We often hear that drug prohibition is destined to fail. Specifically, that means that allowing no legal access to a substance people want to use—as opposed to tailoring regulations to limit youth access or certain forms of potentially harmful use—will fail.
In the US drug policy space, we are currently witnessing the decriminalization of drugs like heroin and cocaine and the ongoing legalization of marijuana.
Despite many obstacles left to overcome, there is a gathering consensus that the criminalization of drug use is inherently wrong, that it produces negative public health outcomes like the overdose crisis, and that it fosters racial and other inequities.
But in one major area of drug policy, we see the opposite direction of travel.
We now see attempts across the country to ban all legal access to flavored nicotine and tobacco products. This blanket prohibition will fail in two ways. First, it will not achieve the advertised substantive gains for public health through reduced use.
Art Way – Filter – 2021-09-15.
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