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UK: Police chief calls for rethink on drug laws

Harvey McGavin

The Independent

Saturday 15 Dec 2001

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A chief constable will suggest today that the only way to win the war on
all drugs may be to legalise them.

Richard Brunstrom, the head of North Wales Police, will call for a Royal
Commission on legalisation when he addresses his police authority. In a
statement released by the force yesterday, Mr Brunstrom compares Britain's
policy outlawing the sale and possession of illegal drugs to that of
alcohol prohibition in 1920s America.

He argues that despite the huge amount of cash spent on tackling the
"flood" of narcotics on the streets, drugs including cannabis, ecstasy,
cocaine and heroin are cheaper and more readily available than before.

He describes moves by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, to reclassify
cannabis as a Class-C drug as a "timid" measure that let dealers and
smugglers amass huge profits.

Mr Brunstrom also describes policy on tobacco and alcohol as "baffling and
confusing" given "the immense cost to society and industry from the results
of their abuse".

But the chief constable insists that North Wales Police is backing the
existing drug laws.

Mr Brunstrom says: "Only a Royal Commission would have the independence and
political freedom to coolly consider all the options. These could include
leaving things as they are; depenalisation; decriminalisation; cracking
down even harder on drug misuse, smuggling and dealing; or the legalisation
of some or all drugs. Its conclusions might just find an answer that would
break the downward spiral in this country in the so-called war on drugs."

The Home Office said: "It is the Government's firm belief that all illegal
drugs cause harm to the health of individuals and communities. However, the
Home Secretary has said before that there is room for a sensible, adult
debate on the issue."

 

 

 

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