BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors

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Six Points of Unity of the Association:

1. We are a group of survivors of the drug war
2. We strive for social justice and advocate for human rights for people who use drugs.
3. We work to eliminate the discrimination, criminalization, stigmatization and isolation of people who use drugs in all areas of social, economic and political life.
4. We are against the prohibition of drugs, and for the regulation of currently illegal drugs
5. "Our Lives, Our Voice, Our Way" - people who use drugs must have real representation and power within those institutions that have a significant impact on our lives.
6. We recognize that various groups are differently affected by the harms associated with the use of drugs, and they may need to organize autonomously as well as part of the larger group. We support the self-directed empowerment of drug war survivors and are committed to the diversity and autonomy of our members.

Purposes of the Association:

1. To celebrate the strengths we have as people who use drugs that allows us to survive and resist the war on drugs
2. To realize, deepen and share the love, comaraderie, and wisdom found in drug user support groups
3. To impower people who currently use drugs deemed illegal to survive and to thrive, with their human rights respected and their voices heard
4. To improve the quality of life for people who use illicit drugs by developing and implementing educational programs and training events that ensure learning opportunities about safer drug use and harm reduction
5. To establish an inclusive social justice network for people who use drugs that encourages, supports and welcomes drug users from across British Columbia and connects them with drug user networks accress British Columbia, across Canada, and across the world
6. To develop networks and coalitions of informed and empowered people, both users and nonusers, which work to improve the health and social conditions of people who use illicit drugs
7. To promote a better public understanding of the problems and dilemmas facing people who use illegal drugs and thus encourage the development of saner drug policies and laws at local, regional and national levels
8. To ensure that the voices of people who use illicit drugs are strengthened and empowered so that their concerns about social, medical and economic issues can be heard by policy makers, service providers, and the public at large

Founded on June 14, 2009 by discussion and consensus by participants at the Pacific Summit on Drug Users Health, Vancouver, B.C.