The Harm Reduction Consortium publishes the Global Drug Policy Index. On 75 indicators the calculations is based on for publishing the index. These indicators can be broadly divided into five dimensions which are drug policy, extreme response, and health and harm management, criminal justice and access to internationally controlled drugs.
Highlights
Based on UN recommendations for the formation of drug policies related to human rights, health and development the Global Drug Policy Index is measured. A score of 100 on the Index means that the country has a religious implementation of the United Nations system. The countries should be responsible for drug policy. The world’s current drug policy does not include accountability. They focus only on judgments, detentions, arrests and seizures. This system also prevents drug users from receiving medical care. This index is intended to change this scenario.
About Global Drug Policy Index 2021
The 2021 Global Drug Policy Index evaluated 30 countries. Norway is at the top of the index with 74 out of 100 points. The median score for all countries was 48. This score means “drug policy failure”. Therefore, any country rated by the Global Drug Policy Index should not feel good.
New Zealand (71/100) came second, Portugal (70/100) came third and the United Kingdom (69/100) ranked fourth. Portugal earned points by treating the use of illegal substances as a health problem and decriminalizing all drugs.
Australia finished fifth with a score of 65/100.
The last five place in the ranking was Mexico, Kenya, Indonesia, Uganda and Brazil.
Ranking of India in the 2021 Global Drug Policy Index
India’s score is 46, below the world average. India scored 49 out of 100 on harm and health mitigation. Obtained 38/100 in proportion to the criminal justice response and 33/100 in the access and availability of various internationally controlled drugs. In extreme responses and criteria the country scored 63 out of 100.
