Illegal drug classifications are based on politics not science – report
Global Commission on Drug Policy calls for a reclassification of drugs including cocaine, heroin and cannabis
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Illegal drugs including cocaine, heroin and cannabis should be reclassified to reflect a scientific assessment of harm, according to a report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy. The commission, which includes 14 former heads of states, said the international classification system underpinning drug control is “biased and inconsistent”. A “deep-lying imbalance” between controlling substances and allowing access for medicinal purposes had caused “collateral damage”. Such damage included patients in low- and middle-income countries forced to undergo surgery without anaesthetic, to go without essential medicines and to die in unnecessary pain due to lack of opioid pain relief. (See also: What is the most dangerous drug? |Regulation on substance abuse disproportionate to health risks, says report)
