Drug policy of Balisca

In Balisca, recreational use, possession and trade of non-medicinal drugs described by the Responsible Consumption and Use Initiative are all legal under Baliscan law. Official policy since the late 20th century has been to openly tolerate all recreational use while also encourage individuals to use responsibly and seek assistance if needed. This pragmatic approach was motivated by the idea that a drug-free society is unrealistic and unattainable, harsh prohibition is damaging, and efforts would be better spent trying to minimize harm caused by recreational drug use. As a result of this política d'ús responsável (lit. "responsible use policy" or "policy of responsibility"), Balisca is typically seen as much more tolerant of drugs than most other countries. As a part of this responsible use policy, the Baliscan government has made dedicated medical resources readily available to deal with drug consumption.

Legal distinctions are made in the Drug Law between drugs with a low risk of harm and/or addiction, called soft drugs, and drugs with a high risk of harm and/or addiction, called hard drugs. Soft drugs include psilocybin mushrooms, hash, marijuana, LSD, sleeping pills and sedatives, while hard drugs include heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamine, ketamine, and ecstasy. Policy has been to largely accommodate the sale of soft drugs while simultaneously decriminalizing and discouraging the sale, circulation and use of hard drugs (through means other than jail time), effectively separating it into two markets. Establishments that have been permitted to sell soft drugs have been prevalent throughout Balisca since the 1960s. Laws were proposed in September 2021 that would exclude non-Baliscan nationals from protection under the Drug Law, but these proposals were withdrawn after much local and national criticism. Possession and transport of both hard and soft drugs for personal use (with no quantity limits) is fully legal in Balisca, but the sale of hard drugs may lead to prosecution. Penalties for sale of hard drugs is typically handled by the communal government except where large-scale criminal activity is suspected.

As a result of these policies, Balisca is considered a trailblazer in international drug decriminalization and legalization efforts. Baliscan Premier Cristiano Sandoval became the first world leader to publicly repudiate the American-led War on Drugs in 2004, and called for its end. The Baliscan attitude towards drug legalization has drawn criticism from other countries such as Brazil, the United States, and international organizations such as the European Union and the United Nations. Additionally, Balisca was non-compliant to the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs following the passage of the Cannabis Act of 1962, ultimately leading to Balisca's withdrawal from the convention in May 2021. Balisca's drug policy later came into the spotlight during the clash between Balisca and the West Pacific following the arrest of the Baliscan duo.

Effects on consumption

As a result of this liberal drug policy, Balisca is the world's largest market for illicit drugs, topping international rankings in the prevalence of consumption of cannabis, cocaine, and mushrooms. In 2021, the total value of the drug market in Balisca is estimated to be well over $100 billion. However, with this policy the government has seen significant reductions in the occurrences of deaths from drug overdoses amongst all age groups, declining to a 20-year low in 2020. Additionally, increased use of psilocybin mushroom has been linked to lower levels of depression and a sharp decrease in suicide and suicide attempts.

The Encuesta Confederal sobre l'uso de drogas (ECSUD) reported that in Balisca in 1999 that cocaine was used by 4.8 million people, or 5.0% of the household population age 12 and older. The percentage of people reporting cocaine use has been falling in relation to the Baliscan population; the number of first-time users went up from 450,000 in 2000, to 578,000 in 2020 – an increase of 22.1% while the Baliscan population increased 36.4% in the same period. Perceived risk and disapproval of cocaine use decreased rapidly since the 1990s amongst all secondary student grade levels, and this trend of increasing approval has continued into the present day.

Estimates of the current number of those who use cocaine regularly (at least twice per year) vary, but 9.5 million is a widely accepted figure within the research community. The 2015 BNSDU found the highest rate of monthly cocaine use was for those aged 18–25 at 14.6%, an increase from 1.2% in 2010. Rates slightly declined between 2000 and 2020 for ages 26–34, while rates significantly decreased for the 12–17 and 35+ age groups. BNSDU found a steady decline in the mean age of first use from 23.6 years in 2010 to 20.6 years in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic saw significant increases in the usage of all drugs across the board in Balisca, with the largest increases being in the consumption of cannabis, cocaine, and mushrooms.