Drug Legalisation: A Superficial Debate?

By Zafeera Abdoola, BA Politics and Global Development 28/10/2024

In recent years the legalisation of recreational drugs such as marijuana has become synonymous with concepts such as self determination and the rectification of systemic racial discrimination. Legalisation is viewed as something with the potential of changing disadvantaged lives - pulling them away from oppression, and moving them towards a brighter future. The history of drugs as a tool for subjugation is a familiar topic, but in seeking to end the criminalisation of drugs, have we forgotten the emancipatory nature of legalisation? Without recognising this discourse the outcomes of legalisation might be skewed towards more privileged groups, producing a legalisation that simply appeases to white liberalism. 

People of colour and the economically disadvantaged  are targeted through drug legislation and over-policing. In fact, efforts to decriminalise and legalise recreational drug use were born from a dissatisfaction with this exact oppressive regime.

Dr Abida Mohamed GP, an addiction treatment specialist, explained that we ‘need to focus on harm reduction […] Trust and inclusion is vital in breaking the stigma and promoting access to treatment.’ Most experts agree that the primary focus of legalisation should be harm reduction as it aims to reduce negative health, social, and legal impacts of drug use. 

Furthermore, such harmful impacts are intensified by class distinction. Dr Mohamed stated, ‘The North [of England] has some of the highest rates of drug and alcohol related deaths in Europe.’ She continues, ‘In 2022, the highest rate of drug-poisoning deaths was observed in the North East, whilst the lowest rate was in London.’ In other words - more economically deprived areas suffer the worst consequences of addiction. 

As the legalisation of marijuana grows increasingly common in the US, one might assume that the consequences of targeted policy might be eased. According to an article released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), marijuana arrests seem to be falling in some states. However, with dispensaries around every corner in states such as California, the number of prisoners with drug related convictions shockingly stagnates, which means that something is going wrong. ‘34, 000’ marijuana records have not been processed by the courts in California according to the Los Angeles Times, rendering these individuals unjustly incarcerated as their cases have not been processed since the laws have changed. In addition, many released retain a felony on their record despite the change in California law. It calls into question what the purpose of legislation is when further systemic changes have not been made, and therefore the oppressive harms of drug use still remain. 

Now commercialised, marijuana is perceived simply in relation to the economic environment of its user. In the absence of additional harm reduction and institutional rectification, the moral whiplash of profiting from drugs has undermined further emancipatory reform. This must be a part of legalisation discourse in order to avoid the conflation of harm reduction and liberal indulgence. 

There is value in current forms of legalisation, as they reduce the immediate impacts of the criminalisation of drugs. However, policy and prominent ideas surrounding legalisation often fail to overcome systemic obstacles. Thus change does not necessarily mean change for all. In solely legalising a recreational drug, its use shifts from the murky undercurrent of class and racial oppression, to the arsenal of the glorified white liberal aesthetic.