81st UN General Assembly High-Level Week | Joint Civil Society Initiative

From UNGASS to What Comes Next: Overdose Prevention, Harm Reduction & the Future of Drug Policy

Progress toward multilateral peace and the Sustainable Development Goals requires an urgent, evidence-based realignment of global drug policies away from criminalization and toward public health, human rights, and restorative justice. Co-organized by Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and in Ágora, this joint civil society initiative marks 10 years since the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the World Drug Problem. Together, we bring international delegates, frontline harm reduction practitioners, and emerging leaders together to shape what comes next.

Attend the Event & Get Tickets Drug Policy Calendar & Side Events
Event flyer for From UNGASS to What Comes Next: Overdose Prevention, Harm Reduction and the Future of Global Drug Policy, held Tuesday September 22, 2026 at the Blue Building, 222 East 46th Street, Midtown Manhattan, with speakers Sam Rivera, Kat Murti, Logina Mostafa, Anna Meyer, Ethan Nadelmann and Dr. Rebecca Linn-Walton.
From UNGASS to What Comes Next — a joint civil society convening during UNGA High-Level Week, hosted at The Blue Building in Midtown Manhattan.

Featured Evening Convening

Date & Time Tuesday, September 22, 2026
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT
Location The Blue Building in Midtown Manhattan
222 E 46th St, New York, NY 10017
Special Host Special thanks to Psychedelic Assembly for hosting at The Blue Building.

Held during the 10th anniversary year of the 2016 UNGASS on the World Drug Problem and one day following National Opioid and Substance Use Awareness Day.

Program & Run-of-Show

  • 6:00 PM
    Doors Open

    Guest arrival, refreshments, and welcome gathering.

  • 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
    The Conversation

    Candid panel discussion and audience Q&A on overdose prevention, harm reduction, and the future of global drug policy.

  • 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    The Reception

    Intergenerational networking bringing together UN delegates, students, harm reductionists, researchers, and reformers.

Featured Speakers & Moderator

Sam Rivera

Executive Director, OnPoint NYC

Ethan Nadelmann

Founder & Former Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance; Host, PSYCHOACTIVE

Dr. Rebecca Linn-Walton

Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Anna Meyer

Program Assistant for Breaking the Paper Shackles, SSDP

Logina Mostafa, MPH

Director of Community, Brooklyn Psychedelic Society

Moderated by Kat Murti

Executive Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)

Ticketing & Registration

The participation tiers below are listed for reference only. Supporter tiers help subsidize youth international advocacy and UN CND travel, while discounted and complimentary tiers keep the convening open to students, accredited SSDP leaders, and UNGA badge holders. All tiers are selected and completed on our official Eventbrite registration page.

  • $100 | Build What Comes Next

    Subsidizes youth international advocacy and UN CND travel.

  • $50 | Join the Movement

    Full panel and reception access.

  • $25 | Next Generation

    Discounted student and under-30 tier.

  • FREE | SSDP Ambassador

    Accredited SSDP active leaders.

  • FREE | UNGA Badge Holder

    Guests presenting or wearing official UNGA accreditation badges.

Register on Eventbrite ↗

Opens the official Eventbrite registration page in a new tab, where you select your tier and complete your details.

Open Side Events Directory: Drug Policy Reform at UNGA 81

Co-curated by SSDP and in Ágora, this open-access directory tracks harm reduction, health equity, and decriminalization side sessions taking place across UNGA 81 High-Level Week. The directory is hosted on an editable Google Drive spreadsheet where delegates, organizations, and grassroots networks can directly post and update their events.

Add to Google Calendar 📅 Add Your Event to the Spreadsheet ↗ Open Directory in Full Screen ↗

If the live view does not load in your browser, use the “Open Directory in Full Screen ↗” button above.

🤝 Open Community Document: Click above to add your organization’s panel, side event, or reception directly into the shared sheet.
Promotional artwork for Drug Policy Reform at the 2026 NYC High-Level and Climate Weeks, featuring a layered floral graphic with the SSDP and Ágora Innovation Lab logos.
Drug Policy Reform at the 2026 NYC High-Level and Climate Weeks — co-curated with Students for Sensible Drug Policy.