I think drug abuse is a consequence of societal problems, and criminalising drugs can only further marginalise people who are already in a tough situation.

I think governments should focus on resolving the contradictions that are at the source of those societal problems, and during that time adopt Portugal’s strategy of decriminalising all drugs and providing social assistance to users in dedicated spaces.

Once we have developed a strong social safety net and we deem that the risk of people falling into drug addiction as a way to escape the sad reality of their material conditions is low enough, I think we should legalise drugs and sell them in dedicated space where people are educated about them. My reasoning behind it is that people will always be curious to try at least some drugs, and it’s impossible to completely stop them for doing so. Making them legal allows us to set strict quality controls to ensure that the products aren’t tainted with harmful substances (more harmful than the drug the user is expecting to buy, think fentanyl) and that the dosage is accurate. The education prior to the purchase would allow the person to know the potential risks and side effects before hand, and to be informed about the safe way to consume it.

I think that would be the most optimal solution for risk prevention.