POLICE CHIEF CALLS FOR DRUGS LEGALISATION BY SCRAPPING CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

Controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom has called for the
legalisation and regulation of all drugs in a report published today.

Mr Brunstrom, the chief constable of North Wales, described the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as "not fit for purpose" and "immoral" and
urged its repeal.

Mr Brunstrom, in a report to North Wales police authority, described
the current UK drugs strategy as "unwinnable".

He said: "The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be repealed and
replaced by a new Substance Misuse Act based upon the legalisation
and careful regulation of all substances of abuse in one consistent manner."

Mr Brunstrom urged his authority to support the stance in its
response to the Government's Drugs: Our Community, Your Say consultation paper.

In a 30-page document - Drugs Policy, A Radical Look Ahead - Mr
Brunstrom said: "UK drugs policy for the last several decades has
been based upon prohibition with a list of banned substances placed
into three classes - the ABC system - and draconian criminal
penalties for the possession or supply of controlled drugs.

"This system has not worked well. Illegal drugs are now in plentiful
supply, and have become consistently cheaper in real terms over the years.

"The number of users has increased dramatically. Drug crime has
soared equally dramatically as a direct consequence of the illegality
of some drugs and the huge profits from illegal trading have
supported a massive rise in organised criminality.

"Most importantly, the current system illogically excludes both
alcohol and tobacco.

"A new classification system, a 'hierarchy of harm' encompassing all
substances of abuse and based upon identified social harms, should,
in my opinion, be at the centre of a new substance misuse regime -
one based upon evidence, not moralistic dogma."

The chief constable, who was appointed in 2001, has often attracted
criticism for his support of speed cameras and his tough stance
against speeding motorists.

Earlier this year he authorised a road safety campaign which included
a picture of a dying father of three, Mark Gibney.

It later emerged that Mr Brunstrom had not obtained permission from
Mr Gibney's relatives to use the images.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission's investigation into the
use of the pictures is due to conclude this month.

A Downing Street website petition urging the Prime Minister to sack
Mr Brunstrom has gained more than 3,500 signatures.

Mr Brunstrom also urged the North Wales Authority to adopt an
"affiliation" status with the charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

Danny Kushlick, a director of the organisation, said: "We are
absolutely delighted at Mr Brunstrom's paper.

"The Chief Constable has shown great leadership and imagination in
very publicly calling for a drug policy that replaces the evident
failings of prohibition with a legal system of regulation and control
for potentially dangerous drugs.

"Mr Brunstrom's call is less surprising when you consider that
prohibition, and the illegal markets it creates, is the single
largest cause of crime in the UK, generating UKP 100 billion in crime
costs alone over the last ten years.

"As a senior policeman he has witnessed first hand the counter
productive effects of abdicating responsibility for this dangerous
trade to unregulated and often violent criminals.

"His call for drug markets to be brought back within the sphere of
Government control stands in enlightened contrast to the populist law
and order posturing of our Prime Minister, who recently announced
that 'drugs are never going to be decriminalised'.

Mr Kushlick added: "The current Government consultation on the drug
strategy has inexplicably ruled out any discussion of alternatives to
prohibition, despite the policy's systematic failure over a number of decades.

"Mr Brunstrom's paper puts these pragmatic alternatives firmly back
on the table, where they should be, if a meaningful debate about
'what works' is to be entertained.

"It is to be hoped that the Police Authority support the Chief
Constable's recommendations and that other Police Authorities
seriously examine the impact of enforcing prohibition."

Mr Kushlick set up Transform 10 years ago after working with
recovering drug addicts.

He said by becoming affiliated with Transform, the Police Authority
would be signing up to the goals of the organisation - "to
progressively move forward to end the war on drugs".

He said: "We are not a pro-drugs charity and we do not condone or
promote the use of drugs in any way.

"We do know from experience with chaotic drug users that
criminalising them and sending them to jail is expensive and does not work."

Tory MP for Clywd West and shadow Deputy Secretary of State for
Wales, David Jones said: "Mr Brunstrom has been touting these ideas
for some time but I hope the Police Authority will see sense and
robustly reject his proposals.

"I have read the report and what he says is drug takers and suppliers
are subject to 'immoral' policy.

"It is not a question of morality, it is a question of the pernicious
effect which drug taking has on society.

"He says the way to control the situation is not to prohibit but to
regulate. But in the same document he calls for cigarettes and
alcohol to be brought into the classification system.

"Regulation of cigarettes and alcohol has failed to control the
problems they cause, so why should regulation control the problems
associated with cannabis, heroin and cocaine?

"What Mr Brunstrom should be doing is enforcing the law, aggressively
and vigilantly.

"And the Government should be ensuring the resources are there to win
the war on drugs."

Councillor Ian Roberts, Liberal Democrat chairman of the Police
Authority, said: "The matter will be considered in detail by the
Police Authority on Monday and it would be unfair to pre-empt the debate."