The report “The UNGASS Decade in Review: Gaps, Achievements and Paths for Reform” by the International Drug Policy Consortium examines global drug policy developments since the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS). That landmark event marked a turning point by bringing public health, human rights, and community perspectives closer to the center of international drug policy discussions. It also enabled unprecedented participation from civil society and helped align drug policy debates with broader United Nations goals.
Despite these advances, the report concludes that the promise of UNGASS has largely remained unfulfilled. While new narratives around health and human rights have emerged, the global drug control system continues to be dominated by punitive and prohibitionist approaches. These policies have failed to reduce drug markets and have instead contributed to rising harms, including increased incarceration, preventable deaths, and disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities.
The publication highlights key structural challenges within the international system, including outdated drug control treaties, weak coordination across UN agencies, and the marginalization of civil society actors. At the same time, it acknowledges some progress, such as the expansion of harm reduction initiatives and growing debates around decriminalization and legal regulation in various countries. However, many of these positive changes have occurred despite the existing system rather than because of it.
In response, the report calls for comprehensive reform of global drug policy. It advocates for a shift toward approaches grounded in human rights, public health, and sustainable development, as well as stronger involvement of affected communities in decision-making. Ultimately, the report argues that without meaningful structural changes, the international drug control regime will continue to fall short of its goals and perpetuate harm rather than effectively addressing the global drug situation.
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