Is Prohibition the Real Enemy in the Global Drug Crisis?

Shocking yet not really that shocking truth revealed.

In an era where the dialogue around drug use and addiction is louder than ever, a critical perspective invites us to challenge the prevailing narratives that have long shaped our policies and societal attitudes. This perspective does not point to drugs themselves as the root of societal woes but rather to the prohibitionist policies that govern their control. It’s an approach that urges us to speak truth to power and to confront the reality that it’s not drugs that are out of control — it’s the prohibition that is.

The Perils of Prohibition

The history of drug prohibition is a tale of unintended consequences. Far from safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities, prohibition has often led to a paradoxical increase in danger. By pushing drug use into the shadows, prohibition makes the act of using drugs riskier, contributing to public health crises, including the spread of infectious diseases and overdose deaths due to unregulated substances.

Moreover, the criminalization of drug possession destabilizes families and communities. Individuals caught in the web of prohibition face not only the immediate health risks associated with drug use but also the…