The 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna, July 18 – 23 marks an important moment in the history of drug policy that might just be the beginning of the end of the “War on Drugs”. The policy document that will be the centre piece of the conference is the Vienna Declaration which calls on governments around the world to develop policies related to psychoactive substances that are based on scientific evidence and public health principles rather than continuing the costly and ineffective approach based on the criminalization of drugs and punishment of drug users. The Declaration is an important benchmark in that it marks a scientific consensus among those studying drug policies, infectious diseases, public health and human rights that current drug policies are causing more harm than drug use itself.

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