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‘War on drugs’ has failed

by Mark Rowe

A new study published in the British Medical Journal Open finds that the prices of illegal drugs have generally declined while their purity has increased over the past 20 years, raising questions say the researchers about the effectiveness of international law enforcement efforts to reduce drug supply.

Researchers from the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy reviewed two decades of global drug surveillance data, finding that the supply of major illegal drugs has increased, as measured through a decline in the price, while there has been a corresponding general increase in the purity of illegal drugs.

“These findings add to the growing body of evidence that the war on drugs has failed,” said study co-author Dr. Evan Wood, Scientific Chair of the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy and Canada Research Chair in Inner City Medicine at the University of British Columbia. “We should look to implement policies that place community health and safety at the forefront of our efforts, and consider drug use a public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue. With the recognition that efforts to reduce drug supply are unlikely to be successful, there is a clear need to scale up addiction treatment and other strategies that can effectively reduce drug-related harm.”

Researchers reviewed indicators of drug supply in consumer markets such as Europe, the United States, and Australia, and drug seizures in drug-producing regions such as Latin America, Afghanistan, and Southeast Asia. Data were derived from government surveillance systems. The study found that:

• The price of illegal drugs, with few exceptions, generally decreased globally;
• In Europe, the price of opiates (including heroin) and cocaine declined by 74 per cent and 51 per cent respectively from 1990 to 2007;
• Seizures of cannabis, cocaine, and opiates generally increased in major drug production regions and major domestic markets.

The study findings brought renewed calls from the international community to re-examine the effectiveness of drug strategies that place a disproportionate emphasis on supply reduction at the expense of evidence-based prevention and treatment of problematic illegal drug use. To that end, the study authors suggest that rather than using indicators of illegal drug volume seized, price, or purity, governments could assess the effectiveness of their drug policies by using indicators of drug-related harm, such as the number of overdoses, the rate of blood-borne disease transmission (eg, HIV and hepatitis C) among people who use drugs, or emergency room mentions of drugs.

“This research should serve as a wake-up call to policy-makers to legally regulate drugs as an urgent priority,” said Danny Kushlick, Head of External Affairs at Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

“Many nations and jurisdictions have already taken steps to address ineffective drug policies and reduce the harms associated with drug prohibition. Early next year, Uruguay, as well as US states Washington and Colorado, will implement the legal regulation of cannabis. In the Netherlands, where cannabis is available through the nation’s coffee shop system, only 14 per cent of Dutch cannabis users report accessing illegal drugs from individual cannabis dealers. Portugal, a country that has de-criminalised the use of all drugs and, through the implementation of various public health strategies for addressing drug use and related harms, has successfully reduced a range of negative drug-related outcomes including dependence, criminal recidivism, and HIV transmission among injection drug users. And for many years Switzerland has operated a policy of wide-scale prescription of pharmaceutical heroin to dependent users – with significant benefits accruing.

“The drug policies of countries like Uruguay, the Netherlands and Portugal are clear examples of thoughtful, effective government responses to the problems posed by illicit drug use,” said Prof. David Nutt, Chair of the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs. “The health and social problems associated with illicit drugs are exacerbated by enforcement-based approaches, and researchers and policymakers need to work together to develop and implement policies that will actually improve public health and safety.”

For a copy of the report or a one-page summary and table of price and seizure data by country or region, visit www.icsdp.org.

For the study visit – http://icsdp.org/Libraries/doc1/All_Website_Full_Study.sflb.ashx

Meanwhile Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) national policing lead on drug-related crime, Hertfordshire Chief Constable Andy Bliss, stated the association’s position on the decriminalisation of drugs. This came after Durham chief constable Mike Barton called for a ‘more honest debate’ on drugs. In the Observer on September he argued for de-criminalising drugs: “In my force area we have 43 organised crime groups on our radar. Most of them have their primary source of income in illicit drug supply; all of them are involved in some way. These criminals are often local heroes and role models for young people who covet their wealth. Decriminalising their commodity will immediately cut off their income stream and destroy their power. Making drugs legal would tackle the supply chain much more effectively.”

Bliss said: “Recent evidence suggests that, overall, drug misuse in the UK is falling. However, government policy on drugs enforcement is very clear and unambiguous and our job as police officers is to enforce the law.

“Clearly, a senior colleague like Mike Barton is entitled to his views and he has added his contribution to the national debate, but it would be ACPO’s position that these are matters for parliament to decide.

“We need in particular to be very thoughtful about setting clear boundaries, especially for young people, in relation to drugs, their misuse and criminal activity surrounding them.

“We also need to take account of the fact that illicit drugs markets are dynamic and the wider issue is not just about Class A drugs. Issues like cannabis farms and new psychoactive drugs also create social harms and attract organised criminality.”

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