Supporting the Debate for Evidence-based Drugs Policies
With very few exceptions, national drug laws and policies seek primarily to punish illicit drug
production, possession, use and even dependence. Yet such drugs policies have largely been
ineffective in controlling the production of illegal narcotics. According to the 2010 World Drug
Report, there is currently more opium, coca and cannabis on the market than before.
The Global Drug Policy program at the Open Society Institute supports initiatives that shift the
paradigm of drug policies around the world from today’s punitive approach, to one rooted in
public health and human rights. In 2010, the program supported 50 projects worldwide. The
majority (20) were global/multi-regional efforts. Of the world regions, Latin America has
received the most funding in order to support the wave of drug policy reforms. South-east Asia,
due to its punitive drug policies, is another important focal point. In 2010, we started to fund in
Africa.
One of the major gaps in the debate remains economic evidence. The University of the Andes
made the first independent economic evaluation of Plan Colombia1, concluding that over seven
years, the amount of cocaine reaching consumer countries had remained relatively stable, and
that the price of cocaine had not risen at different stages. The Institute for Public Affairs2
reported an increase of 1,500 % in drugs possession cases in Poland between 1999 and 2007,
after an amendment was made in 2000 to punish possession of any amount of illicit drugs. An
estimated 20 million euro is spent annually to implement the current drug law.
Efforts are underway to document the impacts of punitive drug laws on judicial and prison
systems. A recent study of the drug laws and prison systems in eight Latin American countries3
shows that drug control efforts have led to a significant rise in people incarcerated for drug
offences, overcrowding in prisons, and the most disadvantaged and vulnerable being targeted.
Examples of high-profile initiatives include: The Lancet, a renowned medical journal, published
a special issue4 addressing HIV in drug users. The 2010 Vienna Declaration5, launched in July
has collected over 18,000 signatures in support of evidence-based drugs policies. The Latin
American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, spearheaded by three former presidents, called
for alternatives to the current regime6.
This presentation will draw attention to projects supported by the Global Drug Policy program
and identify the major gaps in scientific evidence needed for advocating evidence-based drugs
policies.
1
The War on Illegal Drug Production and Trafficking: An Economic Evaluation of Plan Colombia. Mejía, D.,
Restrepo, P. , October 2008
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/drugpolicy/articles_publications/publications/colombia_20081019
2
Penalisation of Drug Possession – institutional actions and costs. Kuzmicz, E., Mielecka-Kubien, Z., Stasiowski,
J.,Wiszejko-Wierzbicka, D. http://www.idpc.net/ru/node/633
3
Systems Overload: Drug Laws and Prisons in Latin America. Transnational Institute/Washington Office on Latin
America, December 2010
4
The Lancet: HIV in People Who Use Drugs, July 2010 http://www.thelancet.com/series/hiv-in-people-who-usedrugs
5
The Vienna Declaration: http://www.viennadeclaration.com/
6
Drugs and Democracy: Towards a Paradigm shift. The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy .
February 2009 http://www.drogasedemocracia.org/Arquivos/livro_ingles_02.pdf
Contact details:
Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch
Director
Global Drug Policy program, Open Society Institute
ul. Zgoda 11, 00-018 Warsaw, Poland
email: kmalinowska@sorosny.org
tel: +48 22 556 44 63