British entrepreneur says the UN plans to call for global drug decriminalization
According to Richard Branson, the United Nations may be about to call on governments across the world to decriminalize possession and use of all illegal drugs in an effort to end the global “War on Drugs.”

In a post on his Virgin website, Branson said the as-yet unreleased statement from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime was circulated to himself, to the BBC and others.

The statement from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which Branson says has “shaped much of global drug policy for decades,” calls on governments across the world to decriminalize possession and consumption of all illegal drugs.

“This is a refreshing shift that could go a long way to finally end the needless criminalisation of millions of drug users around the world,” Branson writes.

Branson says he went public with the UN statement for fears the UN would “bow to pressure” from opposing governments and not go forward with the call to decriminalize.

“As I’m writing this I am hearing that at least one government is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the UNODC,” Branson said.

“Let us hope the UNODC, a global organisation that is part of the UN and supposed to do what is right for the people of the world, does not do a remarkable volte-face at the last possible moment and bow to pressure by not going ahead with this important move. The war on drugs has done too much damage to too many people already.”

Here is the original briefing paper from UNODC in full: 

Image from UNODC