[John Bercow in the Chair] — Drug Classification

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 5:03 pm on 14 June 2007.

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Photo of Edward Garnier Edward Garnier Shadow Minister (Home Affairs) 5:03, 14 June 2007

According to the 2004-05 British crime survey published by the Home Office in October 2005, there are more than 1 million class A drug users in Britain. Since 1996, the number of cocaine offences has quadrupled—again, that is information from the Home Office. A total of 142,338 drug offences were recorded by the police in 2004-05, an increase of more than one quarter since 2001-02, when there were 113,500.

The hon. Member for Bolton, South-East remarked on the connection, or disconnection, between mental health and cannabis use. According to a recent written answer to my hon. Friend Mr. Lansley, the shadow Health Secretary, there has been an 85 per cent. increase in hospital admissions on mental health grounds resulting from the use of cannabis since 1997, and a 63 per cent. increase in the past five years. That information came from the Minister of State, Department of Health, Ms Winterton.

To some extent, classification is important because it helps the sentencer, but I dare say it also helps the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to work out what is to be done within the criminal justice setting. The greatest cause of crime is drugs, followed closely by alcohol. The number of people in prison for drugs offences has nearly doubled in the past 10 years. What is more, although the prison population has grown, the proportion of the prison population who are drug offenders is also growing.

I have no information to verify this, but I suspect, by virtue of the fact that those people are in prison, that they are either industrial importers or sellers of class C drugs, or users of class A drugs, and the courts have reached a stage where there is little more that can be done with those individuals to prevent them from reoffending on the outside. The courts do not send people to prison lightly or on a whim. They fully understand that many people who are arrested for drug use and possession would do far better in residential rehabilitation centres outside prison, but there are not enough of them. Unfortunately, the courts have to deal with people who, for good reason or ill, are serial abusers of drugs and the drug laws, and there are not sufficient places for them to be dealt with outside the criminal justice system.

That is regrettable. People who offend simply because of drug use would be far better dealt with not by sending them to prison but by sending them to places where they can be cured of their drug addiction. It is addicts who commit crimes; it is not criminals, by and large, who become drug addicts. As long as we understand that, and as long as we fail to do something about it, the overcrowding of our prisons will continue, if the figures continue on an upward trend as they have in the past.

There is, of course, a hidden drug problem in prisons. There are those who are in prison because they were found guilty of possession or dealing, or even burgling because of a drug habit, be it an A, B or C drug habit, and there are plenty of people in prison who manage to continue to use drugs. The hon. Member for Newport, West pointed out that there is no such a thing as a drug-free prison.

Annotations

Dilys Wood
Posted on 15 Jun 2007 1:33 pm (Report this annotation)

Our drug laws are not fit for purpose and numerous reports have concurred with this view. Why does the government insist on ignoring the sound advise of it's own experts? Illegal or legal, Class A, B or C, it makes no difference to whether people want to take drugs or which they want to use. The war on drugs costs us hugely and cannot be won. Isn't it time to think again? It's our youngsters we should be worrying about and legalisation and education is the only way to reduce demand for and access to drugs for young people.

colin preece
Posted on 15 Jun 2007 6:11 pm (Report this annotation)

I would like to second the statement of Dilys and point to the obvious fact, prohibition is the cause of as much as 80% of recorded crime. It is time for a well regulated management of all drugs. While they remain on the 'black' market without any control, all drug use will continue to escalate as it has done year in year out since prohibition began.

Ryan Baldwin
Posted on 15 Jun 2007 8:08 pm (Report this annotation)

I also agree that our drug laws are not fit for purpose. How much more time and money will we need to waste trying to solve the problems associated with drug use by criminalizing people who produce and poses certain substances. In a society where we use amongst the most dangerous of recreational drugs regularly - like alcohol and nicotine not only is this government policy proving ineffective but it does not seem to have been the result of reasoned thinking. I do realize that as things are today - after the indoctrination on the subject to which we have been subjected - rational thought does not come easy.
Personally I think it's nothing to do with the government what substances I choose to consume in my own home. If I have harmed no one what crime have I committed.I realize some might be eager to point out that people may have been exploited in the production of those drugs - and therefore those are my victims - but I would suggest that it prohibition itself that has led to this situation - a self fulfilling prophecy. Prohibition worsens drugs problems, time to get tougher on drugs, drug problems worsen, we have nothing new to try time to get tougher..... and on and on.
Some may point out - oh but the children - what message would that be sending to them ? Perhaps a message that you need to take responsibility for your actions - not expect someone to save you from the consequences.That taking ANY drug - has it's dangers. Any reasonably intelligent kid growing up will have trouble swallowing such Ill thought out propaganda as that created by for instance FRANK.It does not surprise me that FRANK becomes a joke to the very people its trying to reach out to. Our children really are not stupid and when we encourage them to think for themselves generally they will tend to do so and experimentation will inevitably follow. Unfortunately we have not taught them how to handle these substances - we tend to have taught them untruths which they soon discover to be untruths - but then they fail to see the sliver of truth that was most important.You cant protect people from something by preventing then from learning about it - you just make it even more dangerous for them.It's funny how the so called controlled substances then end up being the least controlled of all. Lastly I once read that the illegal drugs market was the single biggest market in the world. The profits from this market end up in criminal and terrorist hands. It's important I believe to understand that blaming people who use illegal drugs for this is unfair and unjust - this is the fault of prohibition. When where you last in the pub worrying that the pint you just brought might be funding you own destruction - That pint contains 'drugs' to - they just happen not to be subject to prohibition.
We have serious problems with this legal drug - alcohol in our society - would you take me seriously if I suggested we could solve these problems by classifying it as class A - considering thats where it should be if we really do believe the state should prevent us from consuming drugs by subjecting us to punishment in order to protect us.

Rev. Paul Farnhill
Posted on 17 Jun 2007 11:57 am (Report this annotation)

In referrence to the supposed 85% increase in cannabis related hospital admissions. Firstly could I point out that the figures for admissions do not indicate how many people were admitted more than once, but let's pretend they are accurate.

The Institute for Alcohol Studies states that for the year 2004-5 there were 126,300 hospital admissions for alcohol related mental health problems. If we say half the current population are old enough to, and choose to, drink alcohol regularly that would be 1 in every 238 drinkers. The statistics being used by the Conservatives in a vague attempt to prove cannabis is dangerous state that 946 people were admitted for cannabis related mental health problems. Using the government's own estimate 10% of the current population use cannabis regularly. Which is 1 in every 6,342 cannabis users.

So what the Conservatives have actually proven is that alcohol is 26.65 times more damaging to mental health than cannabis.