In Latin America, 'We Should Never Have Dealt with Drugs as a Criminal Issue' Valentin Schmid - Epoch Times
go to original June 19, 2016

What is the road ahead for global and regional drug policy after the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the World Drug Problem? Join experts for an in-depth briefing on the regional implications of the global drug policy debate. (World Economic Forum)

Regarding drug abuse and drug-related problems, there is a global consensus: Drug usage is bad and should be reduced.

However, there is no consensus as to how to do that and most countries continue to use criminal law and violence to fight drug abuse.

In Latin America, there is a growing number of thought leaders and political leaders who think the abuse of drugs is a health issue, rather than a criminal issue.

“We should never have dealt with drugs as a criminal issue. Drugs are a health issue and if we had faced that long ago, we would not have the problems we have today,” said Ilona Szabó de Carvalho the executive Director of Brazilian think tank Igarapé Institute at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Medellin, Colombia on June 16.

Previously, she was the executive-coordinator of the secretariat of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, a think tank whose studies show how ineffective the war on drugs has been.

Especially Latin America has suffered from too much violence according to Szabó de Carvalho. “Drugs are putting our democracies at risk, are corrupting our institutions, the levels of violence are out of control.”

Read the rest at Epoch Times

Related: Mexico Police and the Drug War: Senate Approves "Mixed Police Command" (Mexico Voices)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!