Proibicionismo e antiproibicionismo: estudo de caso da política de drogas no Brasil (1998-2006)

Abstract

The prohibitionist approach formed the basis of national legislation, international conventions and the contemporary conception of which drugs are good and bad. It is also understood that, in recent years, the anti-prohibitionist approach has influenced public policies around the world. Therefore, the question that permeates this study is: how did prohibitionism and anti-prohibitionism appear in drug policy in Brazil, during the period between 1998 and 2006? To answer it, exploratory research was carried out using the case study method. The prohibitionist and anti-prohibitionist approaches were used with their auxiliary theories, seeking to understand the treatment given to the theme in the areas of public health and public safety, and historically the developed actions are focused on this field. It was concluded that in the period analyzed there were two big moments, the first from 1998 to 2002 where the prohibitionist approach greatly influenced drug policy, so that most of the State's efforts were directed towards actions aimed at repressing drug trafficking and prisons in public safety and treatments in public health aimed at hospitalization and abstinence, the great solution at this time was the elimination of so-called illicit drugs. In a second moment, which was from 2003 to 2006, there was the beginning of the influence of the anti-prohibitionist approach, mainly with regard to activities aimed at public health, such as the decriminalization of drug use and regulation of Harm Reduction, which understands that the role of the State is not about defining the habits of its population, but about offering the necessary services.