Billionaire Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group and a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote a letter to the editors of The Guardian, which titled Branson’s letter, “The ‘war on drugs’ has failed. There’s another way to solve the US fentanyl crisis.”
Branson wrote to The Guardian: “Your editorial on the so-called war on drugs (Donald Trump is turning a failed metaphor into a more dangerous reality, 7 September) is correct: the extrajudicial killing of alleged drug traffickers will not solve the US fentanyl crisis.”
Branson’s position is being amplified again after Trump ordered the second U.S. military strike this month on an alleged drug-trafficking boat, announcing yesterday that “the Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action.”
[Note: On September 2, President Donald Trump defended a U.S. strike on a speedboat in the Caribbean which he said was carrying drugs to the United States. The strike killed 11 alleged Venezuelan gang members aboard, whom he called “terrorists.” BBC News reported that since the U.S. is not engaged in war with Venezuela, the strike “runs afoul of the right to life under international human rights law.”]
Branson wrote: “Anyone who has followed past attempts to militarise drug law enforcement will know that such efforts are bound to fail. For instance, despite billions in military and counternarcotics assistance by successive US administrations, Colombia now produces more cocaine than ever before, flooding a rapidly growing market.
“Similarly, hard-hitting military responses in one country have pushed the problem across borders. Ecuador and Brazil have experienced significant surges in drug trafficking and crime as a result of Colombia’s (unsuccessful) crackdowns.”
The ‘war on drugs’ has failed. There’s another way to solve the US fentanyl crisis: https://t.co/uXVuLYHwYp
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 15, 2025
Branson added: “There is only one way to wrestle control from the criminal cartels: governments must shift focus away from law enforcement and treat drug misuse as a public health issue. They should also decriminalise personal use and possession and work towards creating legal and regulated drug markets. This will not completely eliminate the illicit market, but it will significantly reduce its share, while bringing choice, transparency and a safer supply to millions of people who use drugs.
“Alcohol and tobacco have seen consumption decline not because they were banned, but because they were regulated, taxed and accompanied by public education. It is hard to believe that these lessons have yet to be applied fully to currently illicit drugs.
“North America’s fentanyl crisis is heartbreaking, but repeating the mistakes of the past will deepen the loss. We need courage and honesty. The ‘war on drugs’ has failed everywhere. Ending it now will save thousands of lives.”
Branson serves as a Commissioner for Global Commission on Drug Policy with former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo; former President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso; former President of Colombia César Gaviria; former President of Chile Ricardo Lagos, and former Prime Minister of Haiti Michèle Pierre-Louis, among other world leaders.
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