The Global War on Drugs Is Dead

This week the United Nations General Assembly took on global drug policy. The widespread consensus is that the hardline policies of the 1990’s war on drugs have failed. In the past decade 25 countries have passed some kind of decriminalization for drug possession. Here in the US ­­ the original architect of the global war on drugs ­­ four states have legal marijuana markets, and 20 others are considering some form of legalization this year. Now the global conversation about drugs focuses on reducing harm to individuals and communities, and decreasing the ranks of users, but nations remain divided on whether to pursue decriminalization or outright legalization.