Skunk is causing misery – criminalisation isn’t working
Drugs reform has been urged by doctors and police chiefs. Yet our politicians have failed to act, and the consequences have been disastrous
The Guardian (UK)
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Can Britain ever kill its worst taboo? This week’s news of the soaring prevalence of skunk, in place of weaker and less harmful herbal forms of cannabis, is appalling. With other news of prison chaos due to an epidemic of artificial cannabis (spice), government drugs policy is devoid of coherence – and clearly lethal. Deaths from drug misuse are now at an all-time high. Every move towards liberalising Britain’s drug laws is opposed by every government. Reform has been proposed by doctors, backbenchers, police chiefs, the press and pressure groups from right and left. The truth is that the prevalence of harmful drugs in Britain is not caused by policy. It is caused by politicians.
