DRUGS.
The home secretary, Alan Johnson sacked the chairman of the Goverment's drug advisory body following publication of a report containing the chairman's well-researched comments that illicit drugs should be classified according to the actual evidence of harm they cause. In this report he pointed out that alcohol and tobacco caused far more harm than LSD, ecstasy and cannabis. These facts have been well known for many years, and still this and previous Goverment policies concerning the classification and use of illicit drugs ignores these facts.
This sacking was followed by resignations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and the threat of mass action from other Council members.
Apart from the possible creation of a crisis in Goverment policy making, this piece of news once again shines a light on some very uncomfortable truths:
Government policies in this area fails to stem the flow of illegal drugs onto our streets, and they also criminalise a significant number of individuals each year for recreational drug-taking; activities which are significantly less harmful than their legal counterparts (Alcohol and tobacco).
Gin and tonic, anyone?
