Britain's drug
problems are far more serious than most people
realise. I'd be most grateful if you could let me
know your views about Government policy, in
particular the following:
"The Government agrees with the Police
Foundation's conclusion that the main classification
criteria should continue to be that of dangerousness…"
Government reply to the Report of the
Independent [Police Foundation] Inquiry into the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
"…drugs misuse is a national problem
requiring fairness and consistency in our response."
"…our strategy must be based on accurate,
independent research, approached in a level-headed,
analytical fashion."
"Action will be concentrated in areas of
greatest need and risk. All drugs are harmful…
And we will focus on those that cause the greatest
damage".
"….legally obtainable substances such as
alcohol, tobacco … should … be addressed
within the strategy."
"The challenge is to protect the young and
vulnerable ..... and arrest and imprison those who
profit from the drugs trade."
Government's report '10 year strategy
for tackling drugs'
I feel sure that you
will agree with these very reasonable sentiments. However these strategies are not being
followed. The most addictive and lethal drug remains
classified as legal while the safest remains illegal.
"1.39 Smoking is the most important cause of
premature death in developed countries. It accounts
for one fifth of deaths in the UK: some 120,000
deaths a year".
UK Scientific Committee on Tobacco and
Health report 1998
"5.1 The high use of cannabis is not
associated with major health problems for the
individual or society."
Advisory Council on the Misuse of
Drugs report 'The classification of cannabis under
the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971'
p.60: "What this would suggest is that
tobacco has the greatest potential for dependence
followed by heroin, then cocaine and alcohol.
Cannabis has the lowest 'addictability' of all the
drugs listed above."
Department of Health's booklet
'Dangerousness of Drugs' 2001
In fact the death rate
for tobacco addicts is several times higher than for
addicts of street-quality heroin. About 1 in a 100
tobacco addicts die every year compared to about 1 in
500 heroin addicts.
Why then is cannabis still
illegal? Perhaps because it represents such an
economic threat to Government finances. The
Government is the biggest profiteer from the drugs
trade, benefiting from the supply of their legal but
lethal drugs to the tune of £20 billion a year. So
much for the intention to "arrest and imprison
those who profit from the drugs trade"! The best
quality cannabis can be grown by anyone at home
avoiding any tax revenue demanded by Government.
Our teenagers are growing up to
join a society where they have a one in five chance
of being killed by drugs that our government profits
from. The only safer alternative, cannabis, is kept
illegal. This surely cannot be right. Certainly it
goes against all the good sentiments mentioned
earlier.
I can provide you with internet
links to the original online Government documents if
you would like to check the context of these quotes.
I've also enclosed a leaflet from Parents Against
Lethal Addictive Drugs (PALAD).
Could you find out from the
Home Office how they assess the dangers of drugs? Do
they accept that tobacco and alcohol are more
dangerous than cannabis? If so why does the law
discourage the use of the safest drug, cannabis,
while encouraging the use of the most dangerous,
tobacco? What is the definition of 'misuse' and in
what way can moderate use of cannabis be called
misuse when tobacco smoking, which kills hundreds of
innocent bystanders a year through passive smoking,
is not misuse?
I look forward to hearing your
views on these matters.
