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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Letter: Heavy-Handed Tactics Are Not Solving Problem
Alun Buffry Evening News, Norwich
Monday 13 Apr 1998 So drug-related crime has shot up in the area (Evening News April 7). What a surprise! It proves that heavy-handed prohibitionist tactics are doing nothing to solve the drugs problem or the associated fund-raising crime. To punish an addict is senseless; they need help. Forcing them to buy their substances of addiction at hugely-inflated illegal market prices, does nothing to help them. I am not suggesting that hard drugs be available over the counter in the corner shop, but it is surely about time that the supply of hard drugs was taken out of the hands of the criminal organisations and pushers. Drugs which cost thousands of pounds on the illegal market could be supplied by doctors at a fraction of the cost. This would immediately knock the bottom out of the criminal supply, reduce fund-raising crime drastically, and help in the identification and treatment of addicts. Such an idea is more than feasible. It has already been tried - and it succeeded - by Doctor John Marks in an area of Liverpool. He legally supplied heroin to addicts and all the above positive consequences were seen. The incidence of new addiction dropped - there was no need for the addicts to raise funds through passing on some of their illegal drugs at a profit to new users. To a person who's heart is set on prohibition and punishemnet the idea of helping addicts may seem unappealing. What is clear is that the present system is disastrous, and a new approach is needed. Sincerely, Alun Buffry
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