DM - Just one in seven want drugs laws liberalised and majority say possession....

[edgarshade]

Just one in seven want drugs laws liberalised and majority say possession should remain criminal offence

By Jack Doyle, Home Affairs Correspondent
PUBLISHED: 02:06, 19 February 2013

With reader comments

• Poll found just 14 per cent endorsed decriminalising drugs
• One fifth backed 'experimental trial' to no longer treat possession as offence
• Survey by campaign group Transform said majority want review of drug laws

Only one in seven members of the public backs the radical liberalising of drugs laws, a survey has shown. Just fourteen per cent of those surveyed endorsed changing the law so that possession of drugs was no longer a criminal offence. They wanted possession offences to attract a fine – in effect dealing with them like speeding tickets. The majority of those questioned, 60 per cent, said the law should ‘stay as it currently is, so that possession of illegal drugs remains a criminal offence’.

Another 21 per cent said they were in favour of an ‘experimental trial’ which would see drugs decriminalised in small areas of Britain to see the effect. The poll was commissioned by the campaign group Transform, which backs softening the law on drugs and government ‘regulation’ of illegal substances. Transform suggested the results showed the majority of Britons support a softer stance on cannabis. Danny Kushlick, head of external affairs at Transform said: ‘These results show just how far ahead of politicians the public are.

More...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...y-say-possession-remain-criminal-offence.html

 

[edgarshade]

Sounds like they completely misrepresented the results here. Unfortunately there is nothing on Transform's own website to give their side of the story yet.

Here is Sky's report

Half Of Britons Support Softer Cannabis Laws

9:28pm UK, Monday 18 February 2013
With reader comments

The majority of Britons would support a softer stance on cannabis laws, an independent think-tank has said. More than half the public support legalising the production and supply of cannabis or decriminalising its possession, according to a survey ordered by the Transform Drug Policy Foundation. Only one in seven Britons support heavier penalties and more money being spent on enforcement for cannabis offences, the campaign group found. Some 67% of people support an in-depth review of policy options for controlling all drugs. Transform head of external affairs Danny Kushlick said: "These results show just how far ahead of politicians the public are.

More...
http://news.sky.com/story/1053831/half-of-britons-support-softer-cannabis-laws

Different slant on the same story? My guess is that the question was specifically about the most harmful drugs. Transform promote legalisation especially of the most harmful drugs. Possibly most of the public aren't ready for that yet.

 

[Portillo]

Im sure increasing prison sentences will solve the problem.

 

[lynx2051]

Im sure increasing prison sentences will solve the problem.

No! No! No! No! No! We need strict punishment! Anyone who has ever taken, seen, smelt or even knows anything about drugs must receive the DEATH SENTENCE!!!!

 

[23536]

A quick glance at the best rated comments suggests that the majority of DM readers believe this article is shit. Or shite.

(They also seem to not understand the concept of a statistically representative sample, fwiw)

 

[weekend addiction]

The first poll in the article is about legalizing all drugs if I read the story right. Of course the majority of Britain doesn't want to legalize all drugs. Why would they. When portugal did it there were no problems though...