Sweden has made the defence of the entire 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs a central part of its foreign policy on drugs. This is unthinking, uncritical and blinkered.

This is the supply-side enforcement approach to drugs that has dominated since the mid 20th Century. We now know this to be quixotic, abusive nonsense even as it remains so vigorously pursued. Today, more than 180 countries have signed up.

Ending the war on drugs, moreover, will be a victory for international human rights law. It will be a victory for international law itself - for environmental law, anti-corruption agreements, international security, for the achievement of international development agreements and improved health - all of which have been damaged by decades of prohibition. Colorado and Washington have taken us one step closer. For that we should all celebrate.

Before I started working for Castle Craig rehab clinic I was in favour of legalising cannabis. I had experimented with it at college, believed it wasn't addictive and liked the idea of taxing the drug and cutting out the criminals who profit from it.

Is it not possible that many families would find it easier to confront the problems of drug abuse and be more likely to obtain medical help, if there wasn't the taboo associated with criminalising these substances?

One hundred years after the first international drug control treaty was signed the failure of the "war on drugs" is indisputable. In Europe two distinct trends are emerging around how countries are choosing to tackle drug policy; a punitive, criminalization approach--which is failing dramatically and expensively--or one based on scientific evidence and harm reduction--which is bearing fruits.

Tory MP Louise Mensch has said she did class A drugs in her youth and that it had "long term mental health" effects on her. Appearing on the BBC's ...

LIVE Discussion Tonight The government's former chief drugs adviser Professor David Nutt has claimed that legalising or decriminalising cannabis wo...