Drugs are a tragedy for addicts, but criminalizing their use converts that tragedy into a disaster for society... – Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize Economics
Faces of the Drug War
There is growing global consensus that it is time to end the War on Drugs. This war has had catastrophic effects on human health, human rights and global safety. Hundreds of thousands have died from the violence associated with the illegal drug market, fatal drug overdose and AIDS. Millions of others are living with HIV and serious medical conditions as a result. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent on prisons and law enforcement. Families, neighbourhoods and countries have been devastated by organized crime, corrupt governments and black market economies. The victims of this senseless war are unacknowledged and undefended.
How can we help our political and policy leaders acknowledge the failure of prohibition and map out a path to a rational future? Without public input and pressure, governments are often reluctant to change policies, regardless of how ineffective they are. One way to help right now is to check out the Vienna Declaration and find out more about how the War on Drugs is having overwhelmingly negative health, social and economic impacts on individuals and communities around the world. Please sign the Vienna Declaration to show your support for drug policies based on scientific evidence, public health and human rights.
The Power of Music and Dialogue
FACES will harness the ability of the arts community to engage large numbers of people in making change. Through a series of high profile concerts accompanied by dialogue forums and social media campaigns, FACES will give the public a voice in ending the war on drugs. The events will take place in 8 cities in Canada, the US and Europe and will feature well known artists, celebrities and people engaged in drug policy reform. Funds raised will be used to support victims of the War on Drugs and to support drug policy reform. The music community is already becoming engaged in this process. Recently, Sting has lent his voice to support the end of prohibition and the beginning of drug policy reform.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Faces of the Drug War
