Every year over $100 billion is spent on global drug law enforcement. This is more than 500 times the amount invested in harm reduction services for people who use drugs… a political choice made by many governments.

Combining crime and drugs frames the issue in a way that impedes any real progress. As a result, we see a focus on punishment and repression. This is reflected in the lack of explicit reference to harm reduction in UNODC’s (United Nations Office of Drug Control) strategy… specialized drug enforcement agencies make up a sizable part of the global drug-war budget, but they are by no means the whole pie. The wasteful, harmful expenditure is furthered by police and prisons, both of which dehumanize people and violate human rights.

Original Article (Filter Mag):
We must divest from the failed drug war locally, nationally and globally
Artwork Fair Use: Sam Sabzehzar