Illegal drugs in the UK: Is it time for considered legalisation to improve public health?

Abstract

This paper investigates options available to policy makers responding to the challenges of drug use in modern society, focussing on the UK. It investigates the failings of prohibition policy that has driven historic reactions to drugs, drug use and drug users globally, nationally and locally. This policy paradigm has been largely destructive and counter-productive and has led to a whole host of health and social problems. The authors have approached their investigation from a public health perspective, free from moral biases that have driven many policy initiatives until now. Many countries and regions of the world are rejecting prohibition as they move towards public health models in opposition to criminal justice responses, and this trend is continuing. Four policy models are examined; prohibition as the status quo; extension of prohibition to include alcohol and other drugs; decriminalisation; legalisation and regulation of all drugs. Each of these policy options are contested; none have universal support. However, given careful consideration, this paper proposes that our only way out of the public health and criminal justice crises that have been driven by drug policy globally is to adopt the more contentious option of legalisation and regulation of all drugs commonly used non medically.

The ethics and management of cannabis use in pregnancy following decriminalisation and licensing for medical use: narrative review

“…possession for personal use would not leading to a prosecution). 12 , 13 Although decriminalisation of cannabis may seem to be an effective approach that recognises the potential harm and might be more favourably adopted by society, others claim that decriminalisation may only appear to be promising, as ‘a decriminalised drug is not legal, nor strictly illegal, depending on certain circumstances, nor is it necessarily of any better quality as it comes from the same sources as any other illegal drug’. 13 Therefore the policy relies on authorities overlooking drug consumption and cannot adequality deal with the rising health concerns.…”

Cure & Care 1Malaysia Clinics: Measuring the Effectiveness via Dyads Lens Involving Receivers and Providers

“…Drug-related issues have always been linked to their negative effects on people, animals, and nations since the early 1900s. Many nations-developed and developing-have been harmed by the drug 1,2 including Malaysia, the United States, Singapore, Sweden, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Despite numerous attempts made by all nations to reduce and eliminate the issue of drug abuse, misuse, addiction, and dependency, these problems continue to exist.…”