The war on drugs can be won, but it depends on a global alliance

By?resolution 42/112?of 7 December 1987, the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The intention is to have this date as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

Supported each year by individuals, communities, and various organizations worldwide, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society.

?Richard Branson published yesterday, 25th/June/2021, an article entitled “The war on drugs cannot be won.” In his article, he says the World has changed profoundly since 1971 – politically, technologically, culturally. Yet when it comes to drug policy, large parts of the World continue to pursue the failed policies of the past. As a result, millions of people continue to be prosecuted and imprisoned. Sadly – he complements - hundreds of thousands continue to die, as drug-related deaths in many countries are at an all-time high. Meanwhile, the global trade in illicit drugs has soared to an estimated volume of upwards of $400 billion, creating enormous wealth for the criminal organizations firmly in control of the market.?

?Although his article’s title is not so encouraging, he is hopeful in preventive measures that demonstrate promising results as policies and interventions. In his view, there has been much progress from the accelerating decriminalization and regulation of Cannabis to seismic shifts in harm reduction that prioritize people and public health, support over punishment. He also mentions good practices observed in the UK by using mobile drug consumption units and implementing a controlled and safe environment offering pharmaceutical heroin usage under the supervision of medical staff.?

?The UNODC, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - released back on 24 June the 2021 World Drug Report. The report consists of five separate booklets, providing an in-depth analysis of the global drug markets. It also paints a comprehensive picture of the measurable effects and potential impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the world drug problem.

?The?World Drug Report 2021?aims to foster greater international cooperation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on health, governance, and security. The report also focuses on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting the Member States in anticipating and addressing challenges that may arise in the future.

?What comes to my attention is that the situation is deteriorating, all over the World, at full speed. Cannabis is nowadays four times stronger than it was twenty-five years ago. At the same time, the number of young people that see Cannabis as a risky factor reduced dramatically. Simultaneously, drug sales over the dark web increased four times, and there is a 40% growth being expected of people who use drugs in Africa. All in all, what we see in the UNODC World Drug Report is very scary, especially for low-income countries.

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?How could the UN tackle this global threat?

?Drugs are the common enemy of all nations. Richard Branson’s article says drugs are a $400 billion US dollar market. The only ones taking the benefit of this multi-billion-dollar market are the criminals. Global nations are spending a fortune to tackle public health issues due to a growing number of addicted people, organized crime, and violence.

Is it possible to eliminate drug consumption from this equation? Absolutely not. Is it possible to rely on public health preventive measures? Yes, it is, but the chances of success on a global scale seem higher in high-income countries. So, how about low-income countries? The UNODC is full of fascinating insights and guidance for the development of preventive programs, so I really hope low-income countries will succeed in implementing preventive measures, especially in Africa.

And how about if drug cartels and drug dealers are removed from the equation? What would happen if the United Nations handled the drug issue by coordinating global efforts to legalize and nationalize drug production and distribution? What if all nations work together by defining strategies to take control of the market? How about the countries, instead of dealing with the encumbrances of the international drug market, start getting the bonuses to re-invest in public health programs and global preventive measures? I know this topic is controversial, but the global drug problem requires an entirely new approach to succeed in a sustainable, long-term, global way. The global trends over the drug issue are not going to get any better. If we all want to fight the war against drugs (and win it!), we need to have a new global approach as we never had so far. Unfortunately, it seems the only way to forge an international alliance to fight a global enemy we only see in Hollywood movies when aliens invade Earth.

Credit: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)