Alternatives to Imprisonment and Criminal Prosecution for People Who Use Drugs

Almost 50 years have passed since US President Richard Nixon declares war on drugs, but hundreds of millions of people around the world are still taking illegal substances. The UN antinarcotic conventions was adopted at the second half of the 20th century and provided international restrictive approach to the problem of drug abuse. Its yet have not reached their goal of drug market destruction. Criminalization has resulted in serious negative consequences: excessive burden on law enforcement system, spread of infectious and marginalization of people who use drugs. Along with rethinking of the nature of drug addiction as a chronic relapsing disease these factors lead to development of programs, which provide measures alternative to imprisonment and criminal prosecution of drug users, including decriminalization of drug use and possession. New experience is more in line with human rights approach and public health interests. In Russia, drug-related behavior is criminalized and punishable by imprisonment. National drug policy can be described as repressive. Persecution by law enforcement agencies leads to stigmatization and desocialisation of drug users, make their access to health services even more difficult. The negative impact of such policy raises the need of radical changes in the Russian drug control system, including providing of reliable informing, harm reduction, treatment and support services. Antinarcotics conventions should be immediately revised as they prevent countries from the promotion of more rational and humane drug policies.