Pubdate: Fri, 02 Oct 2015
Source: Independent  (UK)
Copyright: 2015 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: Nick Clegg

EU NEEDS TO UNITE ON REFORM OF DRUG POLICY

We are losing the war on drugs. But there are reasons to be hopeful. 
In recent years, a global movement for reform has been building. Led 
in particular by the governments of countries in Latin America that 
have suffered most, politicians and policymakers around the globe 
have started to question the status quo.

This isn't a headlong rush to legalisation, but a patient, rational 
debate about alternative approaches which might reduce overall harm. 
In the United States, zero tolerance and mass imprisonment has given 
way to a willingness to allow states to experiment with alternative 
regulatory models  as Colorado, Washington, Oregon and others are 
doing with cannabis - and a growing disquiet at the injustice and 
social impacts of imprisoning hundreds of thousands of young, mainly 
black, men for drug offences.

In Europe, governments have tended to take a more balanced and 
health-based approach, and are developing and evaluating a number of 
ideas, from wholesale decriminalisation to safe injecting spaces.

Turning round a failed policy remains a challenging goal. There is no 
consensus among UN member states on the direction of international 
drug policy. Some countries are determined to enact new approaches, 
but others like Egypt, Pakistan, and Russia are equally keen to use 
the summit to reinforce the status quo.

There is much to play for, but a real risk that this opportunity for 
modernisation will be lost if the hardliners are allowed to assert 
their position. Until now, European leaders have been silent on 
international drug policy reform. And yet the EU is home to many 
shining examples of governments brave enough to think differently 
about the problem  Portugal, Denmark, Switzerland, the Czech 
Republic, Netherlands, Spain - the list goes on. But at this crucial 
juncture, Europe has yet to champion careful reform with one voice.

When Europe stands together, we are a powerful union with real clout 
that is listened to around the globe. We have a choice to make on 
drug policy: stand together for our values, or have them dictated to 
us by countries with different priorities. Where Europe once led, we 
are now laggards behind both Latin America and the USA. It's time to 
reassert European leadership.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom