Responding to comments from the Prime Minsiter and Deputy Prime Minister on drugs policy, Simon Barrow, co-director of the Christian thinktank Ekklesia, said:
“The proposal for a formal Royal Commission on drugs policy, and the issues raised by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, cannot simply be swept aside.
“A more sane drugs debate, which recognises that legislation and intervention should be aimed at harm reduction and the breaking of criminal control, rather than an ineffectual ‘look how tough we are’ attitude, is badly needed.
“Political posturing through a ‘war on drugs’ approach is not working. It is important to end the silence on this reality.
“Politicians, churches, voluntary groups and others have been afraid to speak on this issue because of continued scaremongering. But the evidence of the true cost of failure to do so, locally and globally, is growing all the time.”
* Background here: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/warondrugs