WAR ON DRUGS 'IS WRONG'

A former health minister claimed yesterday that "war on drugs" was the
wrong approach to the issue.

Susan Deacon, recently appointed professor of social change at Queen
Margaret University, Edinburgh, was health minister under Donald Dewar
and has been involved in major studies of the drugs issue since she
returned to the back benches.

Now that she has left parliament she is weighing in against a tough
criminal justice approach to the problem which she says will never
work as well as a social education and health approach.

She believes that an election produces an inappropriate bidding war.
Only the Conservatives commented on her views, with both Labour and
the SNP backing away from stressing the problem as an election issue.

"I think there is a very, very genuine commitment by a wide range of
politicians and parties to try to do something meaningful about
drugs," said Professor Deacon.

"The difficulty often translates into some pretty rough rhetoric and
sometimes good ideas but not really a wide-ranging, informed and
comprehensive policy approach to the issue.

"Looking and talking tough isn't necessarily about being
effective."

A range of policies is needed to address the problem, she said. "The
idea there is one type of treatment that works and one that doesn't is
nonsensical.

"I think one of the big challenges that lies ahead is to ensure you
have a range of treatment options, not just for opiates such as heroin
but for the whole range of drug and substance misuse problems."

Calling for a review of the use of methadone and a wide-ranging debate
on drugs, she said too many people are being criminalised and many who
need treatment, are not receiving it. "There must be a more informed,
measured approach to this debate to make progress," she added.

The co-convener of the socialist party Solidarity, Rosemary Byrne,
welcomed Ms Deacon's "sensible" comments.

Annabel Goldie, Scottish Conservative leader, said: "I am delighted
that a respected figure such as Susan Deacon has spoken up against the
status quo. We need zero tolerance to those who deal in death, and
effective rehabilitation to halt the spiral of crime by those who take
drugs."