Enough is enough. There has been ample discussion on this topic. It is now time for action. Drugs need to be legalised. Not just decriminalised, not just ‘soft drugs’, but all drugs.
Criminalisation of drugs has been the policy for decades yet current usage shows this is clearly a broken strategy. However Holland and Portugal have clearly demonstrated that not only do alternative strategies exist, but they are also far more effective at tackling this age old challenge.
And even more controversially, supply of illicit drugs must become the responsibility of society, regulated by the government or the healthcare system, or better yet, both. If the government takes on the role of supplier, it would reduce crime, it could ensure dosage consistency to reduce overdoses thereby reducing mortality and health care costs.
Also, controlling the Market would also free up police to target other serious crime. It would also reduce uptake as the supplier will no longer be encouraging the behaviour. Moreover, education, social and medical help could then be targeted directly to the vulnerable population to ensure current support systems achieve greater success. And perhaps with a stable supply for current addicts, there would be less incentive to identify alternative options for illicit escapism such as experimental use of as yet unclassified drugs, further reducing the impact on public health. And with social control, education can be placed alongside the supply. It could impart change and benefit all of us. How much crime is associated with the criminalisation of drugs? Arguably, we are all losers from the current policy so this proposed dramatic change in policy isn’t entirely altruistic.
Furthermore, criminalisation of drugs is also simply a recipe for social decay. Criminal gangs supply the drugs. At best this is a passive process of immoral capitalism by criminals, at worst, active public denial of the exploitation and expenditure of the portion of society at greatest risk.
If the social shame from last century was how the mentally disadvantaged were treated by society, then arguably for this century it is how we treat those who abuse psychoactive chemicals. Drug abuse needs to be treated for what it is; a health problem, a cry for help. Choosing escape from a current unpleasant reality shows hope for better days (as opposed to simply committing suicide). Society has clearly recognised that denigration of the mentally disadvantaged in unacceptable. Yet the social stigma of drug abuse remains as strong as ever. And as long as it remains both illegal and a behaviour of the rich and successful (e.g. rock stars & bankers) it will be an irresistible temptation for some. However punishing an individual for drug abuse is counter productive. And too often this behaviour is only identified once it has become habitual. Once entrenched, often other behaviours have often also been acquired – theft, violence, prostitution. And all of these individuals have been failed by society. Yet each drug user is someone’s son/daughter/lover/partner/mother/father/brother/sister. We should feel equally ashamed by failing to help them as they likely do from their habit.
Yet another objection to criminalisation of drugs is the casual classism that it represents. If you’re rich, you go to rehab at Harley St, the Betty Ford or the Mayo clinics. If you’re poor, you go to prison on the taxpayer’s dime. It would seem that drug criminalisation also represents just another opportunity for the upper classes to claim moral superiority by bullying those less fortunate. Even in 20th century Britain, poverty and class remain the final prejudices that retain tacit social approval. "let he who is without sin, cast the first stone". Sadly it would appear that age old biblical quotes remain just as topical today as they did two millennia ago.
Finally, the first response to news of suicide usually involves belated intimations of willingness to support. Well if drug abuse is the cry for help, then we should put our energies into action and offer help where it is needed. It may not be pretty. It may require unknown resources of courage. This is a deep routed social problem and resolution likely requires exposure of ugly demons indeed. But it is high time that society stands up to the challenge of helping the unfortunate, not simply attempting to ignore them.
Rest assured, I abhor the use of drugs. This is not an essay to suggest that drug abuse behaviour is acceptable or ok. It is a self-destructive, immature form of self-harm. No solution will be perfect. Sadly there will always be a minority who are beyond help; those who don’t want to be saved. We can’t save everyone, how many people commit suicide each year? Nothing is perfect, but clearly the current system is broken.
The time for change is now. If we want a better society, we need to make it, it won’t just happen!
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