The US state of Oregon ended its experiment to legalize the possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs this month, after a law that had permitted some possession expired.
The move is in line with a broader global trend, whereby national and local governments are reversing recently liberalized drug policies amid a shift in public opinion and a surge of opioid deaths, many linked to illegal fentanyl. Japan is set to criminalize cannabis use from December due to an apparent increase in young people using the drug, while Thailand, the first Asian country to permit marijuana use, recently reversed that decision; meanwhile, Portugal, which took a radical approach to decriminalization, is also reconsidering the long term merits.
Japan, Thailand, and other world nations are reconsidering their drug decriminalization policies, amid rising concern over safety. Read More