Drugs After Prohibition // Paving the way to regulation

Notas do episódio

The war on drugs has failed. Around the world, the criminalization of drugs has fostered drug-related crime and violence, and aggravated a series of health related issues. The distinction between legal and illegal substances is not based in scientific evidence but in historical and cultural precedents, moral prejudice, economic and political interests. In 2001, Portugal was one of the first countries to decriminalize the consumption of all drugs. The drug policy change in our country has been internationally acclaimed as a “resounding success”. However, 20 years later it’s time to move forward. The decriminalization regulated the market of demand, but supply is still unregulated. Drugs are object of adulteration and misrepresentation, dozens of new substances potentially more toxic than the classic drugs appear in the market to circumvent the law; Thousands of people, specially the ones from disadvantage backgrounds, are still incarcerated for non-violent drug-related crimes including drug use. In this session Kosmicare wishes to promote debate around how to regulate the production, distribution and consumption of all drugs based in scientific and social knowledge, grounded in a humans rights and social justice approach. #### Speakers Khalid Tinasti (Global Commission on Drug Policy) Marta Pinto (University of Porto) Zara Snapp (Instituto RIA) Steve Rolles (Transform) João Taborda da Gama (Gama Glória) #### Live on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oNm3aDrPRnU