Unit:
Κατεύθυνση ΨυχιατροδικαστικήLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Stergiatou Konstantina
Supervisors info:
Δουζένης Αθανάσιος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπων
Σπηλιοπούλου Χαρά, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ρίζος Εμμανουήλ, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
H νομιμοποίηση της χρήσης ναρκωτικών ουσιών, για ψυχαγωγικούς σκοπούς, ως νέα προσέγγιση στην πολιτική για τα ναρκωτικά-Το παράδειγμα της κάνναβης.
Translated title:
The legalisation of recreational drug use as a new approach to drug policy - The case study of cannabis.
Summary:
The appearance of psychoactive substances is identified with the very beginning of the organization of society and is used by man to influence his mood, his relationship with himself and his relationship with the world. Around this constant growing demand of drugs, there is a well-organized illegal supply maintained by organized criminal networks. A century after the first regulation of drug trafficking, we stand in the spot where the restrictive model approach is challenged while new policy models ranging from decriminalization to the free drug market emerge.
The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of whether legalizing recreational use of drugs is the next step for drug policy and, in particular, for Greece.
Moving away from the main battle over whether drugs are associated with biological and psychological consequences and health damage, the present work chose to evaluate the different approaches adopted for cannabis based on five key strategic objectives that a policy for drugs has to serve in particular: (a) Protection and improvement of public health; (b) Protection of the State's public and internal security; (c) Improving the development of society; (d) Improving the wellbeing of individual, new and vulnerable social groups and (e) the costs and benefits of the services provided.
From the research of the available measurable evidence-based data collected and studied may now be stated that till today no approach is outweighed. All approaches record steady or increasing use of cannabis, a rising tendency for dangerous cannabis use, furthermore more and more people are seeking treatment for problematic cannabis use. The abusive behavior associated with the drugs remains consistent with the more severe forms of it increasing.
Each approach has its strengths, weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats, and we mainly observe the bipolar public health and economic benefits (public and private) of having different dynamics in each model.
Regarding legalization for recreational use, the results to date have not been sufficient to argue that this approach is the next step in drug policy.
Regarding Greece, the drug situation is not much different from other approaches. A change in approach requires political understanding and proper preparation of all actors, stakeholders and society awareness.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Drugs, Policy, Cannabis, Decriminalization, Legalization
