10/05/2007 16:00:00
Letter: Cannabis Raids Won't Reduce Drug Deaths
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Following a series of raids on Norwich houses growing cannabis, police
reportedly said : "this will make a large impact on the drug-dealing
community." (Dawn raids on cannabis growers, EDP, 25 April)
On May 8th, we read that "Det Sgt Dave Mytton oversaw seven raids in
Norwich in the past fortnight, which resulted in 11 arrests and the
seizure of about 2,000 cannabis plants."
In the same article: "Latest government figures show 60 people in the
county died as a result of taking drugs in 2005 - a rise from 34 deaths
in 2003." (Drug deaths soar: Police target pushers"}
What exactly do drugs deaths have to do with cannabis growers? Taking
away supplies of cannabis merely sends a percentage of less fortunate
users on to hard drugs that do kill.
Police have continually raided cannabis growers and dealers over the
years, yet there has never been any serious reduction in availability,
only quality.
Following the attack on so-called cannabis factories, over the last
year, there has been a long spate of cannabis covered with ground glass
and who-know-what else, not just in Norfolk. This is a far more serious
threat to health than the cannabis itself. The prohibition of
attractive and commercially-viable commodities such as cannabis has and
never will work, just like it never worked with a alcohol in the US or
UK years ago.
Far from limiting harm, it increases it. In fact the two yardsticks
used by police to measure their success are a lowering of quality and
increase in price - both with associated increases in harm.
Legalisation of cannabis would not only allow police time to concentrate
on hard drugs that do kill (cannabis use per se does not), save billions
of pounds, allow consumer protection and advice, but it would raise
revenue through taxation on profits.
It is legalisation, not prohibition, that will reduce harm.
Alun Buffry
Legalise Cannabis Alliance
PO Box 198
Norwich
http://www.EDP24.co.uk/
http://www.lca-uk.org
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12546
Author:
Eastern Daily Press via UKCIA
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