Groups Press Governments to Reform Harmful Drug Policies

NEW YORK—As the United Nations releases its 2009 World Drug Report, the Open Society Institute has joined with over 40 international groups and experts worldwide to issue a call to action that presses governments to adopt a humane approach to drug policy.

The call to action, signed by the Open Society Institute, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and former president of Brazil Fernando Cardoso, urges governments to enact policies that are based on scientific and medical research rather than politics.

“In too many countries, the war on drugs has become a war on people,” said Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, director of the Open Society Institute Global Drug Policy Program. “We need to stop the spiral of drug-related violence by approaching this from a health and human rights perspective.”

Instead of continuing with these ineffective and harmful policies, the Open Society Institute urges governments to focus on reducing the harms of drug trade and use. This involves providing services such as clean needle exchange and substitution treatment to help reduce the health risks associated with drug use.

The call to action, along with full list of signatories, is available for download.