David Hartley Assistant Chief Constable

[Puggie 10]

Or keep the buggers in prison.

 

That's exactly what we've been doing for the last 50-60 years and it doesn't work. Why would it? We know from history that prohibition doesn't work.

 

I would seem absurd to suggest locking up people suffering with nicotine addiction would somehow solve the issue of smoking.

[Broakham 10]

That's exactly what we've been doing for the last 50-60 years and it doesn't work.

 

It doesn't work because there is a whole industry of simpering hand-wringers whose jobs depend on sending as few people as possible to prison for as short a time as possible.

[Puggie 10]

It doesn't work because there is a whole industry of simpering hand-wringers whose jobs depend on sending as few people as possible to prison for as short a time as possible.

 

Wrong. It doesn't work because you can't use the criminal justice system to sort out a public health matter.

 

Just look at Switzerland for example. They got fed up of the de facto approach that wasn't working. The war on drugs was just causing chaos in many communities and everyone was suffering.

 

The Swiss govt decided to offer pharmaceutical-grade heroin to suffering addicts instead of the junk they were buying off the street.

 

The outcomes have been amazing. Nobody has died since they introduced the programme because the purity and strength of the drug is controlled, HIV and other infections are down, and crime is down massively. Burglaries dropped by 50% and other acquisitive crimes (shoplifting, muggings etc) down by a massive 80%.

 

So maybe its time we put our stubbornness aside and took a leaf out of someone else's book for once.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Puggie

[WarPig 75]

So maybe its time we put our stubbornness aside and took a leaf out of someone else's book for once.

 

Or sent them to prison for longer?

[Sheffieldbee 10]

What good would that do? Prison, for someone who is addicted can be a great respite. Three squares a day, showers, medical help, lots of drugs. Why not help them instead, it'd be cheaper all round.

[chriscalcite 10]

Why not help them instead, it'd be cheaper all round.

 

Exactly - prison costs us (the taxpayers) a heck of a lot of money. We should legalise and tax the drugs. Drug dealing, and all its many attendant crimes, would be virtually wiped out overnight.

[Guest]

Wrong. It doesn't work because you can't use the criminal justice system to sort out a public health matter.

 

Just look at Switzerland for example. They got fed up of the de facto approach that wasn't working. The war on drugs was just causing chaos in many communities and everyone was suffering.

 

The Swiss govt decided to offer pharmaceutical-grade heroin to suffering addicts instead of the junk they were buying off the street.

 

The outcomes have been amazing. Nobody has died since they introduced the programme because the purity and strength of the drug is controlled, HIV and other infections are down, and crime is down massively. Burglaries dropped by 50% and other acquisitive crimes (shoplifting, muggings etc) down by a massive 80%.

 

So maybe its time we put our stubbornness aside and took a leaf out of someone else's book for once.

 

Explain to me how legalising drugs will reduce shoplifting, mugging and burglaries.

[Puggie 10]

Explain to me how legalising drugs will reduce shoplifting, mugging and burglaries.

 

Hi Alan - have a look at [this presentation] by the NHS.

 

Keep in mind that the figures on that presentation are conservative estimates.

 

Exactly - prison costs us (the taxpayers) a heck of a lot of money. We should legalise and tax the drugs. Drug dealing, and all its many attendant crimes, would be virtually wiped out overnight.

 

From an economics standpoint the cost of administering heroin 3x daily everyday in a clinical setting is circa £10k pa/pp. The cost of sending a heroin addict to prison is approx £60k pa/pp (once you factor in court costs). If you then include the the social and economic cost of crime committed by addicts to finance their addiction you'd simply be shaking your head in disbelief at the figures.

 

But if you discard the economics and just focus on the human element, there's no question that the system of offering injectable treatment massively reduces human suffering.

 

It really is humbling when you see it working in practice. The once chaotic addict walking the streets going berserk because he/she is struggling to finance their next intake of contaminated junk is now a stable member of society who is able to function because of the injectable treatment.

[Asaw 10]

The article states that they will have tablets to take statements why don't they do that for hate crimes now. My grandaughter is stiil waiting for herself to make a statement a month on. Mind you from what I have heard regarding everything else it is all wind and press.

[Athmiester 10]

Its just a constant cycle of changing to new ideas and then reverting back to old ones. With each cycle creating promotions for those making the decisions.

Completely agree with this.

[monkey104 10]

Its just a constant cycle of changing to new ideas and then reverting back to old ones. With each cycle creating promotions for those making the decisions.

 

You're not a bobby are you?

[Penistone999 10]

Great idea. I'm sure most food outlets wouldn't even charge them.

 

They dont even get charged for parking on double yellow lines outside the takeaways .