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Lib Dems ‘decriminalise drugs’ call

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This in from a valued reader and possible new researcher/writer for this site.

Oh yea, and the http://www.pressassociation.com/ for breaking it, highlighted parts are my own take on this.

Liberal Democrats are poised to call for the decriminalization of the possession of all drugs, insisting that current laws are “harmful” and “ineffective”. Yep just like America has been doing.

Party members are almost certain to back a motion at next month’s conference urging the Government to set up an expert panel to consider the decriminalization of personal drug use. And they would wouldn’t they, the Lib Dem‘s need the support, so this little sweetener is hopes for favor.

The motion will become party policy if it wins support at the conference in Birmingham, which is likely to provoke tensions with the party’s Conservative coalition partners. And tension there will certainly be, the CONservatives are all about protection and continuation of wealth accumulation.

The Lib Dem’s would like to see drug law reforms based on legislation in Portugal, where the personal use of any controlled drug is no longer a criminal offence. No longer!! try ten years and the fact that drug abuse has fallen since their trial started.

Drug users would no longer face a prison sentence or fine but would instead be required to go for treatment or counselling. The current penalties for dealing drugs would not change. Maybe but they would have to re-evaluate how much is considered legal for personal use.

The motion states that there is “increasing evidence that the UK’s drugs policy is not only ineffective and not cost-effective but actually harmful, impacting particularly severely on the poor and marginalised”. It points out that those countries which have decriminalised possession of drugs have not seen increased use of those drugs relative to their neighbours. Bingo!! but those facts have been around for years and we are stuck with a government lagging behind.

“Individuals, especially young people, can be damaged both by the imposition of criminal records and by a drug habit, and … the priority for those addicted to all substances must be healthcare, education and rehabilitation, not punishment,” the motion says. Common sence don’t you think?

“One of the key barriers to developing better drugs policy has been the previous Labour government‘s persistent refusal to take on board scientific advice, and the absence of an overall evaluative framework of the UK’s drugs strategy.” Sort of true, we know that Labour sacked their top scientific advisor over the legalisation of cannabis, only to hire a YES man who to my knowledge is the current advisor, the truth of the matter is all past governments have been demonizing drug use, while happily raking it in from the diminished health of drinkers and smokers.

Lib Dem members believe that an evidence-based policy could produce large savings for the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, which could be reinvested in education, treatment and rehabilitation programmes. Ok but will they show all of the evidence found that some drugs (cannabis) are actually beneficial to your health, look up cannabis kills CANCER!!

The motion will be moved by Ewan Hoyle, founder of Liberal Democrats for Drug Policy Reform, and supported by Lib Dem MEP Sir Graham Watson. Party members can submit amendments to the motion by September 5, ahead of the conference on September 17-21.