The Drug Policy Website of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union

FORGET THE MYTHS - GET THE FACTS

Submitted by sarosip on 18 February, 2009 - 23:14
News
UN Drug policy
Regulation and Control
Marijuana Policies

The truth is that the criminalization of drug use does not lead to less drug users

Dr. Frederik Polak, a Dutch psychiatrist asked a simple question from Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime: why the level of cannabis use is lower in the Netherlands, where cannabis is legally available for adults, than in many other countries with more restrictive drug policies?



According to Mr. Costa, "availability causes use", and the Dutch drug policy has failed. The whole international drug control system is based on the concept that criminalization is the only way to reduce drug use, crime and disease.

 

But is this true or false? Let's get the facts!


 

 

 

MYTH1: the level of cannabis use is significantly influenced by the criminal law, so countries with more restrictive drug policies have lower use levels than those countries that have lenient legislation on pot.

FACT1: according to the official statistics of the European Union’s drug monitoring agency (EMCDDA), there is no causal link between national drug legislation and the level of cannabis use in member states: countries with restrictive policy can have much higher use levels than countries with liberal policy. It is more probable that the level of cannabis use is influenced by various demographic, social and cultural factors.

Recent (last year) use of cannabis among young adults (15–34 years old) in Europe and the USA - Source: EMCDDA

MYTH2: if you allow legal availability of cannabis in a country, you can be sure that the level of use will go up – just like in the Netherlands, where cannabis use skyrocketed.

FACT2: in the Netherlands, where there is a legal availability of cannabis for adults, the level of cannabis use is close to the European average and much lower than in the United States, with its war on drugs approach. What is more, if you compare other key data from the Netherlands and from the US, you will see the real differences too.

 

 

Social Indicator

Comparison Year

USA
Netherlands

Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+)

2001
36.9%
17.0%

Past month prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+)

2001
5.4%
3.0%

Lifetime prevalence of heroin use (ages 12+)

2001
1.4%
0.4%

Incarceration Rate per 100,000 population

2002
701
100

Per capita spending on criminal justice system (in Euros)

1998

379 Euros

223 Euros

Homicide rate per 100,000 population

Average 1999-2001

5.56
1.51

Source: Drug War Facts

 


MYTH3: if we allow the legal sale of cannabis than we loose control over crime and violence.



FACT3: actually much of the crime and violence associated with drug use are caused by drug prohibition. The prohibition of alcohol in the United States provides and excellent example: do you think Al Capone and his friends could gain so much power and destroy so many lives without prohibition?

 


Source: Drug War Facts

 

GET MORE FACTS ON THE WAR ON DRUGS HERE:

 

 

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 2 March, 2009 - 07:25
Thanks for the sample.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 7 March, 2009 - 07:33
Yep, if we are going to blame substance abuse on marijuana, then we need to go to the source.. "ALCOHOL".. omg yes everything our politicians drink now because it's legal... get real... marijuana is natural and good for you it is not chemically made like cocaine/crack/x-tacy/ No I do not smoke pot. No I do not sell pot. No I do not agree a person under 18 should have access to it. Try to rip that one apart. OHHH and by the way.... I am not God "FEARING".... I figure if I am to be accused of beleiving in God.. it would be a God "LOVING" entity... i should believe in.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 21 March, 2009 - 22:38
The email address was flashed for a few seconds in one video and is nowhere else to be seen. Maybe put Costa's email on all the videos, and also in the site itself? Thanks for doing what you do

Submitted by sarosip on 25 March, 2009 - 00:07

Hello! Actually if you go to the campaign website (www.daretoact.net) and choose "Dare to act" from the menu you will find Mr. Costa's email, if you click on his email a window will open with a sample letter addressed to him - the only thing you have to do is to send it. I hope this makes it easier for you!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 1 April, 2009 - 03:09
one vital comparison seems to have been over looked... the sheer amount of people that die per year from alcohol related diseases compared to cannabis use... i know what you are thinking "smoking kills" but can i just point out that cannabis can be ingested as well as smoked

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 8 May, 2009 - 18:15
In my perspective, the challanges for legalisation are the following: CHALLANGES 1) for starters smoking Canabis has a bad reputation worldwide. Canabis smoking is associated with: - criminal activities, - rebelious behavior, - poverty, - drugs in general incl. cocain, heroin, mushrooms and x-tasy - overdoses on and misuse of these drugs, - the dreadful situations of addicts to drugs in general (God help them), - not being productive for society, - negative health consequences - and maybe to some the anti-babylon (anti Western domination) Rastafari movement. 2) Furthermore, if we compare use of the soft drug Canabis to the hard drugs Alcohol, Cigarettes and Cigars, use of Canabis is not produced and thereby backed up by powerful multinational companies. There is no financial lobby for Canabis possible at this moment, which is the case for Alcohol and Tobacco. That's an important reason why alcohol and tobacco are legal and Canabis is not. POSSIBLE ANSWER For legalisation, I think the answer lies in marketing. We need to clean up the image of Canabis and get people interested! We need a commercial campaign for Canabis aligned with the important topics in society! No more dark and frightening associations, but associations with fun, having a relaxed, peaceful and innocent time of sharing, respect and love. In our society you see more and more people looking for relaxation, improvement of the quality of life, getting away from stress and pressure, something else than running, competition, problems, wars and crisis. Many people find peace in meditation, Yoga etc which is great. Smoking Canabis could be a complimentary activity in social contexts. Many more positive associations are possible. The point is to sell Canabis and its possibilities to the mass! Get people interested and involved in the alternative! We have to use the laws of commercialisation to create a mass in favour of legalisation. As you saw in the videos, the questions and arguments were not answered. This is because he cannot answer the questions without consequences (haha) but he gets away with it because it is simply not considered important enough. As soon as the pressure from the mass is big enough, there is no choice anymore than to answer and make a change. Good luck, keep up the good work! Peace, one love!

Submitted by Nicole (not verified) on 26 May, 2009 - 17:47
Denial is the reason cannubis is still illegal in some places.Cannubis is a danger to politicians whose egos would be severely damaged if they ever had to admit that maybe they got something wrong so they stick there heads in the sand and scream "i don't here you" like a bunch of children, while the rest of the world has to sneek around as a means to indulge thier self pity.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 26 August, 2009 - 12:37
Word

Submitted by Janeece (not verified) on 27 May, 2011 - 03:14
Thanks alot - your answer solved all my prombles after several days struggling

Submitted by Castex (not verified) on 30 May, 2009 - 22:01

You are totally right that, in the Netherlands, where there is a legal availability of cannabis for adults, the level of cannabis use is close to the European average and much lower than in the United States, with its war on drugs approach.

Submitted by Ramon1982 (not verified) on 21 December, 2009 - 17:55

How was the experiment concluded? The 5 years should be over soon and your government should decide soon how to continue? Did they get their facts straight and still keep it legal?

Submitted by David (not verified) on 29 December, 2009 - 12:55

Did they get their facts straight and still keep it legal? Yes, I am interested in that too, can anybody give some insight on that?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 28 July, 2011 - 09:01
So far, common sense prevails. The discussions continue... There is talk of bringing in a resident's only permit card and restricting the number of members each coffeeshoppe is allowed to have to 1500 members. One change that has passed is that coffeeshoppes within a 350m? or something radius of a school have been ordered to close down. Here in Amsterdam, nothing much has changed......

Submitted by miscel (not verified) on 9 February, 2010 - 18:40

This article the work of the author's health. I have always followed this style of writing was sequel. I already saw the youtube video site video about it. also a member of a group I am in the facebook site. I would like to specify that descriptive See this article informed me more. Thank you to the article author.

Submitted by Ada W. (not verified) on 2 July, 2009 - 03:32
Interesting ideas, the government needs to try different things and realize what isn’t working. The politicians are so scared of change that nothing ever improves. Humanity has to evolve and not be so afraid, legal marijuana for suffers of illnesses with chronic pain should have been made available years ago.I've read an interesting article on this subject some days ago, here: http://www.how-to.com/article/details/451/international-oddities-provides-a-herbal-tobacco-alternative-unlike-legal-marijuana.html

Submitted by Paulina (not verified) on 28 May, 2011 - 01:39
Now I feel stupid. That's cleerad it up for me

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 14 July, 2009 - 08:56

Yep, if we are going to blame substance abuse on marijuana, then we need to go to the source.. "ALCOHOL".. omg yes everything our politicians drink now because it's legal... get real... marijuana is natural and good for you it is not chemically made like cocaine/crack/x-tacy/

Submitted by Anonymous434 (not verified) on 3 November, 2009 - 18:26

one vital comparison seems to have been over looked... the sheer amount of people that die per year from alcohol related diseases compared to cannabis use... i know what you are thinking "smoking kills" but can i just point out that cannabis can be ingested as well as smoked

Submitted by John Vanton (not verified) on 12 December, 2009 - 11:18
The drug topic is one topic that is and always will be there. You cant get over it, because whatever laws you make people still use it, sell it, deal with drugs. Its addictiveness makes drugs a perfect merchandise, people need food and water and many people need drugs that much. So if there is a demand for it, it ll always be there whatever you do. The money gets everything going! The reverse psychology could be the answer maybe. If its illegal people want to try it even more, but when its legal its not that interesting any more to "normal" people, this shocking turnaround in laws maybe can defeat this problem, but this is high-risk and dangrerous road to walk. John Vanton - Height Expert http://www.growtaller4idiotsweb.co.cc/

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 13 March, 2010 - 19:41
hope to end this war soon... and all others too. we all need peace

Submitted by mariap (not verified) on 2 November, 2010 - 11:14

That is very interesting i must say. It seems to be legal in alot of countries now. look at amsterdam its legal there and they seem to have less problems with drug use there also. i say legalise it everywhere

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