This paper supports the case that the two strategic pillars of the “war on drugs” – the eradication of illicit crops and the militarisation of the fight against drug gangs – have both been a disaster. Globally, the fragile consensus surrounding the “war on drugs” is falling apart. There are increasing efforts to establish counter-narcotic strategies that prioritise pro-poor development, align anti-drugs policy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and move away from the militarised approach inherent in the “war on drugs”. While these initiatives are welcome, to date, the evidence base to support such policy reform remains weak. It is unclear how these seemingly opposed policy fields – drugs and development – can be reconciled in practice.