How have liberalized drug policies impacted international policing practices across urban and rural jurisdictions? A scoping review

Several major challenges remain prevalent in the facilitation of drug liberalization globally, including inadequate training of policy changes and/or enforcement procedures, lack of options for diversion, unintended increases in workload, and overall conflicting duties of police as authoritative figures providing support services. Despite the potential of policy reform to lessen structural inequalities in policing, racial inequalities remained evident as a result of police discretion in drug law enforcement. Geographic contexts also play a key role in implementation of liberalization, as studies found mixed results related to police discretion in drug-related encounters across urban and rural settings. These findings underscore the need for liberalization strategies that consider improved police training, incorporate more resources dedicated to diversion, and address discriminatory behaviours that may occur during police work.