The Human Rights Cost of the War on Drugs ( Human Rights Foundation)

https://hrf.org/research_posts/the-human-rights-cost-of-the-war-on-drugs/

As a part of this project, HRF has also hosted two panels at the Oslo Freedom Forum to advance discussion about drug policy and raise awareness about prohibition’s negative consequences:

To learn more about human rights and the war on drugs, check out these Oslo Freedom Forum talks:

• Laila Haidari (Afghanistan, 2019)
• Chito Gascon (Philippines, 2018)
• Lisa Sánchez (Mexico, 2016)
• Marcela Turati Muñoz (Mexico, 2014)
• Sandra Rodríguez Nieto (Mexico, 2015)
• Ethan Nadelmann (Drug Policy Alliance, 2012)

The Cost and Consequences of the War on Drugs

Human Rights Foundation

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Aug 8, 2019 · 5 min read

By: Alvaro Piaggio & Prachi Vidwans

This week, we’re launching the Human Rights Foundation’s (HRF) first-ever drug policy report: The Cost and Consequences of the War on Drugs.

This project was kickstarted over a year ago with a panel at the 2018 Oslo Freedom Forum, where experts — including International Narcotics Control Board member Francisco Thoumi — discussed the serious, negative impact that international drug prohibition has had on human rights. What we heard from our panelists and other activists in the HRF community is that international human rights organizations are not doing enough work in the drug policy arena. Activists did not feel supported. They felt there was so much more the human rights community should be doing to address the root causes of violence and suffering in places affected by the drug war.

With that inspiration, HRF launched an in-depth study to connect the dots between drug policy and human rights violations. We wanted to understand the mechanisms that link drug prohibition to the horrific violence, disappearances, health problems, and destabilization affecting states along the drug supply chain.

Part I of the report takes a broad view, examining the origins of the war on drugs to ask whether it’s met its goals.

• What has the war on drugs cost, monetarily?
• What has it cost in terms of human rights?
• Ultimately, was it worth it?     

About Human Rights Foundation

https://hrf.org/about/history/