Nonefficiency of criminal justice to deal with illegal drugs

Abstract

The paper deals with the issue whether the measures of criminal justice are an adequate weapon in the 'war against illegal drugs'. Unlike the behaviors that are in every society, time or system perceived morally and socially unacceptable (murder, theft, rape, etc.), attitudes toward illegal drugs are rather ambivalent. Psychoactive substances have accompanied humanity throughout its whole history. Some of them, such as alcohol or tobacco are legally accepted, others are recognized and prescribed as medicines, and some are legally prohibited. Despite the prohibition, every year hundreds of millions people around the world use illicit drugs, and predominant approach of governments around the world is to punish and criminalize them. But such approach and prohibitions only created a criminal market which will exist as long as there is a demand for illegal drugs. Particularly problematic is criminalization of the possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use, since there is no harm to others, and person should be free to decide about its own health. The first part of paper explains the history of the prohibition of illegal drugs. In the second part are analyzed the consequences of the prohibition, and after that are presented a new more liberal tendencies. Fourth part gives a comparative drug policy and in the last part is analyzed Serbian law, where possession of small quantities of illegal drugs was criminalized in 2003, contrary to overall global tendencies toward decriminalization.