Decriminalisation of personal consumption of drugs is on its way in Ireland as legislators support this measure as part of its comprehensive health-led approach to substance use.
Policing issues, ambiguity in regulatory policies, and lack of infrastructure to measure beneficial use hinders the exploration of cannabis for its medicinal properties.
In the majority of Latin American countries, drug-related offences are the main driver of women's incarceration, with devastating impacts on their mental, physical and reproductive health, and their loved ones'.
In reviewing the effects of cannabis regulation, the government must ensure equity to Indigenous people and racialised groups who have been historically at the losing end of the 'war on drugs'.
A recent California study debunks the myth that drug use is the primary driver of homelessness, advocating for the elimination of the criminalisation and stigmatisation of drug use to facilitate access to safe and stable housing for those experiencing homelessness.
While providing an avenue for non-criminalisation for first- and second-time possession offences, the hefty fines risk perpetuating the involvement of people who use drugs with the criminal legal system, particularly those most vulnerable.
Participants of this scheme facilitated by the Drug User Liberation Front reported improved health and life outcomes, including in relation to reliance on street drugs, harmful police interactions and exposure to violence.
Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalise cannabis last year, and since then, in the absence of much regulation, thousands of sellers have opened.
