It's clear that the way governments evaluate their drug policies dictates the kinds of outcomes that are highlighted. Reform must begin with a hard look at what governments prioritize in drug policy evaluations.

Leading international researchers call on governments to evaluate illicit drug policies by prioritizing indicators that measure their ‘real world’ impact on communities.

Five years ago, the ICSDP was created as a response to scientific misinformation in the public discourse around drug policy. Today, the need for scientists to actively engage in the drug policy dialogue is greater than ever before.

As more and more places legalize and regulate cannabis, the wider implications of bringing the trade above ground have inevitably attracted scrutiny. A growth in tourism related to the drug is one such implication, and it’s dividing opinion.

As a neuropsychopharmacologist at Imperial College London, I study the impact of drug use on the brain. Like many scientists studying these issues, the results I detect in my lab have direct implications on how we can better equip ourselves as a society to deal with drugs.

You’ve likely heard that regulating cannabis markets will lead to more stoned drivers on the road. Although the evidence in support of this claim is weak, it’s repeated time and time again. So we thought we would ask members of law enforcement from Washington State, where cannabis markets were legalized and regulated under Initiative 502 in November 2012, what they think of this claim.

The evidence on cannabis addiction, and the environment most conducive to treating dependence, have significant policy implications.

With cannabis policy reform gaining traction, predictably dire predictions about regulated markets have followed.

As a scientist working to improve the health of people living with HIV/AIDS who use illicit drugs, I’m reminded every day of the impacts of our government’s policies on drugs. What’s more, I have seen how misinformation about drugs can lead to ineffective and even harmful drug policies.

When I was a teenager, I bought pot whenever I wanted. As an adult, I worked to keep pot out of the hands of anyone under 21, and to make cannabis use as safe as possible for anyone 21 and over.