The war on drugs isn't working. Here's a better way. | Kathryn Leafe | TEDxChristchurch

Internationally, 13% of people who inject drugs have HIV -- but in New Zealand, it's just 0.2%. So what is New Zealand doing differently? The answer will likely surprise you. In this powerful talk, guaranteed to challenge your assumptions, Kathryn Leafe shares why we need to forget about minimizing drug use -- and focus instead on minimizing drug harm.
Kathryn Leafe was the Executive Director at New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme, on the Board of Directors of the International Drug Policy Consortium and member of the Mental Health and Addiction SLA for the South Island DHB Alliance. She is a member of the Society for the Study of Addiction; Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Kathryn has over 20 years’ experience working in drug and alcohol services at a national (UK and NZ) as well as at an international level including work with UNODC. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@zoealderman9392]

This whole approach seems so bloody sensible. Why is it not adopted everywhere?

[@wowmawc]

because those who push for a war on drugs are either involved in drug trade or benefitting from it.

[@acidsteve9837]

Drugs have been financing wars since opium was first made illegal by an American Missionary in the Phillipines in the 17th century. Today, North Korea for example, many sanctioned countries sell drugs to finance their military/etc

[@jasonlazar6402]

I’m so late but u agree and support this woman

[@sanaulnomun9201]

Informative and could be implemented at the earliest .

[@Trevenus]

EXACTLY

[@RamonOzuna-sb4du]

I don't have a problem with drugs my problem the war illegal of course. And I won't stop because it makes happi thoughts alot of happy thoughts I lost and because assuming it was doing me wrong when antidepressants made me worst

[@RamonOzuna-sb4du]

Life a bicth. Everyone doesn't have the same necessities that everybody else's has different back grounds culture way of living all that matters on effects people in all shorts of ways

[@jasonbachelor604]

You were going so well until you went on the Harm Reduction tangent. Drug use is a human right, LEGALISE ALL DRUGS

[@acidsteve9837]

yeah but legalizing automatically reduces Harm. so legalisation in itself is a harm reduction practice. But even better if taxes from substances could be used for addiction prevention and information.

[@coolkid9967]

Nonetheless harm reduction is key, and practically speaking, drug decriminalization needs to come before legalization of any form. The public would not be okay with legalization without first becoming comfortable with decriminalization. In any case with harm reduction, it isn’t as if drugs are inherently safe. Similar to how we educate people on alcohol, people need to be educated about drugs and harm reduction during drug use to be safe.

[@jasonbachelor604]

@@coolkid9967 Decriminalisation, in a Medicalised model is Prohibition 2.0 The best way to bring the public along is tell them the truth, not Trojan horse legalisation through decrim. EVERY drug death in the current environment is because of Prohibition, every house broken into by a desperate drug user, every murder in the street between rival drug gangs