Should Drugs be Decriminalized?

Avaaz is a world human rights organization who use the power of publicity, via Internet, the Media and face-to-face to influence Governments to do the right thing. In a matter of hours they can get their members and friends to support a world-wide petition of one and a half million signatures. They are recognized by Governments as a power to be reckoned with.

"50 years of prohibition has completely failed to reduce drug use, and instead has fueled violent conflict, and devastated lives around the world. Politicians know this and know alternative approaches work, but won't change policy, afraid they will appear 'soft on drugs'.

"For 50 years current drug policies have failed everyone, everywhere but public debate is stuck in the mud of fear and misinformation. Everyone, even the UN Office on Drugs and Crime which is responsible for enforcing this approach agrees -- deploying militaries and police to burn drug farms, hunting down traffickers, and imprisoning dealers and addicts - is an expensive mistake. And with massive human cost -- from Afghanistan, to Mexico, to the USA the illegal drug trade is destroying countries around the world, while addiction, overdose deaths, and HIV/AIDS infections continue to rise.

"Meanwhile, countries with less-harsh enforcement -- like Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Australia -- have not seen the explosion in drug use that proponents of the drug war have darkly predicted. Instead, they have seen significant reductions in drug-related crime, addiction and deaths, and are able to focus squarely on dismantling criminal empires.

"Powerful lobbies still stand in the way, including military, law enforcement, and prison departments whose budgets are at stake. And politicians fear that voters will throw them out of office if they support alternative approaches, as they will appear weak on law and order. But experts all agree that the most sensible policy is to regulate, and many former drugs Ministers and Heads of State have come out in favour of reform since leaving office. Polls show that citizens across the world know the current approach is a catastrophe and momentum is gathering towards new improved policies, particularly in regions that are ravaged by the drug trade.

We have a chance to enter the closing chapter of this brutal 'war' that has destroyed millions of lives. Global public opinion will determine if this catastrophic policy is stopped or if politicians shy away from reform. Let's rally urgently to push our hesitating leaders from doubt and fear, over the edge, and into reason".

Update June 5 2011

We did it! Last week Avaaz Executive Director Ricken Patel hand-delivered our over half a million signatures to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, world leaders and the global media in New York. At the meeting Ban Ki Moon heard our call to action and agreed to create a new UN task force to develop a comprehensive approach to drugs and organized crime. This is a major step forward towards ending the war on drugs as the approach will include a public health, education and prevention focus. We will continue to push to make sure this senseless and brutal war is ended.