Decriminalize drug use and public health

Drug policies should emphasize health, not punishment, says Dr. Brian Emerson, a medical consultant with the BC Ministry of Health
CMAJ (Canada)
Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Canada's war on drugs has caused serious harm, particularly for the nation's most vulnerable, according to a Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) policy paper. The report, A New Approach to Managing Psychoactive Substances, calls for the decriminalization of drugs such as marijuana, heroin and cocaine, as well as strategies to reduce harm and address the social conditions underlying problem substance use.