SHIFTING PERSPECTIVE: FROM CRIMINAL TO HEALTH PROBLEM
Treating substance abuse as a matter of public health.
Viewing substance misuse as a criminal behaviour is oppressive and ineffective. Progressive drug policy through decriminalization can help destigmatize substance users, keep them out of prison, and give them a clearer path to treatment and recovery.
Benefits to decriminalization of drugs include:
- Significant decline in drug-related criminal charges
- Significant decrease in drug-related death and blood-borne infections including HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis
- Increased funding allocated to public health treatment of substance abuse
- Safer and expanded selection of harm reduction options and strategies
- Better allocation of police and justice department funding; less money being spent on deterring, charging, and prosecuting substance users
- Decreased contact with police, increased contact with health professionals and social services
- Increased number of substance users admitted into treatment
A common misconception about decriminalization is that it will lead to an increase in substance use. A detailed report from Transform Drug Policy Foundation shows that countries which have decriminalized or begun the process of decriminalizing drugs (Portugal, The Czech Republic, the Netherlands, South Australia, the United States, the European Union) have shown no significant increase in drug use since decriminalizing.
Progressive drug policy not only has a positive impact on communities, it also benefits the police departments protecting them.