Would legalising drugs help resolve this social ill?

[vowels]

I have just read a report that a retiring Commissioner, Afron Jones, is calling for controlled amounts of cannabis to be given to prisoners to help stem the drug problem in our jails.

bbc/news/uk-wales-56215137

He also advocates for clean neeedle exchanges and for safe, clean areas for addicts to inject.

Punitive measures have done nothing to reduce this problem, do you believe it is time to treat drug use as a social and medical issue?

[lindylou46]

Really difficult question but off the top of my head my answer would be no. If you do wrong then get food, lodging , heating, education and now recreational drugs for free then where is the deterrent? May be simplistic but that is my view.

[400ixl]

How do you stop it becoming a currency?

[nolypops83]

Originally Posted by vowels

I have just read a report that a retiring Commissioner, Afron Jones, is calling for controlled amounts of cannabis to be given to prisoners to help stem the drug problem in our jails.

bbc/news/uk-wales-56215137

He also advocates for clean neeedle exchanges and for safe, clean areas for addicts to inject.

Punitive measures have done nothing to reduce this problem, do you believe it is time to treat drug use as a social and medical issue?

See more...

Yes, I think it's a step in the right direction. Controlling what goes into these drugs would prevent many unnecessary deaths. Lets face it, if you want to get your hands on drugs then it's VERY easy to do so. I grew up in Blackpool and now live in Manchester City Centre and it's everywhere. In work places, in schools, on the streets. Alcohol is just as bad for you, but at least if you're drinking you know exactly what measures you're having. Making it a safe as possible should be the priority now.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Quite sad the a Police and Crime Commissioner who is about to retire decides to publish his views on Prisons which are nothing to do with him at all.

Maybe he has followed the views of Richard Brunstrom who was a Chief Constable of North Wales Police many years ago and wanted to legalise all drugs everywhere including heroin.

[skalexander]

In my opinion, no. There will always be black market commodities and those who want to profit from them and exploit others. If it wasn't drugs, it would be something else.

As to the article, prisons should be assisting prisoners with addressing the issues they came to prison with, with a view to helping them move on when they are released and reducing their risk of reoffending. IMHO, the answer is to provide proper funding and resourcing to prisons, not to ply prisoners with controlled drugs.

[Labboy]

Such a hard subject Vowels, so sad for some people who are dependant, would hate to be in that situation.

[Lostbrain]

I'm not sure about cannabis in prisons, but I think legalisation could remove criminal gangs from drug trade, raise taxation and start to address exploitation of people involved in the drug trade.

Alcohol prohibition was a failure and yet we persist in expecting to solve drugs this way? Baffles me.

I think drug use should be seen as a health rather than criminal issue, punishment isn't a deterrent.

[Guest]

I've just watched the Laurel Canyon docu so my answer is no.

They destroy lives and stunt creativity.

[TigerMom]

I think they should legalise the lot. If you can buy it at Boots and Superdrug it will soon lose its appeal and in the meantime the government can tax it like cigarettes. We will never win the war on drugs so let's try something different.