Drugs are rarely to take the blame and the 11 countries with the best drug policies in the world know that well. Just like the old saying that guns don’t kill people, drugs don’t kill people either. Any progressively thinking human being in the world could agree that if a responsible adult wants to use a drug which will not harm them severely and will not cause any trouble to anyone else, they should be free to do so. This is pretty much what these countries’ drug policies consist of.
Before you try and think that these countries are dooming themselves to a slow, untimely halt in workforce functioning, take a look at our list of the 11 most addicted countries in the world and see for yourself that the list barely matches this one in one or two countries. Liberal drug policies have been proven to prevent crime and irresponsible usage. For a lot of countries, including certain states in the USA, more liberal drug laws have not only prevented crime from spreading and undercutting the cartels and major dealers’ prices but it has also started paying back to the economy through the selling of certain types of drugs. Even though a huge number of drugs are absolutely horrendous as far a health impact goes, a considerable group of them are used medicinally as well as for mental healing through therapy and just for a plain good old lay-in-the-grass-and-stare-at-the-sky time. As long as you are not killing yourself effectively and not harming anyone, there should be no problem in doing it.
Even for the more harmful and toxic drugs, legalization and strict regulations can effectively wipe black market distribution through competition. This, paradoxically, also lowers usage for some reason as you will see for some examples on the list. Let’s take a look at the eleven countries where you most certainly won’t be jailed for a couple of crumbs of your “special herbal blend” in your pocket.
11. Mexico
Mexico is a controversial entry on the list because of its huge problem with drug cartels and their baffling power over every single sector of politics. However, since Mexico legalized those cartels’ products, their battle has progressed more than before.
Frontpage / Shutterstock.com
10. Croatia
Croatia might be an unexpected country on this list but you’d be surprised to know that their youth use marijuana recreationally at a really high rate. For this reason, Croatia legalized the use, while distribution remains illegal.
9. Australia
Australia has one of the biggest rates of marijuana usage and you’d think they’d follow Croatia’s example. However, it is still illegal there. Nevertheless, Australia has given its drug addicts what they call “safe injection sites”, where trained specialists can observe users.
8. Ecuador
Ecuador has been battling a drug problem for a long time. However, the country managed to turn the tides not by making stricter laws but by allowing its residents to carry a certain amount of various types of drugs. However, the sale remains illegal.
7. Argentina
Just like Ecuador, Argentina has been the home of many cartels and drug-related crimes. The people of Argentina, however, voted to decriminalize even drugs which are severely harmful to the user.
6. Jamaica
Jamaica’s a no-brainer on the list. Basically the mecca of marijuana and the home of some of its biggest advocates and users, Jamaica’s laws prohibit its use and distribution. However, enforcement often turns a blind eye.
5. Uruguay
Uruguay is known as the country which decriminalized a variety of drugs but most notoriously, started growing and selling state marijuana at a very low price, effectively undercutting and eliminating a number of cartels.
4. Portugal
Standing at the fourth place in our list of the 11 countries with the best drug policies in the world, Portugal took the controversial decision to decriminalize drugs a long time ago and since then, it has paid off well.
3. Switzerland
Switzerland has battled a wave of drug-related crime for a long time. That was until they decided to pass a decriminalization law which allowed residents to have as much as ten grams of marijuana on them at any time.
2. Czech Republic
Known mainly for their legendary consumption of beer, the people of the Czech Republic can also enjoy the unpunished possession of drugs like marijuana, LSD, heroin and others.
1. The Netherlands
The first spot on this list of the 11 countries with the best drug policies goes to the Netherlands, where drug laws are stricter than in many other places but the experimentation with drugs and the overall law and social policy on them is probably sanest and open minded.
Pe3k/Shutterstock.com
