NCJ Number
180553
Journal
Economic Policy Dated: October 1997 Pages: 389-398
Date Published
1997
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This paper argues that there is no necessary link between drug consumption, addiction, and social disintegration and touts Switzerland's adoption of a drug control policy that avoids both the extremes of repression and liberalization.
Abstract
Empirical evidence suggests that a considerable share of the population has consumed illegal drugs during some period of their lives. A substantial proportion of drug users have a job and family. Many "mature out" of drug consumption in their thirties, and most drug users are normal consumers who respond systematically to relative prices. After recognizing the failure of a repressive drug policy, Switzerland allows carefully screened heavy addicts to inject heroin at a nominal price while raising the cost to potential entrants. This policy has produced encouraging results. The health of heroin users has improved, and crime has declined. Due to the large number of drug-repressive European Union member countries, the effort to homogenize drug policies to achieve a common drug policy for Europe would probably result in a repressive approach that would disallow Switzerland's promising policy. 27 references