International. The war on drugs has failed

International.  The war on drugs has failed.  Thats the message from an international think-tank of economists and various political leaders.  The report was published by a team including a former USA secretary of State, a group of Nobel economists and the UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

 

“It’s time to end the war on drugs and massively redirect resources toward effective evidence based policies” said the summary which also referred to the massive drug-incarceration especially in the USA, as well as the continued tax-free funding of criminal gangs thanks to drug illegality.  Other major concerns are the continued scarring of developing nations by drug violence and the failure of prohibition to reduce drug consumption.  Many Latin American nations are turning away from the painful, expensive and unwinnable policies of the past and are looking forward to a change in international political consensus around drugs.  

 

In 2016 there is a major United Nations conference on drug policy.  At that event there is, for the first time, expected to be a substantial number of member states questioning:

a) whether current anti-drug policies are simply funding and amplifying criminal behaviour

b) whether current ant-drug policies are more dangerous to society than the drugs themselves

c) whether drug prohibition reduces drug consumption and availability

 

 

 

More information is here http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/05/us-drugs-prohibition-idUSKBN0DL1CM20140505