Table of Contents

Part I: Background and Context Introduction - Axel Klein, Marcus Day, Anthony Harriott 1. The Search for a New Drug Policy Framework: From the Barbados Plan of action to the Ganja Commission - Axel Klein Part II: Policy Responses 2. Criminalizing Cultural Practice: The Case of Ganja in Jamaica - Barry Chevannes 3. Drugs Court in Jamaica: Means to an End or End in Itself? - Anthony Harriott and Marlyn Jones 4. Drugs and the Prison System: Impact of Legislative Changes on the Prison Crises in the Commonwealth Caribbean Region - Wendy Singh 5. Rethinking Privatisation: The State and Illegal Drugs in the Commonwealth Caribbean - Philip Nanton Part III: Interventions on the Ground 6. Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation in Jamaica and the Caribean - Howard Gough 7. What's the Hook? Diary of a Drop-in Centre or Rehabilitation Before Abstinence - Marcus Day 8. Cayman Drug Council: Practising Harm Reduction in a Zero Tolerance Society - Catherine Chestnut 9. Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Drug Research: Pitfalls of Gathering Sensitive Information in the Caribbean Context - Jennifer Hillebrand Part IV: Responses to Opportunity 10. Illicit Drug Markets in the Caribbean: Analysis of Information on Drug Flows Through the Region - Michael Platzer 11. The Ganja Industry and Alternative Development in St Vincent and the Grenadines - Axel Klein

Promotional Information

If the Caribbean poses a significant drugs problem for the UK and US, in the islands themselves ganja, crack cocaine and the policy responses to them have triggered a veritable social disaster. This book brings together new research, insightful policy analysis and practical experience of on-the-ground interventions.

About the Author

Dr Axel Klein is head of research at DrugScope, an information and advice-giving charity with which the book is associated. He is a fellow at St. Anthony's College, Oxford, and the coeditor of Fragile Peace: State Failure, Violence and Development (Zed Books, 2002). Marcus Day is coordinator of the Caribbean Harm Reduction Coalition, Saint Lucia. Dr Anthony Harriott is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. Most of the contributors are from the Caribbean.

Reviews

'Policy makers in many parts of the world are interested in the role of Caribbean countries in the production and trans-shipment of illicit drugs. However, the self-interest of developed countries has not been matched by an analysis of drug use and problems in the Caribbean itself. This very welcome book provides a unique insight into smaller countries' attempts to shape their policy and response to drugs in the context of national, regional and international imperatives.' - Professor Gerry Stimson, Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, Imperial College, London 'About a century ago a few colonial countries plus the USA designed a system of prohibiting drugs that now can be considered a major problem for human rights and state sovereignty. This book's useful analysis of the unintended consequences in the Caribbean transit zone of prohibition as drug 'control' may help bring about a much needed review of the system.' - Professor Peter Cohen, Centre for Drug Research, University of Amsterdam 'A refreshing look at how the criminalization of ganja has driven a wedge between society and the state in the Caribbean, and how the prosecution of possession fills up the gaols while the differential application of the law allows traffickers to go free. The book is realistic in acknowledging the irresistible pressure from North America and Europe to stop the trafficking through these countries but cogently makes the point that this should not drive domestic policy into more and more punitive responses.' - Cindy Fazey, Professor of International Relations, University of Liverpool 'This book fills a major gap, providing substance abuse researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and general readers on both sides of the Atlantic with a collection of interesting and provocative essays. I highly recommend it.' - James A. Inciardi, Director, Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies, University of Delaware 'Only rarely do edited volumes, with multiple essays by scholars, exercise any influence on public policy. But if I had to bet on one book that might, it's this one' - Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance