How Other Countries Deal with Their Drug Problems

By Therese Aseoche

So called vigilante activities against drug trafficking under the Duterte administration have led to the surrender of drug pushers and users nationwide, lest they become one of the bodies upon bodies of suspected drug criminals piling up at funeral homes every day. There has got to be a better way to deal with the drug problem, human rights advocates say. Other countries have been able to curb theirs through unconventional means that don’t involve summary executions. There may be a thing or two we can learn from them.

8. Therapy sessions

Some would argue drug addiction is a disease rather than a punishable offense. Therefore, medical treatment—as opposed to incarceration—is seen as a better and more effective solution to drug-related crimes. Portugal, specifically, notifies the apprehended drug user to appear before a ‘dissuasion commission’ consisting of legal, social and psychological experts, and then advised to undergo counseling after repeated appearances.

7. Supervised injection sites

Countries like Australia, Switzerland, and Canada have been at the forefront of implementing legally-sanctioned and medically-supervised drug consumption rooms where chronic users can legally inject themselves without fear of prosecution and overdose. The aim of having these supervised sites is to provide a safe, hygienic space for intravenous consumption, as well as reduce improper syringe disposal and public drug use. These facilities also stand as pathways to rehabilitation, treatment and other health services.

6. Differentiating “Hard” from “Soft” Drugs

And then there are those that can tell the difference between the effects of “soft” drugs and “hard” drugs. The Netherlands tolerates drug consumption, but only for soft (e.g. marijuana), drugs, which are proven to be less dangerous than hard drugs (e.g. ecstasy, cocaine).

5. Court-ordered community service

Drug users of meager amounts often end up doing community service rather than facing a couple of years of imprisonment. Such is done in countries including Portugal and the UK. Community service work varies among countries, but can include assisting people in need, cleaning, supporting local initiatives, and environmental work.

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