Vol. 7 No. 1 (2025): Development Report - Global Country Policy Review: A humanitarian comparative analysis on drug policies, on the basis of the Rome Consensus 2.0

The Global Country Policy Review presents a comparative, humanitarian-based analysis of drug policies aligned with the Rome Consensus 2.0 principles. This study, conducted over two years, evaluates the evolution of national drug policy frameworks, emphasizing the transition from punitive models to human rights-based approaches. The research identifies significant challenges in policy implementation, despite advancements in legal and technical narratives prioritizing public health, harm reduction, and social reintegration.

At the core of this study are two key tools:

• The Drug Policy Benchmark, a systematic evaluation model designed to measure the alignment of national policies with human rights and evidence-based approaches.
• The Early Warning System (EWS), an AI-powered mechanism that integrates open science and real-time data monitoring to detect emerging trends and policy gaps.

The research highlights the role of international cooperation, civil society engagement, and open data methodologies in fostering more effective, inclusive, and sustainable drug policies. The findings reveal that while many countries recognize the importance of reducing excessive penalties for drug-related offenses, in practice, punitive measures remain prevalent.

By integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities in global drug policy reform. It also sets the groundwork for future policy adaptations through a unified evidence-based monitoring framework, facilitating better coordination between states, academia, and civil society.

This work contributes to the global discourse on drug policy transformation, advocating for the adoption of scientific, humanistic, and pragmatic approaches that prioritize social justice, public health, and sustainable development.