Why it matters: The article highlights how richer countries, particularly the United States and Europe, continue to provide substantial foreign aid for the global War on Drugs. However, instead of addressing important issues such as poverty, hunger, healthcare, and education, this aid is primarily directed towards law enforcement and military efforts. This allocation of funds has negative consequences and perpetuates harmful and ineffective drug control regimes.
What they are saying: The report from Harm Reduction International (HRI) calls upon governments, including the US, to stop using limited aid budgets to endorse policies that harm individuals who use drugs. The report reveals that between 2012 and 2021, 30 donor countries allocated $974 million in international aid for “narcotics control.” Notably, some of this aid was directed to countries with the death penalty for drug-related charges.
The big picture: The top contributors to the War on Drugs are the United States, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, and South Korea. This funding for the drug war surpasses funding for essential areas such as school food, early childhood education, labor rights, and mental health care. Additionally, the report highlights the racist and colonial dynamics underlying drug policy, with wealthy governments reinforcing punitive drug control regimes that disproportionately harm Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
What to watch: It is important to monitor how countries choose to allocate their aid budgets in the future. While some countries like the UK have reduced their expenditure on foreign War on Drugs initiatives, others, such as the US, have increased their funding. As the federal government in the US considers rescheduling cannabis, it remains to be seen how this will impact future funding for the War on Drugs.
My take: The article raises important concerns about the allocation of foreign aid for the War on Drugs. It is disheartening to see limited aid budgets being directed towards ineffective and harmful drug control efforts instead of addressing pressing issues like poverty and healthcare. Governments should reconsider their approach and allocate resources towards evidence-based harm reduction strategies and social development initiatives. The report highlights the need to dismantle racist and colonial dynamics embedded in drug policy and prioritize human rights and public health.
