Editing Substance abuse (section)

===Legal approaches===
:''Related articles: [[Drug control law]], [[Prohibition (drugs)]], [[Arguments for and against drug prohibition]], [[Harm reduction]]''

Most governments have designed [[legislation]] to criminalize certain types of drug use. These drugs are often called "illegal drugs" but generally what is illegal is their [[license|unlicensed]] production, distribution, and possession. These drugs are also called "controlled substances". Even for simple possession, legal punishment can be quite severe (including the [[death penalty]] in some countries). Laws vary across countries, and even within them, and have fluctuated widely throughout history.

[[File:Stamp of India - 1991 - Colnect 164174 - International Conference on Drug Abuse Calcutta.jpeg|thumb|150px|1991 Indian postage stamp bearing the slogan – ''Beware of drugs'']]
Attempts by government-sponsored drug control policy to interdict drug supply and eliminate drug abuse have been largely unsuccessful. In spite of the huge efforts by the U.S., drug supply and purity has reached an all-time high, with the vast majority of resources spent on interdiction and law enforcement instead of [[public health]].<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Copeman M |title=Drug supply and drug abuse |journal=CMAJ |volume=168 |issue=9 |pages=1113; author reply 1113 |date=April 2003 |pmid=12719309 |pmc=153673 |url=http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12719309|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090906063737/http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12719309|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-09-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Wood E, Tyndall MW, Spittal PM, etal |title=Impact of supply-side policies for control of illicit drugs in the face of the AIDS and overdose epidemics: investigation of a massive heroin seizure |journal=CMAJ |volume=168 |issue=2 |pages=165–9 |date=January 2003 |pmid=12538544 |url=http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12538544 |pmc=140425}}</ref>  In the [[United States]], the number of nonviolent drug offenders in prison exceeds by 100,000 the total incarcerated population in the [[European Union|EU]], despite the fact that the EU has 100 million more citizens.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bewley-Taylor |first1=Dave |last2=Hallam |first2=Chris |last3=Allen |first3=Rob |date=March 2009 |title=The Incarceration of Drug Offenders: An Overview |url=http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/pdf/BF_Report_16.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603004721/http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/pdf/BF_Report_16.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2013 |publisher=[[Beckley Foundation|The Beckley Foundation]] Drug Policy Programme}}</ref>

Despite drug legislation (or perhaps because of it), large, organized criminal [[drug cartel]]s operate worldwide. Advocates of decriminalization argue that drug prohibition makes drug dealing a lucrative business, leading to much of the associated criminal activity.

Some states in the U.S., as of late, have focused on facilitating safe use as opposed to eradicating it. For example, as of 2022, New Jersey has made the effort to expand needle exchange programs throughout the state, passing a bill through legislature that gives control over decisions regarding these types of programs to the state's department of health.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Post |first=Michelle Brunetti  |date=11 January 2022 |title=Bill to expand syringe access programs in NJ passes Legislature |work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] |url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/state-and-regional/bill-to-expand-syringe-access-programs-in-nj-passes-legislature/article_dca73a90-7269-11ec-b80e-1be1ad1df42f.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111191842/https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/state-and-regional/bill-to-expand-syringe-access-programs-in-nj-passes-legislature/article_dca73a90-7269-11ec-b80e-1be1ad1df42f.html |archive-date=11 January 2022}}</ref> This state level bill is not only significant for New Jersey, as it could be used as a model for other states to possibly follow as well. This bill is partly a reaction to the issues occurring at local level city governments within the state of New Jersey as of late. One example of this is in the Atlantic City Government which came under lawsuit after they halted the enactment of said programs within their city.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shelly |first=Molly |date=29 September 2021 |title=South Jersey AIDS Alliance, residents file lawsuit to stop Atlantic City needle exchange closure |work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] |url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jersey-aids-alliance-residents-file-lawsuit-to-stop-atlantic-city-needle-exchange-closure/article_1a17b5c2-212e-11ec-81f1-3b585ad682ec.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111225403/https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jersey-aids-alliance-residents-file-lawsuit-to-stop-atlantic-city-needle-exchange-closure/article_1a17b5c2-212e-11ec-81f1-3b585ad682ec.html |archive-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> This suit came a year before the passing of this bill, stemming from a local level decision to shut down related operations in Atlantic City made in July that same year. This lawsuit highlights the feelings of New Jersey residents, who had a great influence on this bill passing the legislature.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shelly |first=Molly |date=6 July 2021 |title=Advocates gather to save Atlantic City needle exchange |work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] |url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/advocates-gather-to-save-atlantic-city-needle-exchange/article_582a12c8-de63-11eb-b7bd-9f12e2761198.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306205110/https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/advocates-gather-to-save-atlantic-city-needle-exchange/article_582a12c8-de63-11eb-b7bd-9f12e2761198.html |archive-date=6 March 2022}}</ref> These feelings were demonstrated in front of Atlantic City City hall, where residents exclaimed their desire for these programs. All in all, the aforementioned bill was signed effectively into law just days after it passed legislature, by New Jersey Governor [[Phil Murphy]].<ref name="murphy bill">{{cite web |title=Governor Murphy Signs Legislative Package to Expand Harm Reduction Efforts, Further Commitment to End New Jersey's Opioid Epidemic |url=https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20220118b.shtml |website=Official Site of the State of New Jersey |access-date=23 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624204536/https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20220118b.shtml |archive-date=24 June 2022 |date=18 January 2022}}</ref>