Drug laws on possession: several countries are revisiting them and these are their options

There are better ways to deal with drug possession (for personal use) than putting the person behind bars.

By Alex Stevens and Caitlin Hughes

Many countries are changing the way they approach people who use drugs. The Irish government has just announced possible alternatives to criminalisation for possession of some drugs. Other countries, including Norway and Malaysia, are weighing options. But what can countries do if they don’t want to arrest or convict people because they use drugs?