Platform pushes for drug policy reforms

A consortium of organisations is pushing for drug policy reforms for the country to have a more humane and health-based response approach to negative consequences of the war against drugs.

The Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Platform (DPHRP) says as drug debates evolve, more countries are realising that penalising people who use drugs (Pwuds) is an excessive approach, as such, there is need for alternative approaches.

DPHRP board chairperson Undule Mwakasungula observed that Malawi has not been spared from negative consequences of the war on drugs that have proven ineffective in reducing the scale of the drug market.

“These consequences have negatively impacted on Inadequately Served Populations [ISPs] such as Pwuds with severe human rights violations directly related to criminalisation and stigmatisation targeted at even women mostly sex workers and prisoners,” he said.

Mwakasungula said it was high time Malawi committed to evidence-based drug prevention, harm reduction and drug treatment services as well as alternatives to arrest and imprisonments.

“The country’s drug policies and laws continue to be harsh; hence, the need to ensure the legal regulations strive to deliver social justice, public health and the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs],” said Mwakasungula.

Government enacted the Cannabis Regulation Act 2020 to decriminalise the cultivation, production, processing, storage, distribution and use of cannabis, but does not legally or socially accept recreational use of the plant.

DPHRP is a local chapter of Southern African Regional Drug Policy Reform Project which has been supported by Aids & Rights Alliance for Southern African  for the past four years and is currently hosted by Women’s Coalition Against Cancer in Malawi.

Centre for Human Rights Education Advice, Assistance executive director Victor Mhango said the platform aims at enhancing community well-being and reduce harm associated with alcohol and drug use. “This platform aims to minimise negative health, social and legal impact associated with drugs. The current law emphasises on the use of criminal law to solve the challenges which are social in nature, but this issue cannot be solved using criminal law,” he said.