War On Drugs ‘Has Failed, Completely And Utterly’: UN High Commissioner Urges Evidence-Based Solutions
The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk issued a call for the international community to abandon punitive drug policies, declaring that the global war on drugs has failed.
“The evidence is clear. The so-called War on Drugs has failed, completely and utterly. And prioritizing people over punishment means more lives are saved,” said Türk while speaking at the ‘Dealing with Drugs II’ conference in Warsaw, which brought together leaders and experts from across Europe and the world last Thursday.
The UN commissioner said there is an urgent need for evidence-based, human rights-focused approaches that prioritize health and inclusion over criminalization. “These policies are simply not working—and we are failing some of the most vulnerable groups in our societies.”
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Radical Shift In Approach
Türk advocated …