{"id":7595,"date":"2015-11-12T16:56:31","date_gmt":"2015-11-12T21:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.journals.law.harvard.edu\/ilj\/?p=7595"},"modified":"2016-06-12T16:29:01","modified_gmt":"2016-06-12T20:29:01","slug":"united-nations-rethinking-the-war-on-drugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journals.law.harvard.edu\/ilj\/2015\/11\/united-nations-rethinking-the-war-on-drugs\/","title":{"rendered":"United Nations: Rethinking the War on Drugs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In October, a briefing paper that the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) HIV division head was to present at an international conference was <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/10\/20\/health\/un-report-did-not-endorse-legalization-of-drugs-agency-says.html\">released<\/a>. The briefing paper garnered <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/10\/20\/health\/un-report-did-not-endorse-legalization-of-drugs-agency-says.html\">attention<\/a> because it advocates decriminalization of drug use and possession for personal consumption. Other UN branches, such as the WHO and UNAIDS, have expressed support for decriminalization in the past. However, this paper came as a surprise because the UNDOC, which <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/unodc\/en\/about-unodc\/index.html?ref=menutop\">leads the fight<\/a> against illicit drugs and international crime, has\u00a0been known as the more <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/10\/27\/health\/drug-enforcement-vs-treatment-issue-hits-un.html?ref=policy\">conservative branch<\/a> of the UN.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.tdpf.org.uk\/sites\/default\/files\/UNODC-decrim-paper.pdf\">briefing paper<\/a> states that harsh drug penalties marginalize people who use drugs for personal consumption, perpetuating poverty and the HIV epidemic. It further points out that <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/pdf\/convention_1988_en.pdf\">international drug control conventions<\/a> allow \u201calternatives to conviction or punishment\u201d for drug offenses of a \u201cminor nature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In response to media coverage of the briefing paper, a <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/unodc\/en\/press\/releases\/2015\/October\/statement-by-the-spokesperson-for-the-un-office-on-drugs-and-crime.html\">spokesperson for the UNODC clarified<\/a> that the paper does not reflect the office\u2019s formal policy. However, the spokesperson added that the UNODC is \u201ccommitted to the balanced approach that . . . promotes alternatives to incarceration in line with international human rights standards.\u201d In June, the UN\u2019s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.un.org\/press\/en\/2015\/sgsm16853.doc.htm\">commented<\/a>, \u201cWe must consider alternatives to criminalization and incarceration of people who use drugs . . . [and] should increase the focus on public health, prevention, treatment and care.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Several countries provide evidence that decriminalization of minor drug offenses and personal drug consumption can subdue the spread of HIV. <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.spiegel.de\/international\/europe\/evaluating-drug-decriminalization-in-portugal-12-years-later-a-891060.html\">Portugal<\/a>, <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com\/2010\/11\/29\/an-enlightened-exchange-in-iran\/\">Iran<\/a>, and <a style=\"color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/10\/27\/health\/drug-enforcement-vs-treatment-issue-hits-un.html?ref=policy\">Germany<\/a> have seen significantly less drug use-related HIV infections after adopting lenient drug laws for minor offenses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Although the current official policy of the UNODC is to support the strict war on drugs, the UN may be leaning towards a more lenient drug policy in light of its effectiveness in fighting the battle against HIV.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In October, a briefing paper that the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) HIV division head was to present 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