Foreign Policy Blogs

"The War on Drugs Has Not, and Cannot, Be Won"

The Global Commission on Drug Policy releases a study today that is unusually stark: “global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world.”  It contends the “war on drugs” strategy needs to change by focusing more on demand, while acknowledging that US policy—America is the largest demand-source for drugs from Latin America—is unlikely to change anytime soon. US officials, including the White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, demurred, taking particular issue with the recommendation that some drugs be made legally available.

 

Author

Sean Goforth

Sean H. Goforth is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His research focuses on Latin American political economy and international trade. Sean is the author of Axis of Unity: Venezuela, Iran & the Threat to America.