Yesterday's decision by Alan Johnson to sack the Chair of the Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse is quite frankly bonkers.
Their is little point in the Government having expert advisors if it is going to run rough shot over them and then sack them every time there say something that a Minister does not agree with.
Its rather like going to the going to an A & E department having cut ones finger off asking the doctors what to do about it and when the Doctors offer to sew it back taking the finger and throwing it in the bin.
When decisions are made on a political whims rather than facts makes Governments and the Ministers making the decisions look remote and out of touch with the general population.
Showing posts with label drugs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drugs. Show all posts
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Today Professor David Nutt, who heads up the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs comments on Cannabis and other substances were widely reported.
This is a very welcome contribution to the debate about drug used as you may recall earlier this month I raised the issue of use of Alcohol and Tobacco in an article on Labour List.
Professor Nutt has a very valid point in his argument about artificial separation of Alcohol and Tobacco from recreational other drugs.
Society has a duty of care to protect vulnerable users be it of Alcohol or any recreational drugs in the interests of the wider community not just the individual.
From 1920 till 1933 the United States tried a policy of prohibition of Alcohol which only succeeded in creating wealth for gangsters the UK policy towards some drugs for example Cannabis has had a similar effect.
Consumers of Cannabis currently do not benefit from any of the consumer protection users of other drugs such as Alcohol currently benefit from if someone is sold a short measure of beer they can complain to Trading Standards, yet if they buy a short amount of cannabis they have no recourse at all.
The legalising and licensing of Cannabis would not only reduce the massive resources that are wasted by law enforcement agencies in chasing users and dealers but also provide much needed income for Government.
Professor Nutt along with some other academics developed a Matrix of Harm based on damage that different drugs did to individuals and society. 
The 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act needs fundemental reform to bring it up to date with current society and the way it uses all drugs including Alcohol and Tobacco.
This is a very welcome contribution to the debate about drug used as you may recall earlier this month I raised the issue of use of Alcohol and Tobacco in an article on Labour List.
Professor Nutt has a very valid point in his argument about artificial separation of Alcohol and Tobacco from recreational other drugs.
Society has a duty of care to protect vulnerable users be it of Alcohol or any recreational drugs in the interests of the wider community not just the individual.
From 1920 till 1933 the United States tried a policy of prohibition of Alcohol which only succeeded in creating wealth for gangsters the UK policy towards some drugs for example Cannabis has had a similar effect.
Consumers of Cannabis currently do not benefit from any of the consumer protection users of other drugs such as Alcohol currently benefit from if someone is sold a short measure of beer they can complain to Trading Standards, yet if they buy a short amount of cannabis they have no recourse at all.
The legalising and licensing of Cannabis would not only reduce the massive resources that are wasted by law enforcement agencies in chasing users and dealers but also provide much needed income for Government.
Professor Nutt along with some other academics developed a Matrix of Harm based on damage that different drugs did to individuals and society.
The 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act needs fundemental reform to bring it up to date with current society and the way it uses all drugs including Alcohol and Tobacco.
Caption: Figure 1 from Nutt et al: Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse. As published in the Lancet on Friday, March 23, 2007.
Credit: David Nutt et al.
Credit: David Nutt et al.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Entitlement Cards
Down in Brighton for Labour Party Conference one thing that is noticeable is the large amounts of alcohol used over the weekend and not just by the conference delegates.
Most people are responsible users and are able to have a few drinks and enjoy themselves without causing damage to either others or the local environment.
However not all drinkers and users of other substances are able to handle their use of booze in such a responsible manner the result can be seen in most Accident and Emergency departments every weekend in those suffering from alcoholic poisoning, assaults and drink related accidents taking much needed results out of the NHS which could be used for other purposes.
Prohibition of alcohol like any other drug does not work it was tried in the 1920’s in the US and resulted in the making the likes Al Capone rich men.
For a long time the Government have controlled motorists with system of licences where people enjoy the right and freedom to drive if they conform to certain rules such as not driving whilst drunk and driving at set speeds.
One possible solution could be an entitlement card that people would carry and swipe when every time they buy Alcohol or Tobacco and record their usage.
People who got into trouble for example for say minor crimes drunk and disorderly conduct in public would receive a fixed penalty notice and 3 points on their entitlement card with point disappearing over time for in the same way works on driving licences.
More serious offences would result in endorsements on the entitlement card and the cardholder would not be able to purchase alcohol, tobacco or other drugs available for sale through the entitlement card scheme.
The main benefits of the policy would be reduction in the health care and crime costs associated with use of substances hopefully leading for more better functioning society.
Down in Brighton for Labour Party Conference one thing that is noticeable is the large amounts of alcohol used over the weekend and not just by the conference delegates.
Most people are responsible users and are able to have a few drinks and enjoy themselves without causing damage to either others or the local environment.
However not all drinkers and users of other substances are able to handle their use of booze in such a responsible manner the result can be seen in most Accident and Emergency departments every weekend in those suffering from alcoholic poisoning, assaults and drink related accidents taking much needed results out of the NHS which could be used for other purposes.
Prohibition of alcohol like any other drug does not work it was tried in the 1920’s in the US and resulted in the making the likes Al Capone rich men.
For a long time the Government have controlled motorists with system of licences where people enjoy the right and freedom to drive if they conform to certain rules such as not driving whilst drunk and driving at set speeds.
One possible solution could be an entitlement card that people would carry and swipe when every time they buy Alcohol or Tobacco and record their usage.
People who got into trouble for example for say minor crimes drunk and disorderly conduct in public would receive a fixed penalty notice and 3 points on their entitlement card with point disappearing over time for in the same way works on driving licences.
More serious offences would result in endorsements on the entitlement card and the cardholder would not be able to purchase alcohol, tobacco or other drugs available for sale through the entitlement card scheme.
The main benefits of the policy would be reduction in the health care and crime costs associated with use of substances hopefully leading for more better functioning society.
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