2014
Globally, criminalisation of and punitive approaches to drug use continue to be implemented, in spite of there being little evidence to suggest that these policies have yielded positive results. The spread of blood-borne infections like hepatitis and HIV has been driven by the sharing of needles due to legal barriers in obtaining or even just possessing sterile injecting equipment. In addition to the risk of blood-borne infections, adverse outcomes of drug use due to criminalisation include toxicity in the drug supply leading to overdoses, a lack of support for people who develop dependence on a substance, and an intense level of stigma and discrimination faced by people who use drugs.
This report, published jointly by INPUD and Youth RISE and authored by Dr. Jay Levy, argues that harms surrounding drug use are primarily caused due to punitive laws and policies, along with their justificatory social constructions and stigmas, which also worsens many of other avoidable harms.