Welcome to the final module of this MOOC.
Module 6 is entitled,
The Case for Drug Policy Reform.
It is divided into three lessons.
The first lesson, the failure of prohibitioners' drug policies
stresses the failure and negative impact of prohibitioners' drug policies by
recalling how prohibition has failed on its own objectives and how
prohibition law enforcement policies have resulted in significant harms to public health,
safety, economy, development, human rights, and the environment.
It also makes a strong economic case for drug policy reform.
Lesson 2, experiencing and monitoring
alternative policies reviews what
the alternative to a bridged prohibitionist drug policies are,
focusing specifically on decriminalization and regulation of drug.
It also looks at the essential question of how to monitor drug policies effectively
and highlights the need for a new set of
indicators firmly rooted in health and human rights.
Lesson 3, getting involved in the drug reform movement
underscores the significant role of civil society and drug user groups and makes it
abundantly clear that it is not possible to
progress in this field without working very closely
with these actors on all aspects of
drug control policies from the initial design to the implementation.
Finally, we look at who makes up
the current drug reform movement and identify possible next steps.
We then turn the question over to you by asking,
would you join the drug reform movement in an attempt to keep
the drug policy reform momentum around the world as alive as possible?
The objectives of this week are for you to be able to, one,
give examples of decriminalization and regulation of drugs and outcomes.
Second, defend the involvement of civil society and people
who use drugs in the design and evaluation of drug policies,
and three, reflect on and develop your potential role in the world drug debate.
As in all of the other modules,
there are references for further study and reflective questions and discussions,
prompts, throughout the week.
However, this module's final assessment is slightly different from other weeks.
It consists of an exercise which requires you to reflect on the situation in
your own country with regard to the national drug control strategy
to inquire into how people who use drugs are perceived and are treated,
and to examine the policies in place using the knowledge
you have gained from the modules of this course to assess where
the policies are at in terms of respecting the human rights of people who use drugs and
promoting individual and public health and consider
what action would possibly be taken in the future.
I wish you all a very interesting last module and look forward to
receiving your contributions on the drug policy situations in your countries.