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Drug policy reform: How did we get here and what is next?

@AramBarra#DrugPolicy

+Overview

Drugs and prevalence of use Public health tools around drug use History of drug policy and political context “Unintended consequences” of drug policies Drug policy reform: Legal regulation Q&A

+#MyDrugPolicyLife

+Drugs and prevalence of use

+Drugs and prevalence of use

+Drugs and prevalence of use

+Drugs and prevalence of use

+Public health tools around drug use

+Public health tools around drug usePublic health approaches to the drugs phenomenon:

- Prevention of use: Delay of age of first use

- Community interventions and screening

- Harm reduction programs

* Needle Syringe Programs (NSP)

* Opiate Substitution Therapy (OST)

- Treatment (residential or ambulatory)

+Public health tools around drug use

+Public health tools around drug use

+History of drug policy

+History of drug policy

+“Unintended consequences”1. Development and international security: Fueling

conflict and violence

2. Public health: in form of diseases and preventable deaths

3. Criminalising poverty & hindering human rights: violations, stigma and discrimination

4. Environmental sustainability

5. Not a real fight against organized crime

6. Efficiency of public spending: huge economic and opportunity costs

7. Increasing corruption and undermining governance and State stability.

+Spectrum of policy models

+Drug policy reform: What can we regulate? Production and transit Products: dosage, preparation, price and packaging Vendors: licensing, training requirements Outlets: location, appearance, hours of opening Marketing: advertising, branding, promotions Buyers/Users: Who has access? - age controls, licensed buyer

models

A flexible menu of options – applied to different products in different environments

+Drug policy reform

Learn the lessons – successes and failures - from alcohol and tobacco regulation

There is no one size fits all solution It is important to acknowledge the limits of what

regulation can achieve – it is not a silver bullet or panacea

Regulation is the pragmatic middle ground between free markets and the war ion drugs

+Drug policy reform

+Thanks!