Source: Independent

Pub Date: 19 August 1997

Pub LTE: Prohibition of drugs is a failure

Author: Jack Girling

PROHIBITION OF DRUGS IS A FAILURE

May I congratulate Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton, who has bravely called for a

Royal Commission on drugs, after the unforgivable shooting of a five-year

old boy in Bolton.

Mr Iddon has clearly seen the truth - that prohibition of drugs is a failure.

When a substance which is 'marketable', such as a drug, is made illegal, it

simply creates opportunities for massive illegal profits and everything

which goes alongside the protection of their businesses, by the crooks and

gangsters who produce and sell the drugs. Greediness for extra profit also

means that the drugs can be cut with substances often more dangerous than

the drugs themselves, causing unnecessary illness and death amongst users.

This is particularly true for cannabis - the impurities are almost certainly

more dangerous than the plant itself.

However, I must point out that decriminalisation, although better than

nothing - it would enable users of hard drugs to seek help without fear of

arrest -would not solve all the problems. It would leave the supply of

drugs - polluted and of unknown strengths - in the hands of criminals.

The answer to the drugs problem is full legalisation. This does not mean

that hard drugs would be available at the corner shop. Rather it would mean

that pure hard drugs would be available through controlled outlets - such

as doctors' prescriptions and advice, and chemists. Drug distribution would

then be controlled and the addicts recognised. The fall in cost to users

would decrease crime generally and knock the illegal suppliers right out of

the market. Addicts and dealers would have no reason to create new addicts

in order to finance their own habits.<br>

Jack Girling