Drug Policy of Foreign Countries Essay Example

Drug policy defines the specific policy of the government which regards the regulation and control of the drugs perceived harmful to the addicts. In an effort to combat the addiction of drugs, the government tends to come up with policies meant to address the supply and demand of drugs. These policies also mitigate the medical treatment of drugs and the harms caused by drug abuse. Drug policy varies from one country to the other widely. In the United States, drug abuse does not appear in front page news though the problem is still very real (Nadelmann, 2012). Even though the country's population is only five percent of the world's population, Americans abuse or try to abuse drugs more than other countries. Thus, the American war on drug has created a harsh environment for the users of drugs which leads to many ending up in prison. The penalties for dealing with drugs including trafficking and usage in other countries are considered different from the US (Hesselroth, 2004). Some foreign countries seem to be leading with drug laws, others with more harsh laws while others are already leading the way for drug policy reform.

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Besides the United States, most of the United Nations which happens to influence the international drug policies sharply has adopted criminal justice instead of health oriented. These counties ensure that interdiction and ineffective eradication policies are promoted within the countries that produce drugs (Nadelmann, 2008). As a result, the decision has sent an overall harsh tone for the drug policy globally. There are other countries like Mexico and Afghanistan that have tried to apply this approach, but its shortcomings have been evident. Like in Mexico, the war on drug in recent years has turned violent where tens of thousands have died. The demise of the drug trade in the country has faced bloody struggles for control where the law enforcement has attempted to put cartels out of business as the key figures face arrests. The country drug laws completely prohibit drug trafficking, selling, and use which has propped up the prices of the drug (Perl, 2006). Similarly, in Afghanistan, the production of opium is illegal, but illegal production of opium in this country is lucrative which is making it hard even to establish a non-corrupt central government. Even with the strict laws prohibiting drug in Afghanistan and international efforts, Afghan farmers have not been stopped from growing opium.

Many other foreign countries have established stricter drug policy that has harsh punishments for those involved in drug abuse. For instance, in Malaysia, those involved in the selling of drugs are at the risk of facing death punishment. In this country, if found possessing of drugs, one is jailed, fined, or even face deportation. It is also against the law to drive while drunk and the punishment to this is very harsh (Falco, 2004). China is among the foreign countries whose drug policy is very harsh that if caught with drugs, one faces forced drug rehabilitation. Most of these rehabilitation centers are owned and run by the government. However, for some hard drugs crimes, the penalty is harsher including execution. Vietnam as well takes crimes related to drugs very seriously. One faces an automatic execution if arrested with heroin worth 1.3 pounds (Berke, 2018). Besides, there are other harsh punishments including facing jail terms and high fines. In general, Iran has been known as an intolerant country when it comes to drug offenses particularly the use of opium. Since Iran neighbors Afghanistan, in part, opium usage is a problem in the country, and if caught with drugs, one is at risk of facing fine payment or even the death penalty. Thus drug policy in Iran is that harsh like in Malaysia, China, and Vietnam.

Many more countries have developed stringent drug policy. Like China, in Thailand, those thought to be users of drugs face sentence to mandatory rehab, especially for frequent users. However, for those found trafficking narcotics, they are the risk of being put to death. The similar scenario applies in Dubai where even drugs that have been described legally in other countries will get one in big trouble including landing in jail in Dubai. Typically, those found to commit offenses related to drugs face four-year imprisonment and may also be imported in Dubai (Rehm, & Fischer, 2015). Dubai's laws on drugs are the fiercest where even a drug test failure will get one in prison even though not caught with the drugs. Saudi Arabia's drug policy does not allow negotiations over the sale of drugs since such offense is almost always the death penalty. The same way, the use of alcohol in Saudi Arabia has been made illegal, and any use of finding in possession is punishable by public flogging, death, and one faces longtime imprisonment. If caught with small amounts of drugs in Singapore, it will be an assumption that you are selling and conviction on such ground risks death sentence (Rehm, & Fischer, 2015). Many South Asian countries recommend the death penalty for drug trafficking apart from Cambodia which mandates many years in prison or life imprisonment. This is almost similar in Indonesia where drug laws allow up to twenty years jail term or twelve depending on the drug caught with since it extends up to the death penalty.

There are various countries considered to have the best drug policy around the world and have recorded successes in the fight against drug trafficking and use. Portugal has had progressive drug policies earlier since it was the first European country to decriminalize all drugs. With Portugal's decriminalization of drug does not mean any drug is lost in the local store but means one cannot be imprisoned for either found in possession of the drug, selling, using drugs (Ferreira, 2017). However, people in Portugal still face minor criminal penalties selling drugs where they can receive fines. Though, to a large extent, rather than imprisoning people over drugs, Portugal has focused on rehabilitation of the users of drugs and treating the addicts as if it is a disease. Thus, the country's drug policy consider helping the drug abusers to make better decisions in life through programs such as needle exchange, counseling and accessing hospital. The result has been the reduced number of people with drug offenses from 14,000 to around 6,000.

Similar, Switzerland has adopted an approach similar to Portugal where the drug policies aimed at helping people accused of the drug. The country decriminalized marijuana as early as 2013 before which when the country adopted programs that reduce the harm of drug for users in 1980s. The country then being faced with high rates of HIV/AIDS among the drug users adjusted its policy to start offering job programs, housing, methadone programs, needles exchanges, and rooms for supervised injection for drug users. Since Switzerland started focusing on these initiatives, the number of drug injectors over ten years has reduced by 50 percent as well as drug-related delinquency. Some fewer people are dying on the streets due to problems related to drugs.

There are other foreign countries with pretty lenient drug laws like the Czech Republic. The drug users in the Czech Republic are allowed to grow marijuana plants up to five plants or have a gram of cocaine, a gram and a half of heroin among other drugs. The drug policy of the country has extended to program for medical marijuana (Baum, 2016). Though in Czechs, those thought to be trafficking or distributing drugs are pursued and punished. For common drug users, when caught with amounts perceived for personal use, they face little more than a fine. Besides, Czech engage in programs like those offered by Portugal including the harm reduction programs such as counseling and need the exchange. These steps by the Czech Republic have seen the level of drug use in the country.

The Netherlands is another country drug policy that is perceived as the best policy that has undergone modern reforms. Walking around with marijuana up to five grams in the Netherlands is utterly legal in the Netherlands. Despite Netherland's laws that prohibit production and distribution of pot, these laws do not seem like they are very active in pursuing those who go against them. If caught with hard drugs worth half a gram or less than that, the law does not recommend for the imprisonment but allows the police to take it away. Cities in the Netherlands have been allowed to handle how marijuana is handled (Haines-Saah et al., 2014). In Amsterdam, there are no restrictions on marijuana and many other cities though; some deny tourists. Similarly, Uruguay has been on the frontline as a leader of change in the drug laws around the world when it was the first country to make marijuana legal. The government of Uruguay sells cannabis at $1 per grams and profoundly impacts drug traffickers (Haines-Saah et al., 2014). For one to buy cannabis in Uruguay, you have to be a citizen or a resident who permanently lives in the country. The law as well allows those who do not buy from the government to grow their own but do not exceed six plants. Psychedelic mushrooms of most kinds are permitted for personal use. Also, it is not illegal to use cocaine and heroin among other harder drugs, but the government pursues those who take part in significant distribution networks. Thus, the country has a focus on convictions of dangerous drugs.

Conclusion

Thus, like the United States, foreign countries seem to be leading with drug laws, others with more harsh laws while others are already leading the way for drug policy reform. These countries have in the past of presently enacted laws that have been used to combat the menace of drug tracking, drug selling, and use of drugs. Depending on whether it is the pot or harder drugs, the drug policies have been made such that they range from light fines, hefty fines, imprisonment, and even death sentence. Majority of these countries that have set pace are the United Nations. Though implementation of these policies has led to various challenges such as in Mexico where war and deaths have been reported, most countries smoothly carry out the drug laws. Among the countries with the strict drug, policies include Afghanistan, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Dubai among others. However, there those foreign countries that have undergone significant reforms in drug policy such as Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland among others. These countries do not punish drug offenders that have adopted more flexible approaches to assist the drug abusers though drug trafficking is not allowed.

References

Baum, D. (2016). Legalize it all. Harper's Magazine, 24.

Berke, Jeremy (2018). Canada just became the second nation to legalize marijuana. Here are all the top countries for progressive drug policy reform. Business Insider. Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.com/top-countries-for-progressive-drug-policy-reform-2018-8?IR=TFalco, M. (2004). Toward a more effective drug policy. U. Chi. Legal F., 9.

Ferreira, Susana (2017). Portugal's radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn't the world copied it? The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it

Haines-Saah, R. J., Johnson, J. L., Repta, R., Ostry, A., Young, M. L., Shoveller, J., & Ratner, P. A. (2014). The privileged normalization of marijuana use-an analysis of Canadian newspaper reporting, 1997-2007. Critical public health, 24(1), 47-61.

Hesselroth, A. (2004). Struggles of security in US Foreign drug policy towards Andean countries. Peace studies journal, 5, 1-29.

Nadelmann, E. A. (2008). Commonsense drug policy. Foreign Aff., 77, 111.

Nadelmann, E. A. (2012). US drug policy: A bad export. Foreign Policy, (70), 83-108.

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