The International Drug Policy Reform Conference is in Denver next week.

Thursday through Saturday

This is the big daddy of drug reform conferences. More than a thousand people will show up from all over the world. And lots of issues that impinge on electoral politics, too, especially marijuana legalization. That issue is going to really heat up in 2014 and again in 2016. I encourage people to attend if possible; it's a real mind-blower.

http://www.reformconference.org/

Here's the program:

Program

The International Drug Policy Reform Conference takes place every two years and draws a wide range of participants including students, grassroots activists, scholars and other researchers, city, state and federal elected officials, people in recovery as well as active drug users, law enforcement officers, treatment providers and public health advocates.

For 2013, there will be over 50 sessions over the course of three days, including several plenary sessions. All sessions are 90 minutes long: usually 60 minutes of presentations or discussion (depending on the format) and 30 minutes of question & answer. The conference program is divided into several “tracks,” or topic areas, of drug policy information. Rather than through an abstract process, the program is built by the Reform Conference program committee, and speaking roles are by invitation only.

Check out the full conference program!

You can also see our Program Highlights brochure, for the exciting stuff we knew was coming together early on.

Criminal Justice Track

The United States imprisons more people than any other nation in the world. This has led to a crisis in the U.S. criminal justice system, which has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Some conference sessions will focus on critically evaluating our misguided drug laws. Lead by advocates, researchers, practitioners and affected individuals, these sessions will discuss ways to emerge from the current crisis and will feature innovative approaches to end mass incarceration and racial disparities in our criminal justice system.

Marijuana Reform Track

A number of conference sessions will be devoted to roundtables designed to engage experts, activist, reformers, and those impacted by the war on drugs on the most cutting edge issues and biggest challenges involved in marijuana law reform.

Health and Harm Reduction Track

This track covers what a health approach to drug use could look like, including highlighting effective harm reduction policies such as naloxone distribution and supervised injection services. The harm reduction sessions will bring international experts to talk about harm reduction with emerging drugs and harm reduction behind bars, while the more treatment-focused sessions cover what the research says about new treatments, and how implementation of the Affordable Care Act will affect treatment capacity in the U. S.

Movement Building Track

Our conference serves as the “movement” gathering place where drug policy reform leaders, drug policy reform organizations, experts, policymakers, academicians, researchers, scientists and impacted individuals can share information and findings, develop innovative and cutting edge solutions to drug policy concerns, and strategize ways to effectively organize and mobilize to end the war on drugs.

International Track

Drug use and the drug trade are global matters. While the United States drug policies have an impact that resonates around the world, so too do changes happening in other regions resonate within the U.S. and elsewhere. This track will explore what’s happening around the world – where advances in drug policy reform are being made, and where drug war rhetoric and practice are gaining ground. Where are the most exciting changes happening, and how can reformers all over the world join efforts?

Psychedelics Track

We are now in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance, with clinical research studies under way at top medical schools and research institutes worldwide. What new directions will the future hold? What are the indigenous roots of plant-based medicines and what is their relation to Western psychonauts? Are psychedelics a medicine or a sacrament … or something else? How do psychedelics redefine medicine and science, and how can we effectively reintegrate them into contemporary society?

Trainings Track

Some conference sessions are focused specifically on providing individuals new to drug policy reform the skills they need to be effective advocates. With fundamentals like fundraising and media outreach to special topics like how to deal with law enforcement and messaging for change. These sessions will be led by field experts and give attendees concrete tools and knowledge they can bring home with them to use in their reform work.

Academic / Scholarly Track

There is a vast field of academic work about drugs and drug policy, and scholarly work often informs and/or reflects larger debates about drug policy reform. This track will examine the role of the academia in drug policy reform and engage participants in the latest research and thinking about drugs and drug policy from some of the country’s leading scholars.

Cultural and Crossover Track

Some of what we know about drugs and drug policy comes from cultural sources, especially music scenes, TV and movies. And some of what we know crosses between several areas of drug policy work. This track recognizes these influences and draws out discussions on topics a step or two removed from direct policy work.

- See more at: http://www.reformconference.org/program#sthash.mKlOSG6i.dpuf