Drugs ‘R’ Us

This was a retweet from a Lincolnshire Police Chief Inspector which I encountered and which I feel is well worth drawing attention to. It is a quite devastating commentary by (I understand) the former Chief Constable of Durham :

The end result is a fully self-defeating drugs policy. And not just for drugs, but also for violence and vulnerable childrens’ skewed and ever more diminuished life chances.

So a treble whammy. How completely deluded we have been – and still are…

The time is way overdue for legalisation and state control of the drug supply market. Tax it and enforce rigorous standards. Just like alcohol.

We didn’t get to have the most innovative and interesting alcohol market in the world by just allowing a free market – violence and all…

Now of course this is a double edged sword, but it is currently incomparably better than the jungle that is just marginally better at a societal level than Columbia or Mexico.

In the week of Brexit, I hesitate to suggest this – but the government needs to look at the facts…

We can but wish.

Comments

  1. David Howdle. -

    I bet his very sensible views went down like a lead balloon with the politicians present.

    I’m a retired senior Procurator Fiscal. I remember talking to a chief constable many years ago. He said “If we’re involved in a war on drugs we lost it years ago”. He was right.

    A grown up debate is sorely needed and a radical change of policy. See what can be done when politicians don’t think that criminalising every behaviour is the answer. http://actiononviolence.org/

  2. Chris B -

    I have alway felt that this problem started in this country because of the USA drugs policy advertised so avidly by ‘Miami Vice’. The big money on display was enticement for those chasing big profits snd no consequences. The underlings paid the price and the ‘bankers’ took the blg profits. P.retty obvious that it would be a magnet for those with money/loot to invest. Lovely world we live in isnt it

    1. Peter May -

      I think you’re right. Although Portugal seems to have kicked back somewhat with the idea of semi legalisation and consequent ‘harm reduction’.Which. I’d suggest to be a very good half way house…
      Mind you did anyone realise that the basic tenet for UK police is still not to prevent crime, but to ‘protect the vulnerable’?

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