An amnesty International report that finds at least 488 people were executed for alleged drug offences in 2011, a nearly threefold increase on the figures for 2009.
A Harm Reduction International report which reveals that in some countries thousands of drug and alcohol users are subjected to judicially sanctioned caning, flogging, lashing or whipping each year.
Nick Crofts, Senior Research Fellow at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, argues that as we mark the 50th anniversary of the UN conventions which declared a global war on drugs, the world can no longer ignore the intricate links between narcotics, development and conflict.
An overview of the legal system in Iran which reveals that drug trafficking offenders in the country are subject to a parallel system of justice, tried before revolutionary courts which do not meet internationally recognised fair trial standards.
A 2010 Amnesty International report revealing that drug offenders in Yemen are brought before 'Specialised Courts' in which "trials are generally reported to fall short of international standards of fair trial".
Strict laws on the criminalisation of drug use and drug users are fuelling the spread of HIV and other serious harms associated with the criminal market and should be reviewed, say experts.
A report from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies that highlights the failures of the current US drug strategy in Afghanistan. The author argues that, as shown in other countries such as Turkey, Pakistan and Thailand, better governance and economic development are the key factors for successful anti-drug campaigns.
A document that outlines the potential risks of using the fungi fusariumoxysporamas a means to eradicate illicit crops of plants from which narcotics are produced. The authors reveal the damage to the environment it could cause if the decision was made to use it, such as the negative impact it would have on other plant and animal life. Additionally there are many damaging effects it would have on human life e.g. respiratory difficulties, skin problems, and Human Fusarium Infection.
