The Netherlands` drug policy is based on 2 principles: In 2012, the think tank Australia 21 published a report on the decriminalisation of drugs in Australia. [121] noted that «by defining the personal use and possession of certain psychoactive drugs as criminal acts, governments have also avoided responsibility for regulating and controlling the quality of substances that are widely used.» [122] Prohibition has encouraged the development of a criminal industry that corrupts civil society and government and kills our children. [122] The report also highlights the fact that alcohol and tobacco are regulated for quality assurance, distribution, marketing and taxation, just as currently unregulated illicit drugs should be. [122] We`ve already covered Portugal`s progressive drug policy, so let`s start there. Portugal was the first country in Europe to decriminalize all drugs. This doesn`t mean they openly sell heroin at the local store like marijuana is sold in Colorado, but it does mean you don`t go to jail for having drugs, selling drugs, or using them. You can always expect minor criminal penalties for things like selling drugs, like getting a fine. Instead of throwing people in jail, Portugal began to focus on rehabilitating drug addicts and treating addiction as the disease it is. As anyone who follows the evolution of drug laws around the world should know very well, Uruguay is a leader. In 2013, Uruguay became the first country in the world to officially legalize marijuana. The country`s government sells a gram of cannabis for $1, which has had a huge impact on drug traffickers. Uruguayans can buy 40 grams per month, and you must be a citizen or permanent resident to buy it.
If you meet these criteria and don`t want to buy it from the government, you can grow up to six marijuana plants. Personal use of most types of psychedelic mushrooms is also allowed. In the Czech Republic, until 31 December 1998, only possession of drugs «for other persons» (i.e. intent to sell) was criminal (with the exception of manufacture, import, export, offer or brokering, which was and remains criminal), while possession for personal use remained legal. [51] Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron estimated that ending the war on drugs would inject $76.8 billion into the U.S. economy in 2010 alone. [42] He estimates that the government would save $41.3 billion on enforcement and generate up to $46.7 billion in tax revenue. [43] Proponents of drug liberalization argue that legalizing drugs would eliminate the illicit drug market and reduce enforcement costs and incarceration rates. [2] They often argue that the prohibition of recreational drugs – such as cannabis, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and hallucinogens – has been ineffective and counterproductive, and that substance use is better responded to by introducing harm reduction practices and increasing the availability of addiction treatment.
In addition, they argue that relative harms should be considered when regulating drugs. For example, they may argue that addictive or addictive substances such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine have been an integral part of many cultures for centuries and remain legal in most countries, even though other less harmful drugs than alcohol, caffeine or tobacco are completely banned and possession is subject to severe criminal penalties. [3] [4] [5] Opponents of drug liberalization argue that it would increase the number of drug users, increase crime, destroy families, and increase the number of harmful physical effects on drug users. [6] A Brookings report notes that Uruguay has long pursued a liberal drug policy, even under the dictatorship that lasted from 1973 to 1985. 22. In February 2008, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya called on the United States to legalize drugs in order to prevent the majority of violent killings in Honduras. Honduras is used by cocaine traffickers as a transit point between Colombia and the United States. Honduras, with a population of 7 million people affected, an average of 8 to 10 murders per day, about 70% of which are attributable to this international drug trade. The same problem occurs in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Mexico, according to Zelaya. [92] The cultivation, use, and trafficking of psychoactive and other drugs have been taking place since the dawn of civilization. Motivations cited by proponents of drug prohibition laws in different societies and eras included religious practice, allegations of violence by racial minorities, and public health concerns. Those who are not in favour of drug legislation describe these motivations as religious intolerance, racism and public health.
Similar programs have been implemented in other countries around the world, including Canada. In Vancouver, British Columbia, many clinics allow people to bring heroin so they can use it under medical supervision, or they give heroin to addicts so they don`t get sick because of a bad batch. Thanks to this program, fewer people die on the streets because of their drug problems. In early 2022, the Province of British Columbia submitted its own request for exemption, which is closely modelled on the Vancouver model. In April of this year, Edmonton City Council also tabled a motion to exempt federal drug laws to decriminalize «simple personal possession» of illegal drugs and voted 11-2 in favour. [109] [110] Tip: This article was updated in March 2019 and drug policy could change significantly in the coming months with the election of Jair Bolsonaro. If you need help setting up your future itinerary, here are the best places to stay in Rio de Janeiro. Today, global drug policy reform organizations focus on promoting harm reduction in the Western world and trying to prevent catastrophic loss of life in developing countries, where much of the world`s supply of heroin, cocaine and marijuana is produced.
Proponents of drug policy reform point to the failure of efforts such as Mexico`s war on drugs, which some observers say has claimed 80,000 lives,[29] as a sign of the need for a new approach to drug policy. «The number of people who inject drugs with HIV has been reduced by more than 50% in 10 years. Overdose mortality from injectable injections has been reduced by more than 50 percent over the decade,» Dr. Ambros Uchtenhagen of the Research Institute for Public Health and Drug Addiction at the University of Zurich told Reuters in 2010. «Drug-related crime has been significantly reduced.» Drug Decriminalization Around the World – Interactive Map: This interactive map provides an overview of these patterns and provides an overview of decriminalization laws, their implementation and impact. This map was developed through a partnership between Release, the International Drug Policy Consortium and Accountability International. In a recent op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, the former presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico called the war on drugs «an absolute disaster.» The country is famous for its «tolerance» towards soft drugs such as marijuana and hashish.
