News (Media Awareness Project) - UK: PUB LTE: Reform The Drug Laws |
| Title: | UK: PUB LTE: Reform The Drug Laws |
| Published On: | 2000-12-18 |
| Source: | Independent (UK) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-02 08:41:37 |
Sir,
Our regulatory framework concerning the use and misuse of illicit
drugs is seriously flawed and requires review.
The legislation should reflect accurately the harms to health
associated with drug-taking. It does not do this at present, with the
result that it is increasingly seen as an anachronism by young people
and fails to provide proportionate and credible signals to the
population about drug-related harms.
Aspects of the law are widely seen as unenforceable by the police or
as a distraction from more effective crime-reduction. This has
produced "postcode policing", with the de facto decriminalisation of
drug-taking in some areas - notably but not exclusively cannabis.
Practitioners working with drug misusers are important partners in
the Government's laudable efforts to reduce social exclusion. The
Wintercomfort case and recent arrests of GPs providing services to
drug users has produced a climate of anxiety among practitioners.
This undermines their effectiveness.
The recent judgement of the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh
regarding "seized assets" indicates that current legislation breaches
European human rights law. There are further areas of our law that
may also conflict with rights, such as the right to privacy, that are
now enshrined within British law. Although these are, as yet,
untested in the courts such challenges can be foreseen and a
responsible approach would be to anticipate these and recast our law.
Our existing legislation serves us poorly in the pursuit of a humane,
safe and effective national response to the undoubted harms
associated with drug-taking. There have been dramatic social and
legal changes since the introduction of the Misuse of Drugs Act
almost 30 years ago. We believe that a Royal Commission is urgently
needed to examine the broad range of issues concerned with the
provision of a new and effective regulatory framework.
1. Dr Peter D Donnelly - President, Association of Directors of
Public Health (UK)
2. Professor Cindy Fazey - Professor of International Drug Policy,
University of Liverpool
3. Professor Michael Hough - Director, Criminal Policy Research Unit,
South Bank University
4. Neil Hunt - Lecturer in Addictive Behaviours, Kent Institute of
Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury
5. Professor Hilary Klee - Director, Centre for Social Research on
Health and Substance Abuse (SRHSA), The Manchester Metropolitan
University
6. Neil M. Montgomery - MSc FRSA FRAI Consultant Anthropologist to
the UK Medicinal Cannabis Project
7. Professor Gerry V Stimson - Centre for Research on Drugs and
Health Behaviour, Imperial College, London; Chair, UK Harm Reduction
Alliance
8. Professor Richard Velleman - Professor of Mental Health Research,
University of Bath, and Director of Research & Development, Avon &
Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
9. Dr Tom Waller - Suffolk County Specialist in Substance Misuse
and 65 other signatories (unpublished but listed below)
10. Dima Abdulrahim PhD - Social Scientist (Substance Misuse)
11. Jim Barnard - Primary Care Adviser (Substance Misuse)
12. Dr. Adrian Barton - Lecturer in Criminal Justice and Criminology,
University of Glamorgan
13. Rhianon Bayliss MSc (Econ) - Criminology & Criminal Justice
Teaching & Research Group, Cardiff University.
14. Dr Berry Beaumont - General Practitioner, London
15. Colin Bone - Prison Senior Healthcare Officer, Manchester
16. Dr Adrian Bonner - Senior Lecturer in Addictive Behaviours, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
17. Annabel Boys - Researcher, National Addiction Centre, Institute
of Psychiatry
18. Gill Bradbury, RGN - Director of Services, Powys Drug & Alcohol Council
19. Elizabeth Brewin BSc RN - Dual Diagnosis Trainer, Section of
Psychiatric Nursing, Health Services Research, Institute of Psychiatry
20. Julian Buchanan - Senior Lecturer, North East Wales Institute
21. Jane Calder - Substance Abuse Specialist
22. Kim Clarke - Research Co-ordinator, Addictions Division, South
London and Maudsley NHS Trust
23. Professor Chris Cook - Head of the Division of Psychiatry,
Professor of the Psychiatry of Alcohol Misuse and Consultant
Psychiatrist, Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences,
University of Kent at Canterbury
24. Peter Cooksey - Substance Misuse Worker, Powys Drug & Alcohol Council
25. Professor Tony Coxon - Dept of Sociology, and Health and Social
Services Institute, University of Essex
26. Alex Copello - Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lecturer in
Clinical Psychology, The University of Birmingham and Northern
Birmingham Mental Health Trust
27. Jon Derricott - Independent Writer and Trainer (Substance
Misuse), Liverpool
28. Dr Chris Ford MBChB, MRCP, MRCGP, DROG - GP, Clinical Director of
Brent Drug and Alcohol Service, Chair of HIV Working Party RCGP,
Chair of Methadone Alliance
29. Jane Fountain PhD - Health Service Researcher in the Addictions,
National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
30. Rebecca Glover RMN - Forensic Psychiatry Service, Merseyside
31. Hermine Graham Clin Psy D - Clinical Psychologist, Head of
COMPASS Programme, NBMHT, Honorary Research Fellow, School of
Psychology, University of Birmingham
32. Ian Grant - Senior Research Officer, Drug Misuse Information
Strategy Team, Edinburgh
33. Professor Graham J Hart - Associate Director, MRC Social and
Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
34. Lorraine Hewitt - Manager, The Stockwell Project, NHS Service for
Drug Users
35. Matthew Hickman - Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Research
on Drugs and Health Behaviour, Imperial College School of Medicine
36. Jon Holland - Stimulant Service, Druglink, Hammersmith & Fulham
37. Mark Holland - CPN Service Manager, Manchester Mental Health Partnership
38. Colleen Homan - Drug Training Officer, National Addiction Centre,
Institute of Psychiatry
39. Louise Hope - Researcher, Addictive Behaviour Group, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
40. Dr Rhidian Hughes - Former Research Fellow, Department of Social
Policy & Social Work, University of York
41. Annabel Kanabus - Chief Executive, AVERT Trust
42. Gemma Kothari - Researcher, National Addiction Centre, Institute
of Psychiatry
43. Peter McDermott - Freelance Writer and Drugs Researcher
44. Mick McKeown - Principal Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing
Research, University of Central Lancashire
45. Dr John Marsden - National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
46. Alan Matthews - Independent Drugs Researcher & Trainer, Liverpool.
47. Lyn Matthews - Drugs Worker, Liverpool.
48. Margaret Melrose - Research Fellow, Department of Applied Social
Studies, University of Luton
49. Luke Mitcheson D. Clin. Psych. - Clinical Psychologist (Substance Misuse)
50. Bill Nelles - The Methadone Alliance
51. Patrick O'Hare - Director, International Harm Reduction
Association, Editor, International Journal of Drug Policy
52. Professor Jim Orford - School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham
53. Dr Ian Paylor - Department of Applied Social Science, Lancaster University
54. Peter Phillips - Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry &
Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free & University College Medical School,
London
55. David Porteous - Lecturer in Applied Social Research, Dept. of
Applied Social Studies, University of Luton
56. Robert Power PhD - Senior Lecturer in Medical Sociology,
University College London
57. Andrew Preston - Independent Publisher, Exchange Publications
58. Bill Reading - Honorary Lecturer in Addictive Behaviour, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
59. Tim Rhodes PhD - Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Health,
Imperial College School of Medicine, University of London.
60. Kay Roberts - Area Pharmacy Specialist - Drug Misuse, Greater
Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust
61. Penelope Rowe - Independent Social Psychologist (Substance Misuse)
62. Jenny Scott - Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, University of Bath
63. Jim Sherval - Drug Policy and Research Co-ordinator, Centre for
HIV/AIDS and Drugs Studies, Lothian Health
64. Mat Southwell - Dance Drugs Alliance
65. Dirk Stikker Dip. Psych. - Addictions Therapist, London
66. Mark Simpson - Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Teesside
67. Garry Stillwell - Research Sociologist, National Addiction
Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
68. Louise Sturgeon-Adams - Researcher, Department of Applied Social
Sciences, University of Bradford
69. Monique Tomlinson - Deputy Director, Mainliners
70. Paul J.Turnbull - Deputy Director, Criminal Policy Research Unit,
South Bank University
71. Sheila Urquhart - Mental Health Nurse, Rochdale NHS Trust
72. Emma Wincup PhD - School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social
Research, University of Kent at Canterbury
73. Rowdy Yates - Scottish Drugs Training Project, Department of
Applied Social Science, University of Stirling
74. Lee Young - Lecturer & Researcher (Drugs), University of Liverpool
If you support the work of the UKHRA please add this message to your signature
Our regulatory framework concerning the use and misuse of illicit
drugs is seriously flawed and requires review.
The legislation should reflect accurately the harms to health
associated with drug-taking. It does not do this at present, with the
result that it is increasingly seen as an anachronism by young people
and fails to provide proportionate and credible signals to the
population about drug-related harms.
Aspects of the law are widely seen as unenforceable by the police or
as a distraction from more effective crime-reduction. This has
produced "postcode policing", with the de facto decriminalisation of
drug-taking in some areas - notably but not exclusively cannabis.
Practitioners working with drug misusers are important partners in
the Government's laudable efforts to reduce social exclusion. The
Wintercomfort case and recent arrests of GPs providing services to
drug users has produced a climate of anxiety among practitioners.
This undermines their effectiveness.
The recent judgement of the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh
regarding "seized assets" indicates that current legislation breaches
European human rights law. There are further areas of our law that
may also conflict with rights, such as the right to privacy, that are
now enshrined within British law. Although these are, as yet,
untested in the courts such challenges can be foreseen and a
responsible approach would be to anticipate these and recast our law.
Our existing legislation serves us poorly in the pursuit of a humane,
safe and effective national response to the undoubted harms
associated with drug-taking. There have been dramatic social and
legal changes since the introduction of the Misuse of Drugs Act
almost 30 years ago. We believe that a Royal Commission is urgently
needed to examine the broad range of issues concerned with the
provision of a new and effective regulatory framework.
1. Dr Peter D Donnelly - President, Association of Directors of
Public Health (UK)
2. Professor Cindy Fazey - Professor of International Drug Policy,
University of Liverpool
3. Professor Michael Hough - Director, Criminal Policy Research Unit,
South Bank University
4. Neil Hunt - Lecturer in Addictive Behaviours, Kent Institute of
Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbury
5. Professor Hilary Klee - Director, Centre for Social Research on
Health and Substance Abuse (SRHSA), The Manchester Metropolitan
University
6. Neil M. Montgomery - MSc FRSA FRAI Consultant Anthropologist to
the UK Medicinal Cannabis Project
7. Professor Gerry V Stimson - Centre for Research on Drugs and
Health Behaviour, Imperial College, London; Chair, UK Harm Reduction
Alliance
8. Professor Richard Velleman - Professor of Mental Health Research,
University of Bath, and Director of Research & Development, Avon &
Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
9. Dr Tom Waller - Suffolk County Specialist in Substance Misuse
and 65 other signatories (unpublished but listed below)
10. Dima Abdulrahim PhD - Social Scientist (Substance Misuse)
11. Jim Barnard - Primary Care Adviser (Substance Misuse)
12. Dr. Adrian Barton - Lecturer in Criminal Justice and Criminology,
University of Glamorgan
13. Rhianon Bayliss MSc (Econ) - Criminology & Criminal Justice
Teaching & Research Group, Cardiff University.
14. Dr Berry Beaumont - General Practitioner, London
15. Colin Bone - Prison Senior Healthcare Officer, Manchester
16. Dr Adrian Bonner - Senior Lecturer in Addictive Behaviours, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
17. Annabel Boys - Researcher, National Addiction Centre, Institute
of Psychiatry
18. Gill Bradbury, RGN - Director of Services, Powys Drug & Alcohol Council
19. Elizabeth Brewin BSc RN - Dual Diagnosis Trainer, Section of
Psychiatric Nursing, Health Services Research, Institute of Psychiatry
20. Julian Buchanan - Senior Lecturer, North East Wales Institute
21. Jane Calder - Substance Abuse Specialist
22. Kim Clarke - Research Co-ordinator, Addictions Division, South
London and Maudsley NHS Trust
23. Professor Chris Cook - Head of the Division of Psychiatry,
Professor of the Psychiatry of Alcohol Misuse and Consultant
Psychiatrist, Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences,
University of Kent at Canterbury
24. Peter Cooksey - Substance Misuse Worker, Powys Drug & Alcohol Council
25. Professor Tony Coxon - Dept of Sociology, and Health and Social
Services Institute, University of Essex
26. Alex Copello - Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lecturer in
Clinical Psychology, The University of Birmingham and Northern
Birmingham Mental Health Trust
27. Jon Derricott - Independent Writer and Trainer (Substance
Misuse), Liverpool
28. Dr Chris Ford MBChB, MRCP, MRCGP, DROG - GP, Clinical Director of
Brent Drug and Alcohol Service, Chair of HIV Working Party RCGP,
Chair of Methadone Alliance
29. Jane Fountain PhD - Health Service Researcher in the Addictions,
National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
30. Rebecca Glover RMN - Forensic Psychiatry Service, Merseyside
31. Hermine Graham Clin Psy D - Clinical Psychologist, Head of
COMPASS Programme, NBMHT, Honorary Research Fellow, School of
Psychology, University of Birmingham
32. Ian Grant - Senior Research Officer, Drug Misuse Information
Strategy Team, Edinburgh
33. Professor Graham J Hart - Associate Director, MRC Social and
Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
34. Lorraine Hewitt - Manager, The Stockwell Project, NHS Service for
Drug Users
35. Matthew Hickman - Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Research
on Drugs and Health Behaviour, Imperial College School of Medicine
36. Jon Holland - Stimulant Service, Druglink, Hammersmith & Fulham
37. Mark Holland - CPN Service Manager, Manchester Mental Health Partnership
38. Colleen Homan - Drug Training Officer, National Addiction Centre,
Institute of Psychiatry
39. Louise Hope - Researcher, Addictive Behaviour Group, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
40. Dr Rhidian Hughes - Former Research Fellow, Department of Social
Policy & Social Work, University of York
41. Annabel Kanabus - Chief Executive, AVERT Trust
42. Gemma Kothari - Researcher, National Addiction Centre, Institute
of Psychiatry
43. Peter McDermott - Freelance Writer and Drugs Researcher
44. Mick McKeown - Principal Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing
Research, University of Central Lancashire
45. Dr John Marsden - National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
46. Alan Matthews - Independent Drugs Researcher & Trainer, Liverpool.
47. Lyn Matthews - Drugs Worker, Liverpool.
48. Margaret Melrose - Research Fellow, Department of Applied Social
Studies, University of Luton
49. Luke Mitcheson D. Clin. Psych. - Clinical Psychologist (Substance Misuse)
50. Bill Nelles - The Methadone Alliance
51. Patrick O'Hare - Director, International Harm Reduction
Association, Editor, International Journal of Drug Policy
52. Professor Jim Orford - School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham
53. Dr Ian Paylor - Department of Applied Social Science, Lancaster University
54. Peter Phillips - Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry &
Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free & University College Medical School,
London
55. David Porteous - Lecturer in Applied Social Research, Dept. of
Applied Social Studies, University of Luton
56. Robert Power PhD - Senior Lecturer in Medical Sociology,
University College London
57. Andrew Preston - Independent Publisher, Exchange Publications
58. Bill Reading - Honorary Lecturer in Addictive Behaviour, Kent
Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at
Canterbury
59. Tim Rhodes PhD - Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Health,
Imperial College School of Medicine, University of London.
60. Kay Roberts - Area Pharmacy Specialist - Drug Misuse, Greater
Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust
61. Penelope Rowe - Independent Social Psychologist (Substance Misuse)
62. Jenny Scott - Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, University of Bath
63. Jim Sherval - Drug Policy and Research Co-ordinator, Centre for
HIV/AIDS and Drugs Studies, Lothian Health
64. Mat Southwell - Dance Drugs Alliance
65. Dirk Stikker Dip. Psych. - Addictions Therapist, London
66. Mark Simpson - Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Teesside
67. Garry Stillwell - Research Sociologist, National Addiction
Centre, Institute of Psychiatry
68. Louise Sturgeon-Adams - Researcher, Department of Applied Social
Sciences, University of Bradford
69. Monique Tomlinson - Deputy Director, Mainliners
70. Paul J.Turnbull - Deputy Director, Criminal Policy Research Unit,
South Bank University
71. Sheila Urquhart - Mental Health Nurse, Rochdale NHS Trust
72. Emma Wincup PhD - School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social
Research, University of Kent at Canterbury
73. Rowdy Yates - Scottish Drugs Training Project, Department of
Applied Social Science, University of Stirling
74. Lee Young - Lecturer & Researcher (Drugs), University of Liverpool
If you support the work of the UKHRA please add this message to your signature
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