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UK: Time to legalise drugs, says report

Ananova

Thursday 26 Jul 2001

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Governments across the world are being urged to consider legalising all
drugs to help curb violence and crime.

Although drug use may be regarded as immoral and irresponsible it should no
longer be illegal, claimed a report by the Economist magazine.

Author Frances Cairncross said legalising drugs such as cannabis and
cocaine may have immediate harmful side-effects but they would be
favourable to the violence and corruption which surround the current global
drugs industry.

In a 14-page report, Ms Cairncross, the Economist's management editor,
concentrated her argument on whether the state has a duty to protect
individual citizens from harming themselves.

"Governments allow their citizens the freedom to do many things: to go
bungee jumping, to ride motorcycles, to own guns, to drink alcohol and to
smoke cigarettes," she concluded.

"Some of these are far more dangerous than drug-taking ... over himself,
over his body and mind the individual is sovereign.

"Trade in drugs may be immoral or irresponsible, but it should no longer be
illegal."

Ms Cairncross said drug use should be carefully controlled and regulated to
guarantee quality.

"The best answer is to move slowly but firmly to dismantle the edifice of
enforcement," she said.

 

 

 

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