Global drug reform advocates are calling for a fundamental overhaul of international drug policies, citing a resurgence of punitive approaches and concerns that hardline tactics are being used to suppress civil society. The call comes as a fresh report from the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) details a largely unfulfilled promise of reform following a 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs.
The IDPC report, released earlier this month, found that despite some progress in specific areas, prohibitionist policies continue to dominate global drug control efforts, resulting in significant human and financial costs. Ann Fordham, IDPC Executive Director, stated that “punitive approaches [to drugs] are costing lives, undermining human rights and wasting public resources, while silencing the very communities that hold the solutions.”
The report documents a 28 percent increase in the number of people who use drugs worldwide since 2016, now estimated at 316 million. It also highlights a disturbing trend of escalating harms, including 2.6 million drug use-related deaths between 2016 and 2021, with projections indicating further increases. Mass incarceration related to drug offenses remains a critical issue, with one in five people globally incarcerated for drug-related crimes, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Access to essential opioid pain relief remains inadequate in over 150 countries due to restrictive controls, and the use of the death penalty for drug offenses is expanding.
The IDPC report also points to the environmental consequences of current policies, noting that illegal drug activities are being displaced into remote and ecologically sensitive regions, such as Central America and the Amazon basin, as a result of interdiction and eradication efforts.
Fordham attributes the continued reliance on punitive measures to “the vast vested interests in the status quo,” citing the “prison industrial complex” as a prime example. The report indicates that one in five incarcerated individuals globally are imprisoned for drug-related offenses, despite evidence demonstrating the ineffectiveness of this strategy in reducing drug markets.
A worrying trend identified in the report is the return of “war on drugs” rhetoric, reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s. Advocates fear this rhetoric is being used to justify increased militarization, repression, and violations of international law. The report specifically references concerns about the previous administration’s use of “narco-terrorism” narratives to legitimize extraterritorial force and curtail rights, health, and development commitments outlined in the UNGASS Outcome Document.
The IDPC report also highlights a shift in narratives from leading countries, particularly the United States, and the potential for other nations to emulate these policies. This trend raises concerns about a worsening of human rights issues globally.
Despite the challenges, the report acknowledges significant progress in certain areas, including the decriminalization and legal regulation of cannabis in numerous jurisdictions. Hundreds of millions of people now reside in areas where recreational cannabis is legal, with established markets in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The report also suggests a renewed interest in psychedelics may spur further regulatory innovation.
However, the progress in drug policy reform is threatened by funding constraints and challenges faced by organizations driving these changes. Cuts to foreign aid, particularly from the United States, have severely impacted civil society groups working on harm reduction and support for vulnerable communities. Harm reduction funding, historically low, is now in a critical state, with available funding in 2022 amounting to only 6% of the estimated $2.7 billion annual need. The IDPC notes that a planned halt to funding for HIV and harm reduction programs will exacerbate this crisis.
The IDPC argues that these funding constraints underscore the importance of its recommendations for reforming international drug control treaties and reorienting the global drug control system towards a rights-based, health-focused, and development-oriented approach. The United Nations is currently preparing to implement system-wide reforms and an independent expert panel is reviewing the international drug control regime, presenting a potential opportunity to “correct course.”
Notably, the House of Cannabis, a museum dedicated to cannabis culture and history, opened in New York City in April 2023, showcasing art, science, and the social justice issues surrounding cannabis. However, as of April 2025, the museum has closed, with its website no longer functioning and signage removed. This closure comes as other museums in New York City have also faced challenges, including the Rubin Museum’s shift to a decentralized model and the temporary closure of the NYC Fire Museum.
