PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES: ISSUE, ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT LEGISLATION AND ITS APPROPRIATENESS TO THE REALITY

Abstract

The consumption of psychoactive substances has followed Humanity since the primordial of the civilization, not only by their medicinal proprieties as well as for religious and recreational purposes, however, its usage creates dependence and, subsequently, illicit traffic. Since the beginning of the previous century, many nations and international organisms have worked, without success, in the development of elimination strategies to this problem. Part of this failure is due to the current legal forms, because, when a new psychoactive substance is created, it occupies a legal void, in which its’ distribution and consumption are free, being recurrent updates to the legislation needed. An example of this situation was the one verified in the establishments commonly called smartshops. We purpose to compile the psychoactive substances’ legislation, analyse its’, advantages and disadvantages and to suggest a new legal form, based in new scientific facts, that allows to contour this situation.

Keywords

• New psychoactive substances
• smartshops
• legislation