World’s best places to get high

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 03:00:00 +0000

What are the best countries to call home if you take drugs? It’s a simple question on the surface, but one fraught with complexities. For many people, the best country in the world might be one that has successfully managed to prevent drugs from being available to its citizens. But since such a place doesn't exist, and never will — not even within the walls of a prison — this list considers the question from the perspective of harm reduction.

Penalizing drug users for their habits does little to curb levels of use or improve the lot of addicts; the mushrooming HIV crisis in punitive Russia is a perfect example. So where are people who use drugs least likely to end up in harsh criminal justice systems? Where can users access their drugs of choice without having to take risks in dangerous environments? And where can they get on with their lives without stigma, secrecy and shame — whether or not they ultimately decide to get clean?

Salon.com > HIV Crisis

World’s best places to get high