Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jan 2007 Source: East Fife Mail (UK) Copyright: 2007 Johnston Press Digital Publishing Contact: http://www.fifenow.co.uk/newsfront.aspx?sectionid=1023 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4394 FIFE SHOULD GO DUTCH ON DRUGS ISSUE Levenmouth's MP believes drug laws should be relaxed and a more tolerant approach - like that in Holland - should be adopted. John MacDougall, MP for Glenrothes Constituency, reckoned bringing drug users into the open, rather than dealing with them on the sidelines, might show young people the drug lifestyle was far from glamorous. Prime Minister Tony Blair has appointed Mr MacDougall to a role as link MP with Holland, with his main brief to find out how effective Dutch policies on drug use were and the differences they'd made to communities. The MP said that, contrary to popular belief, drugs were not legal in Holland although they were 'tolerated'. "The approach by the authorities is one where a drug user is seen as a person and not a problem. Many drug users want to quit, but as with smoking addicts, they find it difficult. "The basis is police work with the health service, churches and community groups to help the users." Mr MacDougall said the impact of the drug culture in local communities was well known. Apart from the misery caused to individuals, families were ripped apart. "Schools and workplaces become targets for pushers. Crime rates and anti-social behaviour can rise alarmingly. A huge amount of police time is spent writing reports, attending court and responding to incidents. The work of doctors, nurses and hospitals can be severely affected," he said. "I am fully aware of the issues they face on a day-to-day basis. "If we want to tackle seriously the problems of anti-social behaviour, we must understand the causes. "Surely we can learn from successful policies used elsewhere and avoid tragedies such as the murders in Suffolk, where the victims were almost certainly involved in drug misuse." Mr MacDougall noted theft in Holland was down by about 30 per cent, police had been freed up to allow time on the beat, and 'shooting galleries' and syringes were rarely seen. "Difficult circumstances are not resolved by simple solutions," he added. "That's why we must not be driven by what we are against but rather by what we are for. That kind of thinking can make a real difference in our communities." Heavy criticism was aimed recently at two hospitals in England which adopted similar policies to Holland by medically supervising and administering drugs to users. "The reality is there was a large reduction in police and court time wasted, a reduction in harm to users through dirty needles and reduced crime and anti-social behaviour," said Mr MacDougall. "I look forward to the conclusions of the trial in these hospitals. They are likely to challenge many of the taboos surrounding how society treats the drug issue." Mr MacDougall added: "My colleagues in Holland expect cocaine and heroin will have disappeared from the scene in the near future. "There is a real prospect of making a difference to our communities if we act now. 'There is no magic wand, but I hope my remit in Parliament will assist in bringing possible answers to these complex problems that afflict a number of areas in my constituency." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek