LEGALIZE ALL OF THEM –
Jan. 29, 2026 – These lived realities reveal substance use; whether cigarettes, alcohol, or illegal drugs as a response to trauma, exhaustion, or exclusion. Yet our legal framework continues to treat drug use as a criminal issue; responding with arrest and punishment where protection, and treatment are needed. This is where harm reduction enters the conversation, not as a permissive stance, but as a practical, compassionate approach. Despite misinterpretation, harm reduction doesn’t mean encouraging drug use. Instead, it requires us to ask better questions, shifting from punishment to protection and recognizing that people who use drugs are people first, deserving of support and treatment.
Rwanda has already shown it can lead where others continue to hesitate. We saw it in our bold approach to HIV prevention and treatment, where stigma once dominated the conversation but was replaced with evidence, community outreach, and human rights.
We’ve seen it in sexual and reproductive health policies, particularly in recent years. Just four months ago, Rwanda gazetted a progressive healthcare law that allows adolescents aged 15 and above to independently access health services including sexual and reproductive health.
