Kamarulzaman advocates for decriminalization, combined with clean needle and syringe programs to reduce the spread of infectious diseases like HIV – about 30% of new HIV cases outside of epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa are among people who inject drugs. HIV rates dropped dramatically in Portugal when the country adopted its discrimination policy in 2001. Decriminalization would also likely reduce the higher rates of spread of diseases (particularly HIV and TB and now Covid-19) associated with incarceration. “From this point of view alone, it would be extremely beneficial for the public to keep out of prison people who should not be taken there in the first place,” Kamarulzaman said. Proponents, however, proposed a number of secure supply models for Canada, with options ranging from prescribing pharmaceutical-grade drugs – as is already the case to a very small extent – to selling drugs in licensed entertainment venues or pharmacies. Portugal is often presented as a model for the decriminalisation of drugs. There is a general concern that such measures will lead to increased use, but this has not been reflected in the country`s statistics. Drug use has decreased, drug-related deaths have decreased, and the number of people being treated for substance use disorders has increased. (One factor that obscures the data is that when Portugal introduced the policy, Portugal also invested in other areas of social protection, including a guaranteed minimum income, which likely had an impact.) These components analyzed by Transform can be applied to the production and sale of opioids for non-medical purposes to chart the way forward. As a starting point, the offer could be expanded and improved. Another step could be to allow doctors to prescribe heroin (an opioid) to adults determined to use the drug despite advice about its dangers. On some levels, it is a terrible proposition, but it is better than people who get these drugs on the street from a criminal network that does not pay taxes, has committed crimes for a flourishing drug system and does not care if the drug is contaminated. In all this, we should remember that until the 1900s, drugs were widely available with few legal restrictions.
Punishing people for drug use was in many ways a 20th century project. In the Netherlands, policies that allow the recreational use of soft drugs have reduced the number of drug-related overdoses and deaths, made drug trafficking less attractive and reduced the number of people imprisoned for minor drug-related offences. Drug users will continue to exist because drugs are part of the human social environment. Detention will not prevent people from using them. The United States, in particular, has been waging a war on drugs for decades2 and remains one of the world`s largest users of cocaine. 3 This should tell us that we will not reduce drug use by enforcing laws. “Legal regulation” refers to policies and practices that eliminate all criminal penalties for the purchase, possession, use and, in some cases, distribution of drugs (legalization). Instead, drug purchasing mechanisms are implemented from a licensed manufacturer (regulation).1 These drugs are sealed, packaged and stored according to strict quality control procedures comparable to those required by law for all government-regulated consumer products. There are many possible implementation frameworks for legal regulation. The ideal model is debated and may be context-specific, but each shares the following principles: There is already a way to legalize opioids in this country.
Some police services have stopped charging for simple possession and use of opioids, but the practice is uneven. This lack of uniformity explains the growing support for formal decriminalization. In addition, the German government approves plans to “ensure a secure supply”. In these cases, addicts have access to opioids, so they do not use illicit drugs, which can be toxic. But the future of such projects is uncertain, and we need more of them. The provincial government believes the ban undermines attempts to establish a clear evidence base for regulation. It is gradually modernizing its approach. For example, a “policy directive” issued jointly by the British Columbia Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions and the Ministry of Health directs regional health authorities to expand the safer care required through a phased implementation model.
It calls for an enabling environment for the provision of alternatives to illicit drugs, while noting that monitoring and evaluation of results are crucial aspects of the data collection process. This could eventually lead to a more liberal drug policy. “A good way to think about this is that the supply of illicit drugs in Canada is unpredictable and dangerous. Highly effective drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil are widely used in the drug supply,” said Jordan Westfall, co-founder of the Canadian Association for Safe Supply, one of the leading pharmaceutical organizations.