The new year is almost upon us and 2011 will soon be a year for the history books. But we can’t let it go without recognizing the biggest global drug policy stories of the year. From the horrors of the Mexican drug wars to the growing clamor over the failures of prohibition, from the poppy fields of Afghanistan and the Golden Triangle to the coca fields of the Andes, from European parliaments to Iranian gallows, drug prohibition and its consequences were big news this year.

The Pentagon’s and Department of Defense strategy though the CNTPO, is part of the plan for the privatization of military assistance and intelligence services, which turns to be a very profitable business, and part of the U.S. secretive move to transfer tactics from the so called "war on terror", to the "war on drugs."

According to the description given by the US federal government, the CNTPO seeks to provide a wide variety of security services, which, in Mexico’s case, would include instruction for pilots and mechanics of UH-60 (Black Hawk,) Schweizer 333 or OH-58 and Bell 206 helicopters; development and delivery of curriculum, provide all personnel, equipment and materials, and conduct training for night vision helicopter pilots and crew. Other contracts would include delivery of equipment and training to exchange information on drug trafficking activity.

MEXICO CITY — Latin American leaders have joined together to condemn the U.S. government for soaring drug violence in their countries, blaming the United States for the transnational cartels that have grown rich and powerful smuggling dope north and guns south.

Today the First Cannabis Social Club of Belgium, Trekt Uw Plant in Antwerp, brought in its fourth harvest of 2011. In a meeting in Antwerp 90 members received their plant containing each 20 grammes of cannabis. Since February 2010 the association grows cannabis for the personal use of its 150 members, on the basis of the principle 1 plant per member. This is made possible by a ministerial guideline that was signed in January 2005 by the Minister of Justice and all 5 Chief Prosecutors of Belgium, which decriminalises the possession of max. 3 grammes of cannabis or 1 cannabis plant.

Growing cannabis for personal use is a sensible and healthy alterntive to the illegal market and the tourism from Belgians to Dutch coffeeshops. Trekt Uw Plant uses only ecological cultivation methods, without any risk of contamination or adulteration of the product, like it can be the case on the black market. Contrary to the illegal market, a Cannabis Social Club is not accessible to minors. And because members of Trekt Uw Plant do not need to drive to the Netherlands anymore, to buy cannabis in coffeeshops there, a contribution is made to the reduction of public nuisance and pollution.

The conservative Dutch government said Thursday it is delaying plans to ban tourists from buying marijuana until at least May 2012, though it still intends to curtail the country’s famed tolerance policy.

Cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, but police turn a blind eye to possession of small amounts and it is sold openly in designated cafes known euphemistically as “coffee shops.” Large-scale growers are prosecuted.