#descriminalizaSTF it is time to rethink drugs policy in Brazil

In November the Supreme Federal Court (STF) will again judge the possession of drugs for personal use. This is a chance to change the power of the state regarding consumption

The discussion about the decriminalisation of the possession of drugs for personal use in Brazil returns to the table next month. The STF has been voting on Extraordinary Appeal number 635.659, since 2015. This is to decide whether article 28 of the Drugs Act is unconstitutional, in other words, whether the possession of drugs for personal consumption can be considered a crime. 

Voting was suspended on the first occasion because of the then Minister, Teori Zavascki’s request for examination of the case. Three of the eleven ministers had already declared their votes: the Rapporteur, Gilmar Mendes, who voted in favour of decriminalising all drugs and the Ministers, Luiz Edson Fachin and Luís Roberto Barroso, who were both in favour of decriminalising marijuana.

Resumption of the trial had been announced for 5 June this year. One week before the scheduled date, the President of the STF, Minister Dias Toffoli, took the vote off the agenda and postponed the date for almost five months. It is now tabled for 6 November.

To highlight the importance of this discussion, Conectas, in partnership with IBCCRIM (the Brazilian Institute for Criminal Sciences) and PBPD (the Brazilian Platform on Drug Policy), are launching a popular mobilisation campaign to guide the Supreme Court Ministers to vote in favour of decriminalising possession of drugs in Brazil. 

With your help, we want to show ministers the urgent need to make progress regarding drugs policy. Click here to sign the petition and help us to put pressure on the STF to vote for the decriminalisation of drugs.