LEGALISING DRUGS WOULD ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE

Recently, A great deal of media attention has been focused on a call
for the legalisation of drugs by a former civil servant who was
responsible for the Cabinet's anti-drug unit. In The Independent last
week, Julian Critchley said that legalisation would be "less harmful
than the current strategy" and that an "overwhelming majority of
professionals in the field" agree with that view.

Now he has become a teacher, his dangerously naive views appear to be
more harmful than an inadequate UK drug policy, and he must associate
with a limited group of professionals if his assertion is not gross
exaggeration. The majority of people in the UK do not wish to see
drugs legalised, and only 6 per cent of the global population between
the ages of 15-64 use drugs; this is hardly justification for legalisation.

The UK has the highest rate of drug misuse in Europe and the abuse of
illicit drugs is a major social problem, not least because of the
public health implications. Aids/HIV and other blood-borne diseases
are global pandemics and there is a huge ignorance in the UK about
these, and sexually transmitted infections, which are also linked
with drug abuse. The legalisation of drugs would lead inevitably to a
greater number of addictions, an increased burden on the health and
social services, and there would be no compensating diminution in
criminal justice costs as, contrary to the view held by legalisers,
crime would not be eliminated or reduced.

Perhaps it is not widely known that there is a global movement to
overturn the United Nations Conventions and secure the legalisation
of all drugs driven by people who see huge profits to be had from
marketing another addictive substance. Research has demonstrated that
the dependency rate for "legal" drugs among those who chose to use
them would be around 50 per cent, the same as tobacco, which is why
major companies are turning to developing countries in order to
encourage smoking.

Recently, a TV programme discussed the issue, and several members of
the public phoned in their views, most of which were responsibly
opposed to the misuse of drugs. However, it was alarming to hear
several people say that they thought that legalising drugs would be
the most effective way of dealing with the problem. All of these good
people believed that such action would defeat the traffickers, take
the profit out of the drug trade and solve the drug problem
completely. There was no consideration given to the fact that there
is a thriving black market in the legal drugs of alcohol and tobacco,
and no awareness of the huge administrative burden that would be
created by setting up a government department to tax and administer
drugs if legalisation had occurred. There was no awareness of the
devious ways in which drug traffickers would circumvent the
legislation and no thought given to the huge increase in
addiction/dependency that would automatically follow such an
ill-advised move, with the tremendous damage that would be visited on
the health services in perpetuity. The tax demands would rocket as a
consequence.

It is always asserted that legalisation would take the profit out of
drug trafficking and would result in a huge drop in crime but, short
of the Government distributing free drugs, those who commit crime now
to obtain their drugs would continue to do so if they became legal.

It is seldom made clear which drugs the legalisers are referring to
and to whom they should become available. Is it the position that
they wish to legalise "crack" and will all people, regardless of age
and mental condition, be able to buy them?The cumulative effects of
prohibition and interdiction, combined with education and treatment
during 100 years of International Drug Control, have had a
significant impact in stemming the drug problem. Legalisation would
be likely to convince people that any legal activity cannot be very
harmful, increase the availability of drugs, increase the harmful
consequences associated with drugs and remove the social sanctions
normally supported by the legal system.

All drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, can
be dangerous if they are taken without attention to appropriate
medical advice. Instead of calling for legalisation, it would be far
more sensible, as Nick Harding suggested in his article about
cannabis use in yesterday's Independent, to seek improved policies.
The compassionate and sensible approach should be that we do
everything possible to reduce addiction and drug abuse, not encourage it.