Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin, calls on CND members to endorse the WHO recommendations

The War on Drugs: A Failure?

The first observation that any informed person can make is that the relentless fight against drugs has not actually borne fruit. On the contrary, this repressive policy tends to increase the black market and drug trafficking. This, in turn, causes even more damage, both to citizens and to economies.

Moreover, Sir Branson

doesn’t fail to point this out in his blog post!

After nearly six decades of prohibition and the relentless criminalization of drug users, the failed war on drugs has done absolutely nothing to make a dent in the illicit drug trade. This global activity is worth at least $350 billion a year and is entirely controlled by criminal organizations. The drug wars have cost millions of lives and wasted billions of dollars in public resources. To make matters worse, the arrival of new, more potent drugs like fentanyl has led to new spikes in drug-related overdoses and deaths worldwide, demonstrating once again that a hard line on drugs is not yielding results.

Source: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/rethinking-drug-laws-in-a-new-global-moment

He states:

For decades, without any credible scientific basis, cannabis has been classified as a substance of negligible medical or therapeutic value, considered as harmful as heroin or cocaine.

Source: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/rethinking-drug-laws-in-a-new-global-moment Cannabis Reclassification: Public Pressure?

While the World Health Organization is certainly highlighted, the public’s contribution to this recommendation should not be overlooked. Indeed, in the US, following votes, a large portion of the population, spread across various states, supports this reclassification. This, admittedly, cannot leave policymakers indifferent.

Once again,

Sir Branson

clearly emphasizes this point in his remarks!

While much of the world’s attention is focused on the consequences of the US presidential election and the transition of power to President-elect Biden, I was delighted to see some of the other results of this year’s US election. Voters in several states have adopted sensible drug policy reforms that will make a huge difference in people’s lives, alleviate the burden on criminal justice systems, improve public health, and ultimately save lives.

Source: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/rethinking-drug-laws-in-a-new-global-moment He adds: In Arizona, New Jersey, Montana, and South Dakota, voters approved the regulated sale of recreational cannabis, continuing a trend that has been underway for several years, bringing the total number of U.S. states that allow recreational cannabis to 15. Source: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/rethinking-drug-laws-in-a-new-global-moment

He further states: The people of Oregon took a significant step forward and supported a ballot initiative to decriminalize the personal possession of small amounts of all currently illegal drugs.

Source: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/rethinking-drug-laws-in-a-new-global-moment

Reclassification itself: what is it? We feel it’s important to revisit this point, even though it was already addressed in a previous article. Why? Because we want to ensure that all our readers fully understand what thereclassification of cannabis recommended by the WHO and supported by

1. Richard Branson
2. really means.
4. To do this, we’ve included our previous article on
5. the reclassification of cannabis
6. . It seems more convenient to access it directly here, rather than in a new tab.
7. The recommendations supported by Branson, in detail Following the above, we feel it’s important to focus on these recommendations supported by
8. Richard Branson

. Here they are:

Remove cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention; Add dronabinol and its stereoisomers (delta-9-THC) to Appendix I of the 1961 Convention;