“Make second chances, not criminals.” – The UK Drugs Policy Needs To Change.

Sean Azzariti, an Iraq war veteran and marijuana activist, becomes the first person to legally purchase recreational marijuana in Colorado on January 1. Photo: CNN

On January 1, 2014, the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado became an easy joke for comedians all around the world.

The legalisation of recreational use of cannabis has then resulted in tax revenues of $11million while the crime rate has decreased. This legislation is a major tuning point in the US, where the expensive and ineffective ‘war on drugs’ has been waging on for decades. Although we cannot draw long-term conclusions from a small number of cases, we can still ask ourselves “is there anything we can learn from this?”

Perhaps that tackling drugs as a criminal issue rather than medical one might not actually work. A recent government report on drug use concluded that there is no clear link between tough drug laws and the use of illegal substances. Understandably, as it is equally unlikely that an alcoholic could be cured by putting him or her in prison for 7 years. Only a person who thinks that addictions are for the weak without self-discipline could agree with that and I guess this is why some Tory MPs have decided to disagree with the verdict of the report. A more sensible mind might want to consider the consequences of the lack of funding for the treatment of drug addicts and drug education, while at the same time the costs of imprisonment of drug users increase.

Portugal changed its attitude towards drugs in 2001. The focus on drug policy was turned towards the health matters. Thus far, the amount of drug users hooked on heroin has halved. Similarly, the use of cannabis and cocaine has declined. Unlike how it has been portrayed in the media, Portugal did not decriminalise drugs in 2001, for growing and dealing drugs are still prohibited. What was really changed was that drug addicts, instead of facing a prison sentence, were now given therapy. However, the UK report rightly says that drug policies of different countries cannot be directly compared (although, this does not mean new methods and attitudes could not be utilised). After all the point the report makes is, that the current method in the UK, strict criminalisation, does not particularly function.

Caroline Lucas said reform was “not about being pro-drugs, but about saving lives”. Photo: BBC

Green MP Caroline Lucas has called for this to aging 40-year-old Law to be reformed within a year. In a poll conducted during 2013, a majority of Britons supported a review of policy options. Again, these policy changes do not have to mean decriminalisation of drugs, at least not the so-called ‘hard drugs’, but just transferring the emphasis from harsh criminal punishments to health issues. Abandoning the idea that the addiction itself has anything to do with choosing or control, and funding treatments and offering help would truly help the people with drug addictions.

The issue a lot of people backing the current drug policy do not want to face is alcohol. It seems too easy to forget that alcohol is a dangerous intoxicant while talking about drug related crimes. Conservative MP Owen Paterson completely dodged this subject on Question Time late last October, when lecturing about the dangers of drugs. I would call some double standards on this, especially in alcohol versus ‘soft drugs’ debate. All addictions should be tackled equally.

The current Misuse of Drugs Act lacks consistency. Under the current law, substances are only illegal if they are specifically prohibited. The law should be about all brain-altering drugs, like has been the case in Ireland since 2010. This would help to prevent problems and to tackle developing addictions in the future.

Thus, the drugs policy should definitely be more effective in rehabilitating addicts. If something, the current policy is dangerous and irresponsible. We must hear those who are in need of help instead of condemning them.

Make second chances, not criminals.