Top US international drug official signals green light for countries to decriminalize

Latest sign that the US is walking back decades of hardline rhetoric
Vice (US)
Wednesday, March 9, 2016

William Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, gave a qualified go-ahead for countries to decriminalize drugs. A consensus outcome document currently under negotiation at the Committee on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna is expected to be finalized by the middle of next week, he said, and will be presented at the UN special session (UNGASS). American officials were attempting to "find areas of pragmatic reform" with other member states over drug policy. (See also: Drug Czar: Treating substance abuse as a crime is "inhumane")