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The UN drug conventions and public

opinion

Jeff ZinsmeisterApril 2016

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Legalization is a minority position within the

United Nations

Source: “La sordera de la ONU,” Nexos (April 1, 2016)

“Desafortunadamente, para quienes defendemos la reforma y pedimos la abolición de la prohibición a nivel global, la mayoría de los Estados miembros fluctúan todavía entre la línea dura y el conservadurismo puritano [i.e., países como Japón, Suecia, España, Paraguay, Perú, Cuba y Sudáfrica].”

-Lisa Sánchez (abril de 2016)

“Unfortunately, for those of us who defend reform and push to abolish prohibition at the global level, the majority of Member States still stand somewhere between taking a hard line and a puritanical conservatism [i.e., countries such as Japan, Sweden, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, Cuba, and South Africa].”

-Lisa Sánchez (April 2016)

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Drugs not under int’l control Drugs under int’l control

Percentage of people worldwide who used drugs

in the past year (ages 15+)

Source: WHO & UNODC (alcohol data from 2014; tobacco data from 2012; illegal drugs data from 2013)

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Over half of youth in most EU countries opposed

marijuana legalization in a 2014 poll

Source: Eurobarometer (2014)

Poll of 15 to 24-year-olds—should marijuana be legal across the EU?

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Latin American public opinion also generally

opposes marijuana legalization

Source: CESOP, Parametria, Poliarquía, Factum, IBOPE, Cadem

Do you favor the legalization of marijuana for recreational use?

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Reaction is mixed at best even if you ask Latins if

they favor decriminalization OR legalization

Source: Latin American Observatory for Drug Policy & Public Opinion (OPDOP) survey, 2014-15

Do you favor de-penalizing or legalizing the following activities?

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The Latin American public sees drugs as a mix

between a security and a public health issue

Source: Latin American Observatory for Drug Policy & Public Opinion (OPDOP) survey, 2014-15