Scientific distinctions between coca and cocaine support policy reform
Dawson M White1, Ricardo Soberón Garrido2, Caroline S Conzelman3
1Harvard University Herbaria, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 15, 2025
Summary
International drug policy reviews must address the harmful conflation of drug supply and demand reduction strategies. This ongoing review aims to correct misguided approaches for more effective global drug control.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- International Relations
- Criminology
Background:
- International drug policy has historically conflated supply reduction with demand reduction.
- This conflation has led to ineffective and often harmful global drug control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for a critical reassessment of international drug policy.
- To highlight the need to disentangle supply and demand reduction efforts.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing international drug policy frameworks.
- Analysis of historical and current approaches to drug control.
Main Results:
- The persistent conflation of drug supply and demand reduction is a significant flaw in current policy.
- This misguided approach undermines effective public health and safety outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Ongoing reviews of international drug policy must prioritize correcting the conflation of supply and demand reduction.
- A more nuanced and evidence-based approach is necessary for effective global drug policy.
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