A Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert on the so-called ‘war on drugs’ believes recent calls in Australia to decriminalise some illicit drugs is just good sense.
Dr Oliver Villar believes decriminalisation would be a step forward in dealing with drugs as a health and social problem, rather than a criminal one.
Dr Villar is a lecturer with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU who recently released a critique on the US involvement in the Colombian drug trade titled Cocaine, Death Squads, and the War on Terror.
“It would certainly affect supply and demand as the target market or the drug users will have a better chance to get healthier. It would also make it harder for criminal groups to expand their markets and their profits,” he said.
“The criminalisation stimulates the supply and demand of illicit drugs, which creates the social and health problems to begin with.”
Dr Villar believes decriminalisation would decrease health and crime problems caused by drugs.
*Countless studies have shown that prevention, treatment and education measures are far more cost effective than the American tough law enforcement approach.
“Since US President Richard Nixon first initiated the 'War on Drugs' in 1972, the United States has spent one trillion US dollars combating drugs in ways which have only given criminal organisations enormous business opportunities.
Social
Explore the world of social