Pubdate: Thu, 11 Oct 2007
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Copyright: 2007 BBC
Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

BRUNSTROM'S CAMPAIGN OVER DRUGS

North Wales Police chief constable Richard Brunstrom has said he will 
be "campaigning hard" for drugs such as heroin to be legalised.

In the past, Mr Brunstrom has said drugs laws are out of date and 
that the police are engaged in a battle which they cannot win.

He is now campaigning for drugs to be legalised, and for the class A, 
B and C system to be scrapped.

Mr Brunstrom's suggestions have already been criticised by some politicians.

In a report to be presented to the North Wales Police Authority next 
Monday, he says the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be replaced by a 
new "Substance Misuse Act".

Class A drug users are responsible for half of all crime, taking the 
risk of legalising such a dangerous drug is foolhardy and I would not 
wish to gamble so much on the health and wellbeing of our children MP 
for Alyn and Deeside Mark Tami

The chair of the authority, councillor Ian Roberts, said there would 
be a "full and frank debate" on the issue.

In the report Mr Brunstrom writes: "if policy on drugs is in future 
to be pragmatic not moralistic, driven by ethics not dogma, then the 
current prohibitionist stance will have to be swept away as both 
unworkable and immoral....

"Such a strategy leads inevitably to the legalisation and regulation 
of all drugs".

His report was prepared in response to the HM Government Consultation 
paper "Drugs: Our community, your say", and the forthcoming Welsh 
Assembly Government consultation on the all Wales substance misuse strategy.

The Transform Drug Policy Foundation (TDPF), which describes itself 
as a charitable think-tank and says drug prohibition is the major 
cause of drug-related harm to individuals, communities and nations, 
welcomed Mr Brunstrom's report.

Director Danny Kushlick said: "We are absolutely delighted at Mr 
Brunstrom's paper.

"The chief constable has displayed great leadership and imagination 
in very publicly calling for a drug policy that replaces the evident 
failings of prohibition with a legal system of regulation and control 
for potentially dangerous drugs".

But MP for Alyn and Deeside Mark Tami said claiming the legalising of 
heroin to be the only way forward was "blinkered and dangerous".

He said drugs policy was not "black and white" and a more considered 
approach had to be taken.

He said: "As 280,000 Class A drug users are responsible for half of 
all crime, taking the risk of legalising such a dangerous drug is 
foolhardy and I would not wish to gamble so much on the health and 
wellbeing of our children."

'Deprivation And Poverty'

Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sergeant said a more sustainable solution 
would be to tackle the causes of drug abuse.

He said: "Drug use is strongly linked to deprivation and poverty, 
which is why so much money has been invested in lifting people - 
particularly children - out of poverty."

Mr Brunstrom's comments come as Conwy Council's cabinet is preparing 
to discuss plans for a needle exchange machine which the force want 
installed in Colwyn Bay.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman