Development Report - Global Country Policy Review: A humanitarian comparative analysis on drug policies, on the basis of the Rome Consensus 2.0
Academic Article
After two years of research, this study demonstrates a progressive transformation in drug policies, highlighting the growing incorporation of human rights, public health, and criminal justice principles. However, significant gaps persist between legal frameworks and their actual implementation. The Drug Policy Benchmark and Early Warning System (EWS) emerge as crucial tools to monitor and analyze drug policies through a humanitarian and evidence-based lens. This research underscores the shift from punitive approaches to strategies focused on harm reduction, rehabilitation, and alternatives to incarceration. The study also emphasizes the importance of international cooperation, data-driven decision-making, and the active participation of civil society. A comparative analysis of national drug policy profiles reveals that, despite a convergence in discourse towards human dignity, inconsistencies in enforcement remain. The adoption of open science and real-time evaluation methodologies enhances policy effectiveness and transparency. Moving forward, key strategic questions focus on the challenges of open data systems, the integration of AI-driven early warning mechanisms, and the harmonization of policy metrics to foster a more equitable, data-driven, and human rights-oriented global drug policy landscape.
