The World Drug Report also includes data on the impact of cannabis legalization and advocates for a human rights-based approach to drug use.
Angela Me, UNODC’s Chief of Social Affairs, sat down with UN News’ Conor Lennon to discuss some of the study’s key findings.
UN News: What does the report say about the impact of cannabis legalization?
Angela Me There are still many gaps in terms of time, and the effects are very context-specific. What is clear, however, is that in the US and Canada, legalisation has increased harmful cannabis use and that more people are using it more frequently. This means that more people are seeking treatment for drug-related problems, and some studies show that there are more mental health problems related to suicide attempts, suicide or psychosis.
UN News Proponents of legalization say that one benefit is that it reduces the backlog of cases in the prison system because people are no longer criminalized for, for example, handling small amounts of drugs. Do you see a connection there?
Angela Me In North America, for example, where cannabis was legalized, arrests for cannabis actually decreased. But it’s also interesting to note that the racial disparities that many people wanted to eliminate didn’t really materialize. The effects aren’t always positive or negative.
There must be a balance between the use of medicinal products for scientific and medical purposes and ensuring that these medicinal products are not used in a totally uncontrolled manner, so as to protect public health. As we know, controlled medicinal products have very serious health effects when used particularly frequently.
Coca plants growing in Cauca, Colombia (file)
UN News: Another controlled substance, cocaine, has seen a sharp increase, as have synthetic drugs such as meth. What reasons does the report give for this increase?
Angela I: The market has suddenly changed in terms of supply and demand. It started with a shift in the European criminal landscape. Previously, Italian gangs had a near monopoly position, but this was broken by new gangs, especially from the Balkans. These gangs began to gain the trust of Mexican and Colombian suppliers, and competition caused prices to fall. This led to greater supply in Europe and increased demand.
On the supply side, the Colombian peace process with the FARC has changed the way groups operate in that country and many more groups have come into that market. And there has been a
Industrialization of cocaine production, which increased supply.
So now we find ourselves in a kind of vicious circle: more supply leads to more demand and even more supply.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2022, the legalization of cannabis in parts of the world appears to have accelerated daily use and associated health effects.
UN News Does the UN have a clear position on the use of recreational drugs?
Angela Me The UN’s opinion is based on international drug conventions. The organization’s primary goal is to protect people’s health. Recreational use, as opposed to medical use, means using certain substances in a way that can be harmful.
For example, if you look at a brain scan of a young person who frequently uses cannabis, you can clearly see the effects. We now know that the brain develops until the age of 25, so anything that is consumed, including cannabis, can damage this development process, with consequences that will stay with the person for life.
UN News What impact does drug trafficking have on human rights?
Angela Me The UN wants to ensure that drug users have access to medical care without compromising their privacy and dignity and without being stigmatised or discriminated against because of their drug addiction.
We also want to ensure that the criminal justice system respects the human rights of perpetrators, that they are given a fair trial and that the response to the crime is proportionate.
