In an editorial, Folha defends the legalization of drugs.

In an editorial published this Sunday, Folha de S. Paulo defends the legalization of drugs as a solution to the crisis in the country's prison system; "It is justified because the trillions of dollars that the world has already spent on repression have not reduced demand or supply. Prohibition, moreover, benefits traffickers, as it makes drugs more expensive; on the other hand, production and sale, if controlled and taxed, would generate funds for prevention and treatment," the text says.

January 15, 2017, 08:42 AMUpdated June 29, 2018, 09:05 pm

In an editorial published this Sunday, Folha de S. Paulo defends the legalization of drugs as a solution to the crisis in the country's prison system; "It is justified because the trillions of dollars that the world has already spent on repression have not reduced demand or supply. Prohibition, moreover, benefits traffickers, as it makes drugs more expensive; on the other hand, production and sale, if controlled and taxed, would generate funds for prevention and treatment," says the text (Photo: Leonardo Attuch).

247 - In an editorial published this Sunday, called Radical reorientationThe Folha de S. Paulo newspaper advocates for the legalization of drugs as a solution to the prison system crisis.

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Faced with this vicious cycle, the country needs to make a decision. If it insists on mass incarceration and the war on drugs, it will spend tens of billions of reais on policies whose failure is evident both here and around the world.

The alternative presupposes a radical reorientation.

Prison should be reserved only for criminals who use violence or serious threats; these individuals need to be separated from society. Others, whose freedom does not pose a risk, can serve alternative sentences, provided they are sufficiently rigorous.

This would make it more difficult for criminal factions to transform minor offenders into dangerous soldiers. Furthermore, fewer resources would be spent on building prisons, and sanctions would be applied that, according to various studies, are associated with much lower rates of recidivism.

Regarding drugs, it's not just about decriminalizing their use (eliminating or reducing penalties for consumers) but also about legalizing them (authorizing their production and sale as well).

It wouldn't be a simple process. The liberalization would have to happen gradually and go through public consultation; the initiative would need multilateral support.

This is justified because the trillions of dollars the world has already spent on repression have not reduced either demand or supply. Prohibition, moreover, benefits traffickers, as it makes drugs more expensive; on the other hand, production and sales, if controlled and taxed, would generate funds for prevention and treatment.