Why governments worldwide are changing tack in the war on drugs
The dominoes keep falling. Ireland is the latest country to begin the process of decriminalising small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine and cannabis for personal use. It joins at least 25 more countries around the world that have decided to remove users – not drugs – from the criminal justice system.
What does regulation entail? Countries, states and cities are experimenting with de facto decriminalisation, prescription-based approaches, strict market regulation, loose regulation, and even commercial promotion as in some US states. There are different ways to practically making drugs available in controlled manner, including medical prescription, sales in pharmacies, licensed sales and premises, and even unlicensed providers. For example, Uruguay, one of Latin America´s safest countries, never criminalized drug use and started regulating the production and sale of cannabis in 2013. The system offers multiple possibilities – users can grow up to six plants, can join cannabis clubs, or they can purchase cannabis from pharmacies later this year.
Original Article (The Guardian):
Why governments worldwide are changing tack in the war on drugs
Artwork Fair Use: M.O. Stevens
