The Social Impact of Drug Policy Liberalisation

Abstract

The issue of drug liberalisation is still a controversial topic in the world today. The three main pillars of drug policy are drug prevention, drug demand and supply reduction, and harm reduction. The need for different level of strictness has resulted in some countries imposing even stricter prohibitions on the possession of drugs and the use of psychoactive substances, while some states and countries have legalised the use of certain drugs. In Hungary, the government sees the fight against drug use in the power of  coercion rather than in changing or relaxing the law. At present, criminalisation does not seem to be improving the situation in our country. Interesting research has been conducted on drug liberalisation and how it has affected consumption patterns and medical treatment in different areas. The purpose of this study is to gain insight what steps each country is taking toward drug legalisation for medical purposes, and how these play a role in alleviating the drug problem. Practice in different countries shows  that  legal drugs used in medicine are no more of a threat to health than drugs used in medicine.