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The head of Interpol, the international police force, on
Saturday called for the decriminalisation of drugs and
admitted police were "losing the battle" against illegal
drug taking and dealing.

"We are losing the battle but we have not lost it. I'm a
realist but not a defeatist," Raymond Kendall, Interpol
secretary general, said on BBC television's Newsnight
programme. "Clearly, in relation to the policies that are
being applied, there is an imbalance between a totally
prohibitive approach and the necessary complement in terms
of reducing demand and dealing with educational prevention,
rehabilitation and treatment measures.

"When we say decriminalisation, we do not mean
legalisation."

He added: "I believe that politicians and governments do
have a responsibility for seeing that harmful substances
are not freely available on the streets and where they have
a responsibility also is providing the right sort of
budgetary measures to deal with demand reduction."

ajp/bm

AFP