Pubdate: Tue, 12 Dec 2006
Source: Herald, The (UK)
Copyright: 2006 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.theherald.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/189
Author: Kevin Green
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)

A WAR ON DRUGS IS SOUNDBITE POLITICS AND BOUND TO FAIL

Duncan McNeil truly is the king of spin. Watching him do backflips to 
link New Labour's policy of drug cessation instead of harm reduction 
to his May ramblings was truly breathtaking (Drugs contract will put 
children's rights first, December 11).

Alas, still no detail from big Dunc. Does he still justify only 
giving addicts methadone if it contains contraceptives? Does he tell 
us what the "compulsory measures" will be if the addict breaks the 
social contract and has a family? Loss of benefit, dawn raids and 
children removed and parents in handcuffs? No, Duncan merely points 
out that New Labour has adopted a vague agreement, to develop some 
policy, sometime before the next election. This, it would seem, 
justifies his ramblings back in May.

Duncan, the spiking of methadone with contraceptives has not become 
"politically mainstream" - the "usual suspects" just don't take you 
seriously any more, so have stopped reacting; you are the Scottish 
court jester. A war on drugs like the war on all nouns - such as 
terror - is bound to fail because it is just soundbite politics with 
no substance. Oh, and the "current approach" which has been failing, 
this has been Labour policy for as long as can be remembered so don't 
go blaming the people on the ground.

Here is a novel idea - how about a contract between political parties 
and the voters that they need to stick to? This could contain things 
such as developing economic prospects for all, not the few, raising 
the confidence of our nation instead of insulting us, and an 
agreement not to sell the next generation into unmanageable levels of 
PFI debt for current political expediency. If this contract is broken 
there will be "compulsory measures".

To paraphrase Mr McNeil - although not universally accepted, there is 
a broad recognition that the life of the nation under New Labour "is 
pretty miserable".

Kevin Green

Port Glasgow
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman