Drugs report at-a-glance

[bongme]

Hi

The UK420 Round up by Bongme

The Commons home affairs select committee has called for a major shake-up of Britain's drugs laws. Here are the key recommendations in its report.

Cannabis should be reclassified as a class C drug.

Ecstasy should be downgraded to become a class B drug.

Drugs policy should focus on the 250,000 "problem" users, mainly heroin addicts, who spend an average of £13,000 a year in crime money to feed their habit.

Harm reduction, not retribution, should be the main focus of drugs policy - something the government is taking "tentative" steps towards.

A supervised programme of carefully supervised heroin prescription, as happens in the Netherlands and Switzerland, should go on trial.

Safe injection rooms, designed to keep chronic heroin addicts off the streets, should be piloted.

A new offence of "supply for gain" should be created to reflect in penalties the difference between dealing and supplying drugs to friends for their personal use.

Decriminalising possession of drugs for personal use would send out the wrong message.

One day the balance may tip in favour of legalising some currently illegal drugs but the committee does not recommend that move now.

Cocaine should stay as a class A drug but more treatment places must be created.

Government should "substantially" increase its funding for treatment of heroin addicts.

Prescribing diamorphine, rather than methodone, for treating heroin addiction should be properly assessed.

The government should urgently review the laws on how community chemists dispense controlled drugs, like methodone, because of fears of outdated rules.

The last 30 years shows policies wholly or mainly based on enforcing drugs laws are "destined to fail".

Education programmes should be realistic and preferably delivered by someone with "street credibility", such as recovered addicts.

Bongme

Anyrthing can happen in the next half hour (Stingray)

[thewhoami]

Excellent  :thumbs:

The report seems good so far, but what will be implemented ?? we wll have to wait see !!

"stand by for action" (stingray too )  

Nice one bongme !!

 :peace:

[Guest 123456]

Anyone spot the lack of mention of the legalisation of cannabis for medical use?

I am guessing maybe that it’s a matter for just the medical experts, rather than this particular committee, but still seems odd it’s not being mentioned in any news coverage I’ve seen/heard/read this morning.

[Arnold Layne]

Well whoop-the-doo!

Hmmm, I just can't get excited about this. In terms of a Government approach to drugs I regard it as inadequate, misleading, misguided and dangerous.

I believe it will make the lives of addicts even worse. It fails utterly to understand the nature of drug abuse and the folly of prohibition.

It makes many of the mistakes of previous government approaches, like dangling a heroin 'script in front of an addict "on the provision he accepts treatment". Oh, for pities sake, has no one learned anything in the last 100 years? It just doesn't work like that! Du-urhhh!!!!

Ecstacy kills, mr blunkett, precisely because it is illegal! Are you really so incredibly lacking in wisdom?

And no shooting galleries. A great day for the AIDS virus then!

And not a word on growing your own weed!

Bollocks. That what I call it!

My, didn't I get out of bed the wrong side today!!!!

[apprentice]

What a lot of shit!

Initial glance at these main points but I am off to read the full report and will ber back in a few hours.

apprentice

PS Have read through most of the important points it amazes me when there is not one mention of the word "cultivation".  Appers the committee have done what they can without breaching the UN treaty on drugs although they have recommended that this by looked at globally.

There is not a great deal to take from this, its still a criminal offence for possession of cannabis and this is worrying.  It will still leave supply in the hands of the criminal.

Ecstacy- looks to me that the will encounter the same problems they have had with cannabis if they leave E as class B.  Thye are now saying it is not that harmfull but.......

Heroin-fuck knows what they are trying to do here but it certainly will not eliminate the criminal element from supply and the criminal life that addicts are drawn into.  I thought that was the whole idea!

The bottle of this committee has well and truly crashed!

apprentice