Global Consequences of the War on Drugs Update Free Webinar

June 17th marked the 50th anniversary of U.S. President Richard Nixon’s declaration of a War on Drugs. Since then, this failed policy has been exported and implemented around the world, driving mass incarceration and human rights violations in the United States and internationally.

Punitive policies that criminalize people for low-level drug offenses harm individuals and their communities while hindering access to security and essential services. Over the last year, the damaging effects of this approach have become more evident than ever—prisons and jails have become epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic and overdose rates are rising, with more than 93,000 deaths occurring in the U.S. in 2020 alone.

How has the war on drugs shaped international policies and practices, and how do we begin to reverse its harms? In this panel discussion, former Open Society fellows and global drug policy experts examine the international impacts of the war on drugs and provide insights on how to shift drug policy from prohibition and punishment to health and human rights.