Global Drug Policy Commission recommends ending the prohibition of illicit substances

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The report, titled  Time to End Prohibition , notes that, while a decade ago drugs were widely seen as "a scourge to be swept under the carpet by aggressive law enforcement," the conversation has shifted dramatically in recent years. In fact, the authors state in the report's preface that "the taboo of openly opposing this global regime has been completely shattered".

What is the Global Drug Policy Commission?

The commission was established in 2011 to assess the effectiveness - and harms - of global drug policies. It was founded by a group of personalities from the Americas and Europe, including former Heads of State and Government seeking to "inspire better drug policies globally".

Since its inception, the commission has published annual reports detailing the latest findings on issues such as drug use and HIV/AIDS (2012), the negative effects of drug control on public health (2015), and "the global problem of drug perception" (2017). Each of these reports provides recommendations for more effective ways to address these issues, including decriminalization and other reforms.

These findings have consistently concluded that "the international structure, based on the 1961, 1971, and 1988 drug conventions, is itself the problem."

Time to end prohibition

It is estimated that around 270 million people violate international drug laws every year, despite decades of heavy-handed prohibition enforcement. Far from acting as a deterrent, adult drug use has continued to rise since the introduction of repressive international laws.

The effects of prohibition on...

Public Safety

The Global Drug Policy Commission has consistently recognized the public health risks exacerbated by prohibition. For example, drug-related deaths increased by 60% between 2010 and 2015. Research shows that the risk of using dangerous drugs and related deaths increases when access to legal and safe supplies and support is denied.

In countries and jurisdictions where drug policy reforms - including legalization, decriminalization, safe consumption rooms, and drug checking facilities - have been introduced, the risk of overdose and drug-related complications is reduced.

For example, in 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the possession and personal use of all drugs - framing drug use as a health issue rather than a crime. The legislation was eventually accompanied by the introduction of safe drug consumption rooms and testing facilities, as well as diverting drug users to support rather than the criminal system.

Since Portugal decriminalized drugs, overall drug use has remained low compared to other European countries, and a significant drop in infectious disease rates (including HIV) has been recorded . Drug-related deaths in Portugal have also remained below the EU average since 2001 .

Social Justice

According to the recent report, an estimated $100 billion is spent annually to enforce the war on drugs. Out of the global prison population (around 10 million), 20% of inmates are incarcerated for drug-related offenses - most of which are non-violent.

Endless reviews and studies have presented evidence that the war on drugs disproportionately affects black and minority communities. A recent review in the UK found that black individuals were 12 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than their white counterparts - despite similar rates of use.

Recommendations for reform...

The latest recommendations from the Global Drug Policy Commission revolve around the need to end punitive drug policies and "tough on crime" agendas on the global stage. The report Time to End Prohibition emphasizes the need for a new international drug control strategy that "allows national and local governments to test drug regulation models that protect the health and safety of citizens and reduce the power, profits, and violent reign of transnational criminal networks.

To achieve this, the group has laid out the following recommendations:

Promote national legal frameworks and practices in line with human rights standards ...  including full access to harm reduction services, drug dependence treatment, and essential controlled medicines for pain and palliative care. Investment in research and innovative harm reduction models for stimulants and new psychoactive substances is also recommended.

Decriminalization of drug use and possession for personal use will help end violence and police harassment and ensure fair process and proportionality of sentences, including the abolition of the death penalty (still applied in several countries).

Engage all stakeholders in policy formulation - including drug users and small-scale actors dependent on the illegal drug economy through enhanced inclusion, equity, and non-discrimination in new policies.

Mandate the World Health Organization to ensure adequate access to essential controlled medicines and scientific assessment of substances...  The mandate of the International Narcotics Control Board should be transferred from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to the World Health Organization.

This should be complemented by transferring scheduling decisions to the World Health Assembly, "based on the scientific assessment of the therapeutic evidence of substances by the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence."

Move towards a new evidence-based international drug control framework and the latest UN recommendations...  Including the formation of a coalition of UN member states that are implementing new approaches to drug control and going beyond international conventions. This "would open a robust, evidence-based debate on reforming the international drug control structure".

And finally…

Regulate all drugs… Currently prohibited drugs should be regulated. A cautious, incremental, evidence-based process should be implemented to achieve effective regulation that protects and promotes human rights, public health, sustainable development, peace, and security."

The group cautions that special attention should be paid to the tensions between public health and commercial interests. Civil societies and communities - including drug users, youth, cultivators, and small-scale actors in the illicit market should also be consulted.

The recommendations outlined in the  report Time to End Prohibition  are just the latest in promoting the need for a different approach to international drug policy. Meanwhile, more and more countries and jurisdictions are reviewing their domestic approach to drug policies - particularly and primarily concerning cannabis.