Substance misuse and the law in the Dominican Republic

This article addresses critical issues dealing with substance use and misuse in the Dominican Republic: the present state of drug use and misuse, the law, and efforts to deal with the problem. Drawing upon the available literature, observations, and personal interviews, the paper discusses the current efforts relative to the problem of substance use and misuse, offering recommendations dealing with future policies on drug use and misuse in the Dominican Republic. Among the recommendations, it is felt that the problem of substance misuse needs to be recognized as a national priority and that the current law, punitive in nature, must be reviewed, taking into consideration the different points of view of those involved and/or affected by the drug problem.