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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Drugs Bill to be passed
Danny Kushlick Transform Drug Policy Foundation
Thursday 07 Apr 2005 News Release from: Danny Kushlick DirectorTransform Drug Policy Foundation No embargo Drugs Bill to be passed The conservatives and labour party have done a deal to pass the Drugs Bill during the wash up period. It has almost no support from anyone in Parliament, the drugs field or amongst legal NGOs and is a matter of embarrasment even in the Home Office. It has been extensively criticised in Parliament by: The Joint Parliamentary Human Rights Committee and MPs of all hues in Standing Committee In the drugs field by organisations including: Transform Drug Policy Foundation, Release, Drugscope and Turning Point, And in the legal field by: Liberty, the Law Society and JUSTICE Danny Kushlick said: 'This is a travesty. The Bill has no support and is universally criticised by all sides. The passing of this legislation makes a mockery of the entire apparatus of the legislative process. The legacy it would leave is intolerable. The Bill was conceived in Number 10, involved no outside consultation and had almost no input from the Home Office. What began life as a show of toughness in order to squeeze the conservatives and position itself with the Daily Mail will now become law. According to the Joint Parliamentary Human Rights Committee the Bill contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights and the negative impacts of the legislation could be felt for years to come. Labour and conservatives will not admit that the war on drugs has been lost and the Lib Dems are too defensive to trumpet their anti-prohibitionist drug policy. Voters in the upcoming election will find that they are the main losers in the parties' battle to be seen to be tough on drugs. This is symptomatic legislation for problems that cannot be dealt with through draconian laws. Tax payers will again pick up the tab for the failure of politicians to seriously engage with the issues that underly drug misuse, namely poverty, social deprivation and lack of opportunity. Prohibition is the problem, not the solution. Criminalising dealers forces the trade into the hands of organised crime and unregulated dealers. Further criminalising drug use and coercing users into treatment is unnecessary and ineffective. This is a very sad day for Parliament." ENDS Notes for editors A detailed breifing on the Bill is at: * http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_LatestNews_14_01_05.htm#joint* Danny Kushlick Director Transform Drug Policy Foundation
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