1 / 9

Drug Policy: Prohibition, Decriminalization, Legalization

Drug Policy: Prohibition, Decriminalization, Legalization. Lecture 10. What to Expect in This Lecture. Defining prohibition, legalization and decriminalization Class discussion on pros and cons of approaches to drug policy

reyna
Download Presentation

Drug Policy: Prohibition, Decriminalization, Legalization

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Drug Policy: Prohibition, Decriminalization, Legalization Lecture 10

  2. What to Expect in This Lecture • Defining prohibition, legalization and decriminalization • Class discussion on pros and cons of approaches to drug policy • Introduction of “harm reduction” as an alternative approach to drug policy • Class discussion of what a “harm reduction” policy might look like

  3. Prohibition • General policy orientation that defines cultivation, production, distribution and possession of substances as criminal • Involves enforcement of laws at five levels: • Source reduction • Border interdiction • Disruption of high-level distribution networks (federal level) • Disruption of wholesale distribution networks (state level) • Disruption of retail distribution networks (state and local levels)

  4. Legalization • A general policy orientation that involves the lifting of all criminal and civil proscriptions and sanctions • Three separate policy options: • Laissez Faire Model • Limited Distribution Model • Medical Model

  5. Decriminalization • Similar to legalization, but with unique features • Is not simply a “compromise” between legalization and prohibition • Policy that removes criminal sanctions for small amounts of marijuana • Nevertheless, growing or possessing marijuana is not legal—it is simply a civil offense rather than a criminal offense • Currently, 12 states have some form of marijuana decriminalization legislation (see table 11.1)

  6. Class Discussion:Debating Drug Policy • What are the advantages of: • Prohibition? • Legalization? • Decriminalization? • What are the disadvantages of each of these policies? • Based on these advantages and disadvantages, how might we approach drug policy for the 21st century

  7. Harm Reduction:A Policy Alternative • Harm reductionis a general policy orientation that shifts focus away from legal status of drugs to policies and practices that would reduce harm caused by drugs and drug policies • Based on the following premises: • Drug use will never be totally eliminated • Drug policies are sometimes more damaging than drug use • Risks of drug use should be weighed against the risks posed by drug policies

  8. Harm Reduction:Three Levels of Intervention

  9. Harm Reduction:A Viable Policy Approach? • Discuss the appropriateness of the following harm reduction strategies: • Drug Education • Needle Exchange Programs • Drug Use Zones

More Related