Legislating for Health and Human Rights: 
Model Law on Drug Use and HIV/AIDS
Many countries with injection-driven HIV/AIDS epidemics continue to emphasize criminal enforcement of drug laws over public health approaches, thereby missing or even hindering effective responses to HIV/AIDS. There is considerable evidence that numerous interventions to prevent HIV transmission and reduce other harms associated with injection drug use are feasible, effective as public health measures and cost-effective. Despite such evidence, millions of people around the world who use drugs do not have access to such services because of legal and social barriers.
This model-law resource is a detailed framework of legal provisions and accompanying commentary. It refers to examples of law from jurisdictions that have attempted to establish a clear legal framework for addressing HIV/AIDS issues among people who use drugs. This resource also incorporates human rights principles and the obligations of states throughout the document. It is annotated to highlight critical issues and evidence that supports proposed measures.
The model-law resource consists of eight modules, each of which is a stand-alone document:
- Criminal law issues
- Treatment for drug dependence
- Sterile syringe programs
- Supervised drug consumption facilities
- Prisons
- Outreach and information
- Stigma and discrimination
- Heroin prescription programs
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