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UK: Celebrities call for drug decriminalisation

Tom Whitehead

The Telegraph

Thursday 02 Jun 2011

Dame Judi Dench has joined a coalition of celebrities, politicians and former police chiefs to urge David Cameron to decriminalise possession of all drugs.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, they called for "a swift and transparent review of the effectiveness of current drug policies" because the current laws have failed.

The campaign is backed by actresses Dame Judi and Julie Christie, singer Sting, entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and former Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth.

Film director Mike Leigh, actress Kathy Burke, three former chief constables and leading lawyers have also put their name to the letter.

It came as a separate group of former world leaders and high profile figures called on governments around the world to "urgently" consider decriminalisation because the "war on drugs" has failed.

Sting said: "Giving young people criminal records for minor drug possession serves little purpose – it is time to think of more imaginative ways of addressing drug use in our society."

The letter, which was published by the campaign group Release, reads: “We call on the Coalition Government to undertake a swift and transparent review of the effectiveness of current drug policies.

"Should such a review of the evidence demonstrate the failure of the current position we would call for the immediate decriminalisation of drug possession."

It concludes: "The failure of the current UK system of criminalisation is clear. It is time for the UK to review its policy and adopt a health focused, evidence based approach to drug use."

Niamh Eastwood, deputy director at Release, said: " Nearly, 80,000 people last year were convicted or cautioned for drug offences – this is a waste of resources both in terms of the cost to the public purse and the restrictions on people’s futures in regards to employment and education".

In a separate move, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, whose members include former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, warned that major drugs policy reforms were needed.

Sir Richard, founder of the Virgin Group and co-founder of a group of global leaders called The Elders, said: "The war on drugs has failed to cut drug usage."

Instead, it has "filled our jails", cost millions of pounds of taxpayers' money, "fuelled organised crime and caused thousands of deaths", he said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8550848/Celebrities-call-for-drug-decriminalisation.html#article

 

 

 

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