Downing Street Press Release:
Source: Downing Street
Date: July 18 2007
The PM has announced plans to consult with the public on their strategy
for tackling drugs.
Speaking during today’s PMQs, he said that the Home Secretary Jacqui
Smith would publish a consultation document next week, which will
outline the Government’s plans for providing drugs education, treating
those with drug problems, and supporting communities troubled by drug
dealers.
The public will also be consulted on whether cannabis should be
reclassified from being a class C drug to the more serious class B.
Cannabis was downgraded to class C, which includes drugs such as
anabolic steroids, from class B, which includes amphetamines, in 2004.
UK: PUBLIC TO BE CONSULTED ON DRUG STRATEGY
What would be the best way to make the government understand that the so called “war on drugs” has finished?. There
have never been as many outlets, as many drugs, as
cheap and as powerful.
After more than fifty years of complete failures, it
is now more than clear that the choice is not between
a world with or without drugs. Drugs are part
of this planet we like it or not. The real choice is
between empowering doctors or criminals. Why should we
empower criminals in giving them the monopoly on drug
sales? Have we forgotten Al Capone? Criminals spend
the money they make with drugs in better weapons, thus
making society more and more dangerous.
The most important question is: do politicians
criminalise certain drugs because they are being paid
by criminals, or because they think that public
opinion, after decades of being conditioned by the
media, will stop voting for them if they decriminalise
drugs?
Everybody, not only doctors and scientists, know
that the most dangerous recreational drugs are alcohol
and tobacco (as can be read in the report of the RSA
Commission on Illegal Drugs, Communities and Public
Policy, 2007).
This doesn’t mean that cannabis, LSD or MDMA are
harmless; but you would be better off using the drugs
that harm you least. Everybody knows this, even kids,
so how can you expect to curb consumption only because
the sales outlet is the “street” rather than the
pharmacy? It seems absolute madness.
To change the outlets from the pharmacy to the
streets just makes criminals more powerful and
wealthier. Why would anyone in his right mind want to
do this?
By criminalising drugs, we give money and power to
criminals. Do you want to protect your children from
criminals? Then take the drugs from the street and
bring them back to where they belong: the pharmacies.