Modernising Drug Law Enforcement: Applying harm reduction principles to the policing of retail drug markets

Key Points:

• The level of harm is more important than the size of the market.

• Visible, open air drug markets tend to be more harmful per unit of use than hidden, closed

drug markets

• Policing tactics that are not experienced by the community as being fair, lawful and effective

will harm police legitimacy and community relations.

• Some enforcement-led approaches, including short-term crackdowns and large scale stop

and search, are unlikely to produce sustainable reductions in drug sales. They may increase

levels of violence and health harms and reduce police legitimacy.

• It is rarely possible to eliminate retail drug markets, but well designed and implemented

policing tactics can force the drug market to take less harmful forms.

• Applying harm reduction principles to drug policing may boost police legitimacy as well as

community safety.

• Focused deterrence and ‘pulling levers’ may reduce both harm and crime, but this depends

on the context and on careful implementation and evaluation.