The UK drug policy commission warns that the current 40 year old Misuse of Drugs Act is outdated and made increasingly redundant by the rise of “legal highs” and increasing availability of drugs on the internet. In its report, Taking Drugs Seriously (the name is either pun intended or unfortunately chosen, or both), the commission points to research sources that indicate that legislating legal highs (soft drug) automatically leads to a decrease in the use of more dangerous substances. The report therefore suggests the government shifts from a drug control legislation to a consumer protection legislation. This new policy would mean that drug vendors will be compelled to prove that their substances meet certain standards and to provide information on dosage and side effects with the drugs.
The government, having always favoured prohibition, is reluctant to contemplate the suggestions uttered by the report.
I don’t have an opinion as to whether drugs should be legal under certain conditions or not. I think the focus should be on the problems caused by drugs and how to minimize them, and minimizing problems with anything I think is not by definition done best by attempting to shield people from any potential harm. Key to solving any political or sociological problem I think is to start with being open to all sides of the argument. Ironically, I think the government should be more open minded when it comes to drugs.
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