In 2005, The Independent was reporting on the absurdly liberal plans of Tory hopeful, now PM, David Cameron, to “initiate a discussion” on alternative ways to tackle the global drug problem, which included the possibility of decriminalisation and/or regulation. In 2009, Professor David Nutt, former chief drug policy advisor to the government, wrote an in-depth article in The Guardian explaining his controversial, yet arguably more informed views on drugs and related policy. Specifically, it seemed Nutt didn’t agree that UK drugs policy was evidence-based as it should be.
Later in December 2012, the BBC reported that Cameron had rejected the idea of a royal commission to review the policy and a year later, in November 2013, the Huffington Post reported Nutt’s open Criticism of Cameron’s changes in stance concerning the possibility of drug policy reform. Back in February 2014, the Telegraph reported of the successful petition (over 100,000 signatures) for a review of the Misuse of Drugs and just this week (March 18th 2015) the BBC is reporting on how the war on drugs has failed according to most experts.
Now it seems a question of when, not if, the UK will choose to review policy and there is already a wealth of information ready for MPs to review. However, recently the US and Uruguay came under scrutiny from the UN as their policy directly contradicts international drug enforcement treaties. Moreover, the long-term effects of these new experimental policies remain unknown- indeed unknowable for at least a few years.
What do you think of UK drug policy and the so-called “war on drugs”?
Do you think they should at the very least reviewed or perhaps already have stronger convictions about what policy should be in place?
Editor’s Note: A version of this was originally uploaded (and edited slightly by their team) to TheKnowledge.
Cleft Habitus.com 