UK Drug Policy: Call for an impact assessment and cost benefit analysis.

[The Minkey]

The petition calling for an impact assessment of the UK's drug policy has amassed an incredible 99,110 signatures, a mere 890 short of the 100,000 needed to force a debate in Parliament. With just short of 48 hours left to reach that target, it would be a great pity if it were to come so far to fall at the last hurdle. Please consider signing if you haven't already done so.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45969

As this is a government petition, you will need to click on the verifying email to register your vote.

[*Bob*]

Now at 102k

Jobsagoogun

[El Pibe]

They've already responded with a 'but look what we're doing aren't we marvellous' which actually amounts to very little of substance (no pun intended), despite some very good recommendations, and some bleating about education and prevention.

Meanwhile business as usual.

[steveo]

I'll have an E Bob

[El Pibe]

well done caroline lucas for imploring the government to make their policy more evidnce based, although somewhat undermined by her support for NHS funded homeopathy....whoops!

[Dopamine1979]

I agree that the UK Drug Policy needs to be looked at. Are there any countries with a more effective model?

[*Bob*]

It's hard to imagine how much more of a pickle the current 'policy' on drugs (if you could call it that) could be in.

Old-skool drugs more readily available than ever, with more variable contents. Police policy is largely toleration - unless you get plain unlucky, or they have some other purpose (such as getting somewhere closed down, getting some arrest numbers on paper). The current cycle of tail-chasing over legal highs (legal to illegal high, change a molecule, back to legal etc etc) has set the template for years to come - in a way much more worrying than trad drugs imo.

Anyway; chances of any real change to the status quo are about as likely as .. say .. a ban on landings at Heathrow prior to 7am. It aint gonna happen!

[ianr]

> 99,110 signatures, a mere 890 short of the 100,000 needed to force a debate in Parliament.

"needed to be considered for debate" is more accurate. http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/e-petitions-/#jump-link-0

[The Minkey]

True, considered would have been more accurate. Anyway moving on, it's reached its target so a debate may be on the cards. Long overdue, imo.

As for countries with more successful drug policies, Portugal seems to have had some success with theirs since they moved to decriminalise: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html

Other than that, it's worth keeping an eye on Uruguay which legalised cannabis last December, and those US states that have done the same.