To date, the approaches to regulation have varied between nations, both with respect to the nature and specificity of the measures taken and their intended outcome. Such diversity appropriately reflects the marked differences in the existing drug use problems and public health approaches to addressing such issues between nations.
KEY POINTS
- Evidence shows that alternatives to criminalisation exist that attain many desirable outcomes for governments, whilst minimising the unnecessary consequences of criminalising the individual user.
- While new psychoactive substances pose a challenge to existing drug control regimes, their appearance provides an opportunity to consider the trial of alternative policy and legislative approaches to drug control.
- An objective evaluation based upon scientific evidence is required to evaluate the utility of these different control options, as well as their impact on public health outcomes.
- Policy makers should not only reflect on the unintended consequences of drug prohibition but also the current and historical failures of the adequate regulation of the legal markets for alcohol and tobacco, and for pharmaceuticals.