Drugs are harmful. To some more so than to others. Dependent on usage, the substance, psychosocial factors, and so on. “Ever since man pressed grape” (AA Big Book), or smoked poppy seed, or cannabis leaves, of chewed coca there was a quality of intoxication available with different consequences and outcomes. Drugs are also helping humans and animals have a better quality of life. People use drugs for many reasons, but mainly for pleasure. The history of legislation is interesting, and drug wars are not new, but human rights, choice, and harm reduction, legislation and criminalisation have become the by-words of the pro and con lobby on drug policy. There can be choice in the matter as to when, what, and how drugs are used and by whom, alcohol and tobacco having been legislated for decades. The ‘war on drugs’ however, was lost before it started. Not that we ever look at the bigger picture. The headlines always cloud the facts, and the facts, or research based evidence is scant, or ignored. Fighting the “threat” of drugs becomes an end in itself. Self referential, self justifying rhetoric smothers the possibility of open, meaningful evaluation and debate. The notion of a debate, a public one even, could transform the government’s policy on drugs. However, the very mention of drugs polarises opinion. The rhetoric used in the discourses of “the war on drugs”, “evil”, “eradication of drugs”, and “a drug free world” makes for a moral crusade that in effect misses the point entirely. Looking at the issue dispassionately is problematic when, the drug “issue” is considered in Parliament to be a “Third Rail” issue. Very few politicians want to enrage their constituents by being radically opposed to anything that does not demonise or vilify drug users. Presently, social inequalities that exist create a prevalence of drug related deaths, and drug dependency generally in the homeless or problematic housing demographic. Poor education, low income or poverty, and poor social support and education add to the struggles of a very large percentage of people in large cities and towns. Add to this the criminalisation aspect that goes hand in hand with drug dependency, and the problem is exacerbated. Alcohol and tobacco kill more and create enormous social problems, but tax revenue and the regulation of both substances create a discourse of normality on the subject. Illicit drugs kill fewer, but the social ramifications, the ultra conservative views held by governments and a large collection of society mean that a change in how the UK drug policy is drawn up. A debate is needed. All those who have a voice on the matter need to be present. Social inequalities, social exclusion, poverty, and human rights need to be on the agenda. Research needs to be funded, not so that it can be used as a weapon, but so as to guide rational, thoughtful, reflective, learning from past mistakes, and past wins, to enable a grown up, non judgemental approach to the problem of drug use in communities. “Docs or a cop” is often one of the arguments. The Home Office took over the management of drug addiction many years ago. To de-stigmatise the increasing issue of drug related problems, give addiction back to the Health Department. Lets us talk about the drug issue from a grown up and educated place, not from a knee jerk, fear based, narrow minded and therefore ineffectual place leaving thins as they are.
