Dame Carol Black's new
Review of Drugs provides a damning picture of drug policy failures. It highlights record levels of drug-related deaths, continuing increases in use and harm, and a disturbing rise in the number of children being drawn into violent and exploitative supply chains.
The review estimates that the illicit drug market in the UK is worth £9.4 billion and the cost of drugs to society are £19 billion. We've always had a drug market, but "it has never caused greater harm to society than now".
The findings also show that criminal justice approaches to drugs not only don't work, but are unlikely to ever achieve their goals. While acknowledging there have been damaging cuts to policing and border agencies, Dame Black goes on to say: "Even if these organisations were sufficiently resourced, it is not clear that they would be able to bring about a sustained reduction in drug supply, given the resilience and flexibility of illicit drug markets."
She goes on: "The evidence suggests that enforcement activity can sometimes have unintended consequences, such as increasing levels of drug-related violence and the negative effects of involving individuals in the criminal justice system."
Law is not the only problem, of course. Not only has treatment funding been slashed but the review shows that the whole system for dealing with harmful use has fragmented and been undermined. Recent cuts in, and deprioritisation of support for, services have been absolutely catastrophic.
