The war on drugs has had devastating effects on human rights and public health worldwide, argue experts in The BMJ today.
In November, the journal argued that prohibition laws have failed and called on doctors to lead the debate on alternative rational policies that promote health and respect dignity.
This week, key players in this debate discuss the harms of prohibition and criminalisation and outline their reasons for drug policy reform.
In the first article, Dainius Puras, UN special rapporteur on the right to health, and Julie Hannah co-director of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy at the University of Essex, say harsh enforcement of prohibition undermines the right to health and fundamental dignity.