Topic: Our Drugs War

[GillE]

I'm looking forward to seeing Our Drugs War on Monday, C4 at 8pm.  Apparently Angus MacQueen has won awards for documentaries, so this looks very promising.

[Simon]

Looks like it might be interesting, Gill.

[Rik]

If depressing.

[Simon]

Well, it's probably another war we'll never win. 

[Rik]

True.

[GillE]

I suspect it's another war we should never have even started, but I think we need a more open and better informed public debate on the subject.  Most people seem to think it's enough to say, "My neighbour's young lad was a lovely fellow until he started taking drugs.  Only a reckless fool would consider legalising them."

 

[sam]

I personally feel legalize, tax and be done with it. Ok its not that simple, but it would overnight remove all the criminal gangs selling drugs...

[Rik]

Sadly, though, to judge by the lessons of prohibition, they would simply move on to another area where they could make money, Sam.

[Rodders]

I'm firmly with Sam on this one.  The majority of criminal acts are perpetrated by addicts who are desperate for money to buy drugs.  Quite what we'd do about the subsequent increase in demand on NHS resources is another matter.  Another bonus is that the Taliban might suddenly find themselves having to work for a living.

[GillE]

I'd like to see more informed discussion before really committing myself, but I have to say that the arguments in favour of legalisation that I've heard so far are overwhelming.

[sam]

I'd like to see impact assessments etc, you know things the government doesn't like producing properly - graphs.

[Simon]

My worry is that if drugs were legalised, they would be easier to get hold of, therefore, more people would take them, and become addicted.  I know it's the difficulty of obtaining drugs which turns people to crime, but do we really want people wandering the streets like zombies, or presenting other extreme behaviours?

[sam]

well you could start small legalize cannabis and see what happens... I don't think people all walk around holland like that though - I expect it would be like alcohol for the people who take it - you go out and have a good time at the weekend but work hard in the week. Most of the drugs that could be legalised just aren't addictive. We don't seem to have a problem with people smoking...  "wandering the streets like zombies" comes to mind with that :-D

[Simon]

Anything is addictive if you allow it to become so, but I take the point about starting small.  It will be interesting to see what class of drugs the programme talks about.

[GillE]

That's not what has happened in Portugal, Simon.  Drug usage there has actually declined since a more liberal regime was introduced.