Source: Hull Daily Mail, UK

Pub Date: Thursday, 22 August 2002

Pub LTE: Drugs Policy Has Made Problem Worse

DRUGS POLICY HAS MADE PROBLEM WORSE

In July, 1992, a Mail headline read: "War on the drug pushers", and claimed "this switch of tactics" had proved so successful it was to be extended throughout East Yorkshire.

Ten years and countless "get the dealer" policies later and the county is littered with no-go areas, drug-related crime has spiralled out of control and kids are smoking cannabis.

These are the consequences of an insane suppression of information that has caused more damage than illegal drugs ever could and proves that heavy-handed prohibitionist tactics don't work.

All we have seen is our courts filled with otherwise law-abiding cannabis users, alienation of our youth, with criminal organisations growing richer by the day.

Now we have opened a gateway to hard drugs by throwing them all into one basket along with cannabis - from the safest to most dangerous - under a Tackling Drugs Together policy.

Simply saying the word "drugs" has been used as justification for stopping and searching people and sniffing people with dogs, confiscating people's property, invading tens of thousands of homes and businesses and, more recently, drug testing in the workplace.

Is it any wonder that so many have disrespect for the law?

Carl Wagner,

Legalise Cannabis

Alliance,

Victoria Square,