Drugs

One of the most intractable  problems facing society is the use of drugs, both legal and illegal, for  other than medical purposes.

A libertarian view would see such use of drugs as a matter for the individual, not for paternalistic interference by the state. But the harm done by drug use to many people – not just drug users but their families and friends and to society as a whole through the associated crime – provide the strongest case for such interference.

Two  things are plain: first, that some people are able to sustain a drug habit with comparatively little harm to themselves (depending perhaps on the person, the drug, and avoidance of the penal system), and second,  that current policies are not achieving even a reduction in overall drug use but are sustaining huge criminal enterprises.

In January 2012, EHF responded to an EU consultation with a call for a radical review of failing policies.

Earlier, in October 2005 the EHF had issued a statement on regulation of drug use at the OSCE meeting of that year.

This content last updated 30 August 2012 @ 9:34 am