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The War on Drugs: Options and Alternatives

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The War on Drugs: Options and Alternatives TheWaronDrugs: Optionsand Alternatives Theglobal“war on drugs”hasbeenfoughtfor50years, withoutpreventingthelong-termtrendofincreasingdrug supplyanduse�Beyondthisfailure,theUNOfficeonDrugs andCrime(UNODC)hasidentifiedmanyseriousnegative “unintended consequences”(1)ofthedrugwar�Thesecosts aredistinctfromthoserelatingtodruguse,andstem fromtakingapunitiveenforcement-ledapproachthat,by itsnature,criminalisesmanyusersandplacesorganised criminalsincontrolofthetrade� Contents Althoughthelistofnegativeconsequencesdetailedbythe Introduction ��������������������������������� 1 UNODCisuseful,itisalsoincomplete�Thecostsofthewar Optionsforreform���������������������������� 3 ondrugsextendtosevenkeypolicyareas:theeconomy, internationaldevelopmentandsecurity,theenvironment, 1� Increasingtheintensityofthewarondrugs��� 3 crime,publichealth,humanrights,andstigmaand 2� Refinementstoaprimarilycriminaljustice-led discrimination�Forbriefingsandamoreextensive approach �������������������������������� 3 collectionofresourcesonthesecostareas,see • Enforcementreforms �������������������� 4 www�countthecosts�org� • Healthreforms�������������������������� 4 3� Reorientationtoahealth-basedapproach,and Giventhenegativeimpactofthewarondrugs,thereisan decriminalisationofdrugusers ������������� 6 urgentneedtoexplorealternativepoliciesthatcoulddeliver • ThePortugaldecriminalisationexperience�� 8 betteroutcomes�Thisbriefingoutlinessomeofthepossible 4� Stateregulationandcontrolofdrugproduction optionsforreform� andsupply������������������������������� 9 • Cannabisregulationinpractice����������� 12 Conclusions��������������������������������� 13 www.countthecosts.org 1 “ I don’t object to discussing any alternatives. But if we are going to discuss alternatives, let’s discuss every alternative ... let’s discuss what alternatives do we have – what is the cost, what is the benefit of each?” Juan Manuel Santos PresidentofColombia 2010 Introduction Inadebatethatisoftenemotiveandhighlypoliticised,itis importanttostressthatonmostofthefundamentalissues Thegrowingcostsofthewarondrugs–particularlyfor thereisinfactconsiderablecommonground�However,it theworstaffectedproducerandtransitcountries–have iscrucialthatasweexplorepolicyalternatives,wemakea nowreachedacrisispointthatisdrivinganincreasingly cleardistinctionbetweenthosethatmerelyaimtoreduce high-levelandmainstreamdebateondrugpolicyandlaw theharmscausedbythewarondrugs(withoutchanging reform�Butwhilethereisagrowingconsensusthatcurrent theprohibitionistmodelthatunderpinsit),andoptionsthat approachestodrugcontrolhavebeenineffectiveoractively involveamuchmorefundamentalrevisionofourapproach counterproductive,thereislessagreementonhowthese todrugpolicy�(2) shortcomingsshouldbeaddressed� Thekeydrugdebateisaroundwhichpolicyandlegal Thedebateonthefutureofdrugpolicyoftenappearshighly prescriptionsarelikelytodeliverthesharedgoalsofa polarisedbetweenpunitive“drug warriors”andlibertarian healthierandsafersociety�ForUNmemberstatesthis “legalisers”�Butthisisactuallyanunhelpfulcaricature debateplaysoutinanenvironmentofmultiple,often drivenbythemedia’sdesireformoredramaticdebate�In conflicting,priorities:therequirementtooperatewithinthe reality,thereexistsaspectrumofoptionsbetweenthese parametersoftheUNdrugconventions,theneedtoreduce poles,withthemajorityofviewsnearertothecentre thecollateraldamageofthewarondrugs,theneedto ground,andtoeachother� deliverimproveddrugpolicyoutcomes,aswellasarangeof domesticandinternationalpoliticalpressures�Additionally, therehavebeenmanydecadesofpoliticalandfinancial investmentinthecurrentpolicy�Reinvestinginalternatives isanythingbutsimple,andrealismisneededaboutthe potentialpaceofmoresubstantivereforms� Inthiscontextitisalsoimportanttoacknowledgethatthere areno“silver bullet”solutionsor“one-size-fits-all”answers� Thechallengesfacedbycountrieswillvaryconsiderably dependingonwhethertheirprimaryconcernsarewith drugproduction,transitorconsumption(oracombination ofthese)�Theremayalsobepoliticalandpracticaltensions betweenimplementingshort-termreformsthataimto reducesomeofthemostsevereharmsproducedbythedrug Thereisgrowing,high-levelsupportforalternativedrugpolicy war,andlong-termreformsthatinvolvesubstantialchanges optionstobeconsidered todomesticandinternationallaw� 1� Increasingtheintensityofthewar ondrugs Thisoptionisbasedontheideathatahighlypunitive enforcementmodelcanbeeffectiveatachievingthe goaloferadicatingthenon-medicaluseofcertaindrugs� Thoseadvocatingitbelievethatthefailingsofthewar ondrugstodatearenotduetoanyfundamentalflawin theprohibitionistapproach,butratherduetoalackof Drugproducingandtransitcountriesareleadingthedebateon applicationandresources�Theyarguethatthewarondrugs alternativestothewarondrugs couldbewonifitwerefoughtwithsufficientvigour,with moreresourcesputintocoordinatedsupply-sidecontrols, andmoreconsistentlypunitiveresponsesdirectedatdrug Itistheprimaryproducerandtransitregionscarryingthe users� greatestcostburdenofthewarondrugsthatareleading thecallsforreformintheinternationalarena�Theyare Althoughmanygovernmentsaredistancingthemselves increasinglycallingonthericherconsumercountriesto fromthemorehawkishwarondrugsrhetoricofthepast(3) notonlyshareresponsibilityfortheproblemsrelatedto andmovingawayfrommorepunitivemodels,inmuch demandfordrugs,butalsoforthecollateraldamagethat oftheworldadvocating“crackdowns”,and“get tough”or isresultingfromglobaldruglawenforcementpolicies� “zero tolerance”approaches(involvingharshsentencing Thishasparticularrelevanceastheabilityofdifferent andincreasedmilitarisationofenforcement)remainsacore countriesorregionstoimplementalternativemodelsisalso featureofresponsestothedrugproblem� dependentontheirdevelopmentstatus� TheanalysisoftheCounttheCostsinitiativeshowsthatthe Optionsforreform argumentsfora“get tough”approacharenotsupportedby evidencethattheycanbeeffective�Enforcementhasproven Thefirstthreeoptionsdescribedbelow–increasingthe tobeabluntandineffectivetoolforcontrollingdruguse, intensityofthewarondrugs;refinementstoaprimarily insteadcreatingorexacerbatingharmsassociatedwith criminaljustice-ledapproach;andreorientationtoa criminalisationofusersandcriminallycontrolleddrug health-basedapproachanddecriminalisationofdrugusers markets�Increasingtheferocityofthewarondrugswith –involvelegaland/orpolicyreformsthatcantakeplace greaterpunitiveandmilitarisedenforcementistherefore atadomesticlevelwithintheoverarchinginternational unlikelytodeliverthehoped-forgoals,andmorelikelyto prohibitionistlegalframework�Thefourth–stateregulation produceincreasedcosts�(4) andcontrolofdrugproductionandsupply–requiresthe currentinternationallegalframeworktobenegotiatedor 2� Refinementstoaprimarilycriminal reformed� justice-ledapproach Thisisasimplificationand“snap shot”summaryofthe Thisisessentiallyanorthodoxprohibitionposition, currentreal-worldcontinuumofpolicymodels,someof maintainingaprimarilycriminaljustice,enforcement-based whichinvolvemorecomplexinteractionsofhealthand approachandrhetoricalcommitmenttoeliminatingdrugs enforcementinterventionsatdifferentstagesoftheir fromsociety,butseekingtoimproveeffectivenessthrough evolution�(For further reading on alternatives, see innovationandmarginalreformstoenforcementpractice www.countthecosts.org.) andpublichealthinterventions� 3 Enforcement reforms Clearlytheimpactsofdifferentenforcementpracticescan varysignificantly,andfocusingenforcementonthe Someoftheideasbeingexploredorproposedfor“smarter” elementsoftheillicitmarketthatarethemostharmfulhas ormoreeffectiveenforcementpracticesinclude: thepotentialtoreducesomenegativeimpacts�(6)Somehave evenappliedaharmreductionanalysisofenforcement • Improvingaccountability,monitoringandevaluation practicesinthiscontext�(7) tofacilitateafocuson“what works”,andtoreduceor preventhumanrightsabusesandcorruption Seekingtousesupply-sideenforcementinamorestrategic andtargetedwaytoshapeandmanagedrugmarkets(and • Targetingenforcementatthemostviolentorganised therebyreducetheharmstheycause)iscertainlyamore crimegroupswiththeprimaryaimofreducingoverall pragmaticpropositionthanfutileattemptstoeradicatethe market-relatedviolence(5) market�Indeed,thereisrealpotentialtorapidlyaddress someofthemosturgentconcernsinaffectedareas� • Targetingenforcementatretaildrugsalesthatare However,whileshowingpromise,suchapproachesremain themostvisible,disruptive,violent,oraccessibleto relativelyunderdeveloped,althoughthereisemerging vulnerablegroupssuchasyoungpeople evidencefromnewstrategiesbeingexploredinsomeUS andLatinAmericancities�(8) • De-prioritisingenforcementaimedatlow-level participantsindrugmarkets,includingconsumers, Inthelongerterm,easingtheburdenofenforcementcosts small-scalefarmers,low-leveldealersanddrug“mules” forkeyaffectedpopulationsandreducingsomeofthe worstdrugmarket-relatedharmsmaybethelimitsofwhat “smarter enforcement”proposalscanaspireto�Whilesuch reformsareimportant,theycannotengagewiththeprimary roleofthewiderenforcementmodelincreatingmostdrug market-relatedharmsinthefirstplace� Health reforms Therearearangeofinterventionsthathavebeenshown tobeeffectiveatreducingthehealthburdenofillicit druguse,includinginvestmentinvariousformsof prevention,treatment/recovery,andharmreduction(see box on opposite page)�Withineachofthesefieldsthereare interventionsthataremorecost-effectivethanothers,and thereisgoodandbadpractice�Encouraginginnovationand developmentofanevidencebaseforwhichinterventions aremosteffectivefordifferentpopulationsaccording todifferentindicators–independentlyfromideological pressuresandpoliticalinterference–willnaturallyhelp informbestpractice,policydevelopmentandimprovement ofoutcomes�(9)
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