As ASEAN drug policy transitions, where will the Philippines stand?

The current punitive, prohibitionist drug policies implemented in ASEAN countries have not achieved their ‘drug-free’ goals nor achieved any substantial progress in reducing supply and preventing drug-related harms

The dominant punitive approach to drug use is proving inadequate. There is limited evidence of its effectiveness despite its long history of being implemented. It can also be argued that these policies have been set for failure from the start due to having unrealistic policy goals, such as achieving “drug-free” societies and the enforcement of abstinence-only models.

With this approach, people whose lives include drugs (the majority of them coming from low-income households) are falling through the cracks in the current system. This highlights the need to shift drug policies towards approaches that are centered more on human rights and health, including harm reduction.