30 years
1/
June 20, 2025 at 2:29 PM
'Making a drug class A will deter use & help keep communities safe'
A familiar Government narrative - but true or false?
Cocaine has been class A for 60 years - hows that worked out?
Here's a graph showing the 100x increase in cocaine-related deaths over the last 30 years
1/
A familiar Government narrative - but true or false?
Cocaine has been class A for 60 years - hows that worked out?
Here's a graph showing the 100x increase in cocaine-related deaths over the last 30 years
1/
Notably use of these 'intoxicating hemp' products is twice as high in cannabis US prohibition states than in regulated cannabis states.
It is clear that the market opportunity for these products is created by the farm bill loophole combined with cannabis prohibition
5/🧵
It is clear that the market opportunity for these products is created by the farm bill loophole combined with cannabis prohibition
5/🧵
June 10, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Notably use of these 'intoxicating hemp' products is twice as high in cannabis US prohibition states than in regulated cannabis states.
It is clear that the market opportunity for these products is created by the farm bill loophole combined with cannabis prohibition
5/🧵
It is clear that the market opportunity for these products is created by the farm bill loophole combined with cannabis prohibition
5/🧵
Fascinating session at @CannRegulators assoc conference on novel & new cannabinoids - including an 'alphabet soup' of new semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta8 & HHC nominally legalised in the US by the 2019 Farm bill & widely sold, largely unregulated, across the US
1/🧵
1/🧵
June 10, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Fascinating session at @CannRegulators assoc conference on novel & new cannabinoids - including an 'alphabet soup' of new semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta8 & HHC nominally legalised in the US by the 2019 Farm bill & widely sold, largely unregulated, across the US
1/🧵
1/🧵
And finally on Thursday afternoon, before I head home, I'm sharing insights on EU policy developments at the International Cannabis Bar Association @theINCBA cannabis law institute
5/🧵
5/🧵
June 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
And finally on Thursday afternoon, before I head home, I'm sharing insights on EU policy developments at the International Cannabis Bar Association @theINCBA cannabis law institute
5/🧵
5/🧵
Im on a panel on regulating high potency cannabis products, but the wider event is a great opportunity to connect with many regulatory pioneers & learn about what's working (& what's not), how emerging challenges are being tackled and share analysis from Europe
3/🧵
3/🧵
June 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Im on a panel on regulating high potency cannabis products, but the wider event is a great opportunity to connect with many regulatory pioneers & learn about what's working (& what's not), how emerging challenges are being tackled and share analysis from Europe
3/🧵
3/🧵
I'm in Denver, Colorado this week for a triple whammy of cannabis policy events....
Quick thread (discussion on policy to follow as they come up....)
1/🧵
Quick thread (discussion on policy to follow as they come up....)
1/🧵
June 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I'm in Denver, Colorado this week for a triple whammy of cannabis policy events....
Quick thread (discussion on policy to follow as they come up....)
1/🧵
Quick thread (discussion on policy to follow as they come up....)
1/🧵
Looking forward to reading 'Psychedelic Capitalism' by Jamie Brownlee & Kevin Walby, which just arrived on my doormat
It explores the renaissance 'in the context of corporate capture, medicalization, and the war on drugs'
See this Talkingdrugs blog for an overview👇
t.co/XxwX2P6xWq
It explores the renaissance 'in the context of corporate capture, medicalization, and the war on drugs'
See this Talkingdrugs blog for an overview👇
t.co/XxwX2P6xWq
June 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Looking forward to reading 'Psychedelic Capitalism' by Jamie Brownlee & Kevin Walby, which just arrived on my doormat
It explores the renaissance 'in the context of corporate capture, medicalization, and the war on drugs'
See this Talkingdrugs blog for an overview👇
t.co/XxwX2P6xWq
It explores the renaissance 'in the context of corporate capture, medicalization, and the war on drugs'
See this Talkingdrugs blog for an overview👇
t.co/XxwX2P6xWq
Essentially the same question regards clean needle & syringe provision
By what logic do you think it sensible to:
1. Acknowledge the reality of use
2. Provide NSP to facilitate safer use
3. Then send service users to use unregulated/adulterated street drugs bought from organised crime groups?
By what logic do you think it sensible to:
1. Acknowledge the reality of use
2. Provide NSP to facilitate safer use
3. Then send service users to use unregulated/adulterated street drugs bought from organised crime groups?
May 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Essentially the same question regards clean needle & syringe provision
By what logic do you think it sensible to:
1. Acknowledge the reality of use
2. Provide NSP to facilitate safer use
3. Then send service users to use unregulated/adulterated street drugs bought from organised crime groups?
By what logic do you think it sensible to:
1. Acknowledge the reality of use
2. Provide NSP to facilitate safer use
3. Then send service users to use unregulated/adulterated street drugs bought from organised crime groups?
The finding that
'Public health-oriented recreational cannabis access may decrease cannabis use and cannabis-related harms, especially among those using other drugs'
...has emerged from a unique experiment with legal regulation taking place in Switzerland
2/
'Public health-oriented recreational cannabis access may decrease cannabis use and cannabis-related harms, especially among those using other drugs'
...has emerged from a unique experiment with legal regulation taking place in Switzerland
2/
May 12, 2025 at 8:29 AM
The finding that
'Public health-oriented recreational cannabis access may decrease cannabis use and cannabis-related harms, especially among those using other drugs'
...has emerged from a unique experiment with legal regulation taking place in Switzerland
2/
'Public health-oriented recreational cannabis access may decrease cannabis use and cannabis-related harms, especially among those using other drugs'
...has emerged from a unique experiment with legal regulation taking place in Switzerland
2/
Short clip from the Psychedelic Mom podcast I appeared on late last year
*With apologies to moron eye-forkers
*With apologies to moron eye-forkers
May 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Short clip from the Psychedelic Mom podcast I appeared on late last year
*With apologies to moron eye-forkers
*With apologies to moron eye-forkers
I'm looking forward to speaking at the always-weird-and-wonderful Breaking Convention conference in Exeter on Friday.
It's for a symposium on psychedelics within the wider drug policy ecosystem(from 15.00) with
@wudzee.bsky.social @caralavan.bsky.social Shoba Ram and @zoegarbett.bsky.social
1/
It's for a symposium on psychedelics within the wider drug policy ecosystem(from 15.00) with
@wudzee.bsky.social @caralavan.bsky.social Shoba Ram and @zoegarbett.bsky.social
1/
April 16, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I'm looking forward to speaking at the always-weird-and-wonderful Breaking Convention conference in Exeter on Friday.
It's for a symposium on psychedelics within the wider drug policy ecosystem(from 15.00) with
@wudzee.bsky.social @caralavan.bsky.social Shoba Ram and @zoegarbett.bsky.social
1/
It's for a symposium on psychedelics within the wider drug policy ecosystem(from 15.00) with
@wudzee.bsky.social @caralavan.bsky.social Shoba Ram and @zoegarbett.bsky.social
1/
But if this was an unexpectedly (for the Mail) balanced and reasonable feature - the comments section is a very different story; 100s of depressingly cruel and ignorant comments wishing death on vulnerable people struggling with addictions
11/ 🧵
11/ 🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:48 AM
But if this was an unexpectedly (for the Mail) balanced and reasonable feature - the comments section is a very different story; 100s of depressingly cruel and ignorant comments wishing death on vulnerable people struggling with addictions
11/ 🧵
11/ 🧵
Look at NCA social media feeds; They're full of drug seizures & arrests
Ask how seizures/arrests impact on availability, or what indicators are used to assess the impacts of 'smashing drug gangs' on overdose risks, & you're met with silence
No such assessments exist (for obvious reasons)
10/🧵
Ask how seizures/arrests impact on availability, or what indicators are used to assess the impacts of 'smashing drug gangs' on overdose risks, & you're met with silence
No such assessments exist (for obvious reasons)
10/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Look at NCA social media feeds; They're full of drug seizures & arrests
Ask how seizures/arrests impact on availability, or what indicators are used to assess the impacts of 'smashing drug gangs' on overdose risks, & you're met with silence
No such assessments exist (for obvious reasons)
10/🧵
Ask how seizures/arrests impact on availability, or what indicators are used to assess the impacts of 'smashing drug gangs' on overdose risks, & you're met with silence
No such assessments exist (for obvious reasons)
10/🧵
The NCA makes a welcome mention of public health & naloxone (tho, like the minister, doesnt seem able to use the words 'harm reduction')
But the emphasis is mostly on interdiction & enforcement, despite overwhelming evidence this can never 'stem the supply' of nitazenes, and may be fuelling it
9/🧵
But the emphasis is mostly on interdiction & enforcement, despite overwhelming evidence this can never 'stem the supply' of nitazenes, and may be fuelling it
9/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
The NCA makes a welcome mention of public health & naloxone (tho, like the minister, doesnt seem able to use the words 'harm reduction')
But the emphasis is mostly on interdiction & enforcement, despite overwhelming evidence this can never 'stem the supply' of nitazenes, and may be fuelling it
9/🧵
But the emphasis is mostly on interdiction & enforcement, despite overwhelming evidence this can never 'stem the supply' of nitazenes, and may be fuelling it
9/🧵
the quote from drugs minister @DianaJohnsonMP
is disappointing - not even mentioning harm reduction
Treatment/prevention are important, but are part of a medium/long term strategy.
Dealing with the immediate threat demands a comprehensive, funded public health-led harm reduction strategy
8/🧵
is disappointing - not even mentioning harm reduction
Treatment/prevention are important, but are part of a medium/long term strategy.
Dealing with the immediate threat demands a comprehensive, funded public health-led harm reduction strategy
8/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
the quote from drugs minister @DianaJohnsonMP
is disappointing - not even mentioning harm reduction
Treatment/prevention are important, but are part of a medium/long term strategy.
Dealing with the immediate threat demands a comprehensive, funded public health-led harm reduction strategy
8/🧵
is disappointing - not even mentioning harm reduction
Treatment/prevention are important, but are part of a medium/long term strategy.
Dealing with the immediate threat demands a comprehensive, funded public health-led harm reduction strategy
8/🧵
My final point was the urgent need for a comprehensive preparedness strategy -to prevent a US style OD-crisis.
I specifically flagged increasing availability of naloxone, and a national roll out of drug checking & supervised consumption services.
6/🧵
I specifically flagged increasing availability of naloxone, and a national roll out of drug checking & supervised consumption services.
6/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
My final point was the urgent need for a comprehensive preparedness strategy -to prevent a US style OD-crisis.
I specifically flagged increasing availability of naloxone, and a national roll out of drug checking & supervised consumption services.
6/🧵
I specifically flagged increasing availability of naloxone, and a national roll out of drug checking & supervised consumption services.
6/🧵
I was also pleased to make the point that its is the lack of market regulation (that flows directly from the enforcement paradigm) that leads to the deadly risks of mis-selling and adulteration with high risk synthetic opioids
4/🧵
4/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
I was also pleased to make the point that its is the lack of market regulation (that flows directly from the enforcement paradigm) that leads to the deadly risks of mis-selling and adulteration with high risk synthetic opioids
4/🧵
4/🧵
Secondly - the fact that there really is no supply-side enforcement solution to the nitazene threat
Indeed, enforcement has been part of the problem, creating incentives for OCGs to tilt the market towards more potent synthetic opioids that are more easily produced and trafficked
3/🧵
Indeed, enforcement has been part of the problem, creating incentives for OCGs to tilt the market towards more potent synthetic opioids that are more easily produced and trafficked
3/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Secondly - the fact that there really is no supply-side enforcement solution to the nitazene threat
Indeed, enforcement has been part of the problem, creating incentives for OCGs to tilt the market towards more potent synthetic opioids that are more easily produced and trafficked
3/🧵
Indeed, enforcement has been part of the problem, creating incentives for OCGs to tilt the market towards more potent synthetic opioids that are more easily produced and trafficked
3/🧵
I had a long interview for it and was surprised/glad to see most of my key points included:
firstly - the seriousness of the nitazene threat - and the inadequacy of the UK Government response (both previous and current governments)
2/🧵
firstly - the seriousness of the nitazene threat - and the inadequacy of the UK Government response (both previous and current governments)
2/🧵
April 15, 2025 at 10:38 AM
I had a long interview for it and was surprised/glad to see most of my key points included:
firstly - the seriousness of the nitazene threat - and the inadequacy of the UK Government response (both previous and current governments)
2/🧵
firstly - the seriousness of the nitazene threat - and the inadequacy of the UK Government response (both previous and current governments)
2/🧵
will no doubt return to the US chaos as the week progresses....
March 10, 2025 at 4:46 PM
will no doubt return to the US chaos as the week progresses....
UN CND day 1 THREAD🧵
I'm representing @Transformdrugs at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna this week #CND68.
Watch this CND primer video from @IDPCnet www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAJ3...
Ill be live-posting as much as possible, here & on X(sorry) @stevetransform
1/
I'm representing @Transformdrugs at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna this week #CND68.
Watch this CND primer video from @IDPCnet www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAJ3...
Ill be live-posting as much as possible, here & on X(sorry) @stevetransform
1/
March 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
UN CND day 1 THREAD🧵
I'm representing @Transformdrugs at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna this week #CND68.
Watch this CND primer video from @IDPCnet www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAJ3...
Ill be live-posting as much as possible, here & on X(sorry) @stevetransform
1/
I'm representing @Transformdrugs at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna this week #CND68.
Watch this CND primer video from @IDPCnet www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAJ3...
Ill be live-posting as much as possible, here & on X(sorry) @stevetransform
1/
These pilot projects are growing out of last year's groundbreaking international conferences on regulation, in Amsterdam transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
& Warsaw transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
hosted by the Mayor in collaboration with Transform & other partners
2/
& Warsaw transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
hosted by the Mayor in collaboration with Transform & other partners
2/
February 26, 2025 at 8:56 AM
These pilot projects are growing out of last year's groundbreaking international conferences on regulation, in Amsterdam transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
& Warsaw transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
hosted by the Mayor in collaboration with Transform & other partners
2/
& Warsaw transformdrugs.org/blog/cities-...
hosted by the Mayor in collaboration with Transform & other partners
2/
Heading back to London this morning after a productive couple of days in Amsterdam - working with Mayor Halsema's team on a series of pilot projects to move the regulation debate forward in the city, nationally and internationally
1/
1/
February 26, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Heading back to London this morning after a productive couple of days in Amsterdam - working with Mayor Halsema's team on a series of pilot projects to move the regulation debate forward in the city, nationally and internationally
1/
1/
'Two circles' Created by: Akiyoshi kitaoka
😳
😳
February 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
'Two circles' Created by: Akiyoshi kitaoka
😳
😳