Six Options for Controlling Drug Supply

Courtesy Transform - Working for an effective drug policy

There is a choice of regimes for controlling and regulating the production, supply and use of drugs. There are six basic models for distribution of drugs:

1) No regulation
Examples: raw magic mushrooms, poppies, fly agaric toadstools, datura, morning glory seeds.
Controls: no controls, legal or otherwise

2) Over the counter sales - supermarkets, grocers, health food shops
Examples: aspirin, paracetamol, poppers, glue, St John's Wort, tea, coffee.
Controls: Controls over production, limited controls at point of sale

3) Licensed sales
Examples: beer, spirits, tobacco.
Controls: Strict controls over licencee and purchaser e.g. age, state of intoxication

4) Pharmacy sales
Examples: Kaolin and morphine, codeine linctus, amphetamine-like decongestants, Dual products aspirin/paracetamol with dihydrocodeine.
Controls: Controls over pharmacist

5) Doctor's prescription
Examples: tranquillisers, anti-depressants, methadone, chlorpromazine, anti-psychotics, thalidomide, diamorphine.
Controls: Strict controls over doctor

6) Criminal marketplace (Prohibition)
Examples: LSD, heroin, cannabis, speed, crack.
Controls: Legal bans on production, supply and possession. Illegal production, supply and use in practice have almost no controls.

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