The war on drugs kills another seven Britons. How many more must die for a bankrupt idea?

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The war on drugs kills another seven Britons. How many more must die for a bankrupt idea?

17 July 2013

Another summer, another reminder of the consequences of our drug laws: "A man has been arrested in connection with the death of an 18-year-old who had taken fake ecstasy tablets", "The woman died in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, on Tuesday. She and three friends had taken green tablets with a Rolex Crown logo on them".

Of course, no-one needs to purchase ecstasy and primary responsibility for these horrid deaths lies with the people who manufactured these pills.

Nevertheless, unscrupulous (and stupid) suppliers are not the only culpable actors in this sorry tragedy. Parliamentarians share some blame too. They may only be secondarily responsible but they cannot wish their responsibility away. Because these deaths, horrid as they are, must be the obvious, oft-noted, consequence of prohibition.

Once upon a time David Cameron recognised this. Before he became leader of the Conservative party he was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee and, way back then, declared himself open to “alternative ways – including the possibility of legalisation and regulation – to tackle the global drugs dilemma.”

Read here the full article.

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