Addicts need help, say police chiefs

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hi

The Times

May 22, 2002

By Richard Ford

POLICE superintendents gave full backing to the proposals as a shift from law enforcement towards limiting the harm caused by drugs.

Kevin Morris, president of the Superintendents Association, said the proposals would make it easier for addicts to seek help and that young people had to be educated to live healthy lives.

He said: “We must care for them if they become victims of dangerous and unscrupulous drug dealers, not lock them up and pretend that the problems will disappear.”

Mr Morris added: “Careful implementation of the recommendations could provide us with an opportunity to reduce crime, without encouraging others to try drugs for themselves.”

Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said that the report was a step in the right direction but did not go far enough.

He said: “We are in favour of reclassifying cannabis from Class B to Class C and reclassifying Ecstasy from Class A to Class B and it is to the committee’s credit that they have reached a similar view.

“It is unfortunate, however, that the committee do not recommend an end to prosecutions for personal possession and use of cannabis and have failed to send a signal that imprisonment for possession is often counter-productive.”

However, Janet Betts, whose daughter Leah died in 1995 after taking Ecstasy at her 18th birthday party, said that the committee was totally misinformed.

“The Prime Minister gave me a guarantee last November that David Blunkett had specifically ruled out downgrading Ecstasy and I hope Mr Blair has the guts to stick by that,” she said.

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