It is time to end the ‘war on drugs’ and redirect resources toward evidence-based policies underpinned by economic analysis

Drugs and the problems associated with illicit drug markets are one of the major issues facing countries in Europe and elsewhere across the world. John Collins outlines findings from a report by an LSE Expert Group on the need for a new global drug strategy. He writes that the so called ‘war on drugs’ has led to significant negative outcomes in terms of public health, associated violence, and economic costs. The report calls for a new model which puts evidence-based policies built on rigorous economic analysis at the centre of approaches.