It is the anniversary of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
There is no doubt, despite being a good piece of legislation, the abuse of its application by consecutive governments has meant it has now become an arbitrary tool for prohibition.
To mark the anniversary of the MoDA1971, a group of eminent and prolific figures - including Dame Judi Dench, Sting, Sir Richard Branson and Paul Flynn MP - have signed a letter requesting the unnecessary criminalisation to end . Further signatories include director Mike Leigh, actresses Julie Christie and Kathy Burke. Leading lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC also signed, as has former Labour drug minister Bob Ainsworth MP. Not to mention three former chief constables, Paul Whitehouse, Francis Wilkinson and Tom Lloyd. The letter was arranged by RELEASE.
The list of reform supporters, and their credentials, are vast. On record to reform drugs laws are: Kofi Annan; the former Secretary General to the U.N, Sir Ian Gilmore; former president of the Royal College of Physicians, Nicholas Green QC (Chairman of the UK BAR Council).
In opposition, and to provide the counter argument, is Mary Brett. A science teacher and a trustee of charity Cannabis Skunk Sense. The Home Office has put out an instant rebuttal saying that it will not consider any action other than their current policy.
Original news stories with various degrees of impartiality can be read:
The Guardian
The Daily Mail
The Independent
Mary Brett. >facepalm<
ReplyDeleteGood read. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteHow many more times do we need a "call" before some bugger actually acts, or at least, listen! So so frustrating. This is going to spill over sometime soon I think
ReplyDeleteBubaGanoosh
I agree Buba - the answer is when people actually wake up to what is happening. we are not hitting hard enough because we are trapped into a discourse that dilutes the imperative to transform policy. we need to start thinking about the traditional libertarian principles that are the essence of our common law, our human rights law and indeed the MDA itself - most reformists nowadays seem to think liberty is off the table and prefer to argue for specific entitlements to use drugs in very obvious needy cases. Its a desperate tactic sugar coated as pragmatism. Actually the way to make progress is to aim much higher and rescue the law from the people who are abusing it, the government. we should start from the premise that if an activity from any person with any drug is not causing social harm, then it is private. Forget drugs, regulating drugs, illicit drugs, war on drugs etc - all these are simply constructs to de-personalise and obscure what is happening with the mal-administration of the law. If all these new initiatives were framed in more incisive language they would enrol far more people into this cause.
ReplyDeleteA couple years after I started low carbing I added free weights lifting. And started piling on the pounds. I think I ended up dropping body fat by 15%. While Taubes is technically right that the exercise did not cause that much weight loss the difference in body composition and appearance was most welcome, which is one of the goals of most of us. Rob
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