UK - Would liberalising our drug laws cut crime and disorder?

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edgarshade

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Wales Online

by Darren Devine, WalesOnlineDec 12 2012

With reader comments

The Commons Home Affairs Committee says current UK drugs policy is not working, but would legalisation reduce crime and addiction or see them rocket? Darren Devine reports.

As of May 1 the Netherlands rolled out “cannabis for locals only” laws in three of its southern provinces – North Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland. The move came amid concerns the country’s famous cannabis cafes were fuelling crime and disorder problems with more dealers in hard drug on the streets. But advocates of more liberal laws here say these are precisely the kind of problems we could avoid by decriminalising drugs. Martin Blakebrough, head of South Wales drug abuse charity Kaleidoscope, is among those convinced that only more liberal drugs laws will cut crime – despite the Dutch experience.
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While in the 1960s cannabis was championed as a hammless drugs, it’s now recognised that for some people it can create “sever psychotic affects” said Mr Evans. He said: “In certain circumstances where there is a very clear medical argument I would agree [with the use of cannabis]. “I’m against liberalisation of drugs policy unless there’s very clear evidence that’s forthcoming that allowing it has some sort of alleviation factor that some medical practitioner says is necessary.” Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, expressed concern about the possible impact on cannabis use. “If the report is to be responsible, it must take account of the specific damage that cannabis can do to the developing brain, not only as recent studies have shown inducing irreversible cognitive deterioration but in around 10% of cases triggering severe psychotic illness.”
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http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/n...g-laws-cut-crime-and-disorder-91466-32405868/
 
It probably would. The biggest problems with drug use come from the fact that they are illegal. Legalise it and people can use them more safely and money can be spent on the small minority that will have health and addiction issues. Much like what is done with alcohol and cigarettes.
 
I want drugs to be legalised of course BUT I can still see problems which will be plastered all over the media. Nothing can prevent that. In a way, I want it to be illegal but not criminalised so much. e.g. caught with weed then you can keep it, caught with harder stims or heroin cautioned etc. Just to keep it out of the public eye.
 
Why can't we start slow?

1) Disable drug monopolies played out by companies like Jazz pharmaceuticals. No one should "own" a psychoactive compound.
2) Enable all drugs in rX form. Now, newer companies can begin manufacturing without having to spend enough to cure cancer.
3) Lessen the choke hold on the availability of these drugs.
4) Re-evaluate substances that have multiple medical uses and apply them there.

And much more. Schedule 1 or Class A drugs need to be re-evaluated before all people who are pro-drug are knowledgeable enough to overcome anti-drug campaigns.
 
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Quite simply yes. Of course the people who are in it for quick and easy money are going to break other laws, but the people who are just criminals because of the status of the laws will of course be regular law abiding citizens.
 
Disable drug monopolies played out by companies like Jazz pharmaceuticals. No one should "own" a psychoactive compound

off topic a little but whats the compound they own the rights to ?
 
foolsgold said:
Disable drug monopolies played out by companies like Jazz pharmaceuticals. No one should "own" a psychoactive compound

off topic a little but whats the compound they own the rights to ?
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Xyrem (GHB) was originally given, by the FDA, to a company known as Orphan medical as a monopoly. Orphan medical was sold to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, where the price of Xyrem skyrocketed to an obscene amount; an amount to which many who have cataplexy cannot even afford.

Because the active ingredient in Xyrem is Gamma-hyrdroxybutyrate (GBH), which unfortunately has also been abused as the 'date rape' drug, this medication is highly (and appropriately) regulated and only produced by one pharmaceutical company (Jazz Pharmaceuticals) and dispensed by one central pharmacy in the country.
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"GBH"... Nice.

Since GHB is extremely inexpensive to synthesize, and the U.S Government subsidized the cost involved with conducting clinical trials and developing a distribution program, there is absolutely no justification for the obscene cost of this medication. Recently, the manufacturer also raised the price 30%, which pushed the price of Xyrem to over $1600 a month! In addition, because this drug is classified as an orphan drug, there is absolutely no competition from other manufacturers.
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To Moderators: Prices are legal pharmaceutical prices and not street drug prices.
 
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Foreigner said:
How many times can I say yes to that question?!
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Again and again, mate.

Renz Envy said:
Why can't we start slow?

1) Disable drug monopolies played out by companies like Jazz pharmaceuticals. No one should "own" a psychoactive compound.
2) Enable all drugs in rX form. Now, newer companies can begin manufacturing without having to spend enough to cure cancer.
3) Lessen the choke hold on the availability of these drugs.
4) Re-evaluate substances that have multiple medical uses and apply them there.

And much more. Schedule 1 or Class A drugs need to be re-evaluated before all people who are pro-drug are knowledgeable enough to overcome anti-drug campaigns.
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I totally agree with your course-of-action.
 
nastypoker said:
I want drugs to be legalised of course BUT I can still see problems which will be plastered all over the media. Nothing can prevent that. In a way, I want it to be illegal but not criminalised so much. e.g. caught with weed then you can keep it, caught with harder stims or heroin cautioned etc. Just to keep it out of the public eye.
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Stop criminalising drug possession would be a great start. Normal hardworking people should not go to jail or have a criminal record just because they have some marijuana or ecstasy for personal use.
 
im happy about these decrimnalisation and legalisation articles that are starting to appear but i always wonder why is personal freedom never a point in them? that really should be the main reason for legalisation
 
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