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Euro MP's call to legalise heroin


24/ 8/2005

CALLS to legalise the sale of all drugs - including heroin - by the Liberal Democrat Euro MP who represents Macclesfield have been rejected by the Home Office.

Chris Davies, who represents the North West in the European Parliament, says that creating a regulated market is the only way of stopping drug money going into "the pockets of criminals and funding terrorist activities".

His views are in direct opposition to his party leadership, which opposes legalisation and the Home Office rejected his call, claiming the move would lead to a "significant" increase in drug use.

But Mr Davies, who was once arrested while protesting in support of Stockport "cannabis cafe" owner Colin Davies, denied his policy would be a green light to people to take more dangerous and addictive drugs.

He said making the drugs illegal simply allows criminals to make millions by supplying them, leaving the taxpayer a huge bill for keeping users and suppliers in jail - cash he says would be better spent on rehabilitation.

Mr Davies said: "Taking a small percentage of the drugs off the market simply forces up the price, adding to the already vast profits made by the traffickers and providing a stronger financial incentive for others to get involved. It's a vicious circle.

"Far from preventing the use of illegal drugs, prohibition creates the profits which drive the growth of the trade.

"It leads to the corruption of our institutions and provides funds for terrorism.

"Taken in excessive quantities, all drugs are dangerous and no one wants a free for all, but many of the problems stem directly from the criminality involved.

"At present, drug users can never be entirely sure what they are putting in their bodies."

But the Lib Dems have distanced themselves from Mr Davies' comments. A spokesman said: "This is certainly not a party policy."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The Government has no intention of legalising the recreational use of any currently-controlled drug. While our drug laws cannot be expected to eliminate drug misuse, there is no doubt that they do help to limit use and deter experimentation."


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Most recent 2 of 3 user comments

   Its great to see this actually being mentioned, but government will do nothing to implement logic or good sense untill it wins them votes, and the media is anti-drugs, it sells 'fear for your kids' stories and makes good (though inaccurate) press. untill someone in power actually has the courage to do whats right and act on their convictions nothing will change and people will die and crimes will be committed to fund drug habits. all fact and well establised.
cliff seaward, London
30/08/2005 at 13:26
   "While our drug laws cannot be expected to eliminate drug misuse, there is no doubt that they do help to limit use and deter experimentation." In other words: "Fewer users are preferred over fewer deaths. Let the people who want to use drugs risk killing themselves as long as it decreases the probability of my son/daughter trying drugs." This is the same attitude as that of the alcohol prohibitionist Irving Fisher: "Prohibitionists such as Irving Fisher lamented that the drunkards must be forgotten in order to concentrate the benefits of Prohibition on the young. Prevent the young from drinking and let the older alcoholic generations die out." (http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html) Replace "drunkards"/"alcoholic[s]" with "drug users" and the quote from this article displays the same attitude as that of Irving Fisher, a supporter of alcohol prohibition in the US from 1920-1933 which was a complete failure.
Rune, Denmark
28/08/2005 at 16:01
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