An excellent column from a Canadian. Reviews the history of both UN drug prohibition conventions (see our AMB page on this) and the failed efforts to get the UN, the US and other governments to listen to alternatives. Gotta love those Canandians - so sane!
It would be appalling if this were the first instance in which the UN and the world's governments ignored criticism, spent vast sums of money on the suppression of drugs, and refused to take responsibility for -or even acknowledge -abject failure. But it's not the first instance. Far from it.
The modern system of international drug control began 50 years ago, with the creation of the UN Convention which is still its foundation. There were critics in 1961, too. But they were dismissed as naysayers.
Years passed. The amount of money spent on the war on drugs soared. So did drug production, consumption, and distribution. Richard Nixon coined the phrase 'war on drugs' and further ramped up drug control efforts. The drug trade kept growing. Ronald Reagan launched his war on drugs. Things got worse.
On and on it goes."
The modern system of international drug control began 50 years ago, with the creation of the UN Convention which is still its foundation. There were critics in 1961, too. But they were dismissed as naysayers.
Years passed. The amount of money spent on the war on drugs soared. So did drug production, consumption, and distribution. Richard Nixon coined the phrase 'war on drugs' and further ramped up drug control efforts. The drug trade kept growing. Ronald Reagan launched his war on drugs. Things got worse.
On and on it goes."
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