Release submission to Home Affairs Select Committee on the cocaine trade
15 July 2009
In May 2009, the Home Affairs Select Committee on the cocaine trade announced their intention to investigate the trends in cocaine use in the UK, and progress in tackling the cocaine trade, in terms of reducing both supply and demand in the UK.
Several IDPC members submitted memorandums to the Home Affairs Select Committee on this issue.
In their submission, Release, argues that celebrity culture of using drugs does not affect the use of drugs by young people as implied by UNODC. They also advise that looking at absolute numbers of users is not an adequate way to address the harms caused and also that a increase in price and fall in purity of cocaine in the UK cannot be considered an indicator of successful policy.