Oberstgruppenführer Richard Brunstrom has another brainwave

[Satch]

Must be something about being a Chief Constable that drives them mad.

Having decided to plaster North Wales with speed cameras and persecute motorists, his latest wheeze (presumably to free up more yet more officers to persue his crusade against road users) is to suggest once again that heroin might be made freely available on the state.

Drawing a comparison with Prohibition in the USA he reckons current drugs law does more harm than good.

I see the towering logic of it all now. Motorists will get heavily fined at the very least excuse by the North Wales police so the state can then fund the habits of junkies in Rhyl. Good thinking, Richard.

 

[vito113]

He hasn't finished yet!

He's also issued a Fatwa to all Police forces that motorists with dirty number plates are to be fined up to £1000 and should be considered for prosecution for "Obstructing the Police". The reason? He has noticed that some motorists who have dirty number plates have been slipping through GATSO's without having their number plates read!

Still with his barmy ideas on drugs he'll make a good team with Piddick A.K.A. 'The Camp Commander' in London.

(Please note!! it's Police Officers who refer to him by that title! I didn't make it up myself.)

Andy

 

[Sp!ke]

Actually, I think he's on the right track!

Just think about it a little deeper without prejudicial preconceptions.

They say that upto 80% of all crime is drugs related - whether that is dealing itself, drugs dealers battling over territorial rights, smuggling & production and addicts stealing to pay for their habits.

If all addicts could 'score' their drugs in a safe environment for free by going into a drop-in centre, they would not need to steal. Their usage could be carefully monitored and very slowly they could be weaned off the drugs and onto placebo's without even realising. The drugs themselves would be clean and not cut with household cleaners and other harmfull chemicals to boost profits of the dealer, therefore reducing deaths by maintaining a consistent strength.

Dealers would go out of business as there would not be the steady demand of addicted customers.

Because of this, housing estates would rid themselves of this menace and be cleaned up, kids wouldnt be exposed to the drugs or have dealers tempting them on their doorsteps therefore massively reducing the drugs culture we currently have, year on year.

....And what would customs and Police do with all that free time I ask??

The only thing that the chief constable has missed which is crucial for the above to work is that the drugs *need* to be consumed or administered *onsite* within the confines of the clinic. If this is not adhered to, then the drugs will leave the clinic and back out onto the street for resale to those that want to "experiment". After all, all drug addicts start out by experimenting.

 

[mrfiepro]

right on spike....................

 

[kikkthecat]

Couldn't agree more.
But like you I would be worried about all the free court, police and customs time.

But Hey !! I'm a motorist, I'm used to being the fall guy.

 

[vito113]

Fair point… but consider

The argument in favour of legalisation is in principle sound, ie reducing crime, but consider these points…

I suspect the stigma around drugs and the penalties for use or possession are what stops many of us from attempting to try or use them.

Making it available from pharmacies in order to make it both sterile and quality controlled could bring in a new market of people who would want to try drugs. If they keep using them we could start a new wave of addiction and drug related deaths.

I could however, be wrong. But it does seem however, that with wider use of drugs, there would be more long term health repercussions.

Now Alchohol is legal, but many people are suffering serious health problems because of the current upward trend in consumption amongst young people.

I worry that legalising Heroin could have similar repercussions.

Let's not forget, Heroin (an opiate), is a very bad substance to be injecting regularly into your body. I sometimes have to take morphine for my arthritis, but then I do have to go for regular blood checks to make sure nothing untoward is happening. It seems we could be letting ourselves in for a large programme of monitoring and treatment.

I do think we do need some form of more realistic response to drug use. Yes, make hard drugs available on perscription, but then I would want to see all dealers outside the state scheme subjected to a mandatory (serve minimum 30 years) life sentence. And all addicts required to submit to some form of registration scheme.

What ever happens its not going to be any easy problem to solve.

Andy

 

[Sp!ke]

Vito,

I agree that there is no easy answer to the problem and there are many pitfalls and gotcha's along the way which would have to be thought through thoroughly.

One thing for sure though is that our current strategy is losing the war on dugs rapidly and something drastic has to be done to halt its progression.

I suspect the stigma around drugs and the penalties for use or possession are what stops many of us from attempting to try or use them.

I dont believe this for a second... in fact I would go as far as to say, that the old addage "rules are meant to be broken", positively encourages mischevous teenagers to sample.

Making it available from pharmacies in order to make it both sterile and quality controlled could bring in a new market of people who would want to try drugs. If they keep using them we could start a new wave of addiction and drug related deaths.

I wouldn't advocate chemists being involved - they would need to be specialised clinics. The clinics would only administer drugs to those that have tested positive to a dependency therefore no new market would arise. Those wannabe experimenting drug users find it increasingly harder to find dealers from which to purchase as not only would it not be lucretive enough for the dealers but it would also be much harder for them to purchase from the manufacturers themselves.

Would a columbian drug barron bother to take an expensive gamble ilegally shipping relatively small quantities into the country when he can legitimately deal direct with governments? Quite simply, Street dealers will have no supply chain, nor the volume of customers to make it pay.

I could however, be wrong. But it does seem however, that with wider use of drugs, there would be more long term health repercussions.

I do not think this would encourage wider usage.

Now Alchohol is legal, but many people are suffering serious health problems because of the current upward trend in consumption amongst young people.

I worry that legalising Heroin could have similar repercussions.

Yes, but Alchohol isnt administered under controlled conditions - more of a free for all. Besides which, the alchohol issues we have in the UK stem mostly from our draconian licencing laws and prudish attitude towards alchohol we instill in our children - unlike other coutries in europe. Look at prohibition in the US... didnt that cause exactly the same kind of racketeering and smuggling that we find ourselves fighting now?

I have never said we should legalise it. Its consumption would take place in the confines of a clinic - not on the street.

Let's not forget, Heroin (an opiate), is a very bad substance to be injecting regularly into your body. I sometimes have to take morphine for my arthritis, but then I do have to go for regular blood checks to make sure nothing untoward is happening. It seems we could be letting ourselves in for a large programme of monitoring and treatment.

I am sorry but you are factually wrong on this. Of all the hard drugs, Heroine is the only one that isnt in itself bad for you. The only reason why Heroine addicts look so rough is because they cant afford to feed or look after themselves. If you can afford ones habit then you can live a perfectly normal long lasting life with no-one even being aware of your usage. (Like many of our forefathers) The reason why you go for checkups is not because the morphine is doing harm (if it was, they wouldnt give it to you), its just that the morphine is dumbing your senses so if you did have a serious condition, the morphine blocks the pain that you would normally feel and thus prevent you from doing the normal thing of going to the doctor to see whats wrong.

I do think we do need some form of more realistic response to drug use. Yes, make hard drugs available on perscription, but then I would want to see all dealers outside the state scheme subjected to a mandatory (serve minimum 30 years) life sentence. And all addicts required to submit to some form of registration scheme.

Drugs *can't* be given out on prescription as they would find their way back out onto the street. Onsite consumtion in clinics is a must. All those in receipt of drugs must test positive to a dependency and the only drugs that would be administered would be class A drugs that cause the problem (Heroine, Crack & Cocaine). I agree that very tough sentences for street dealers must be used for the system to work effectively. The key to the whole matter is to make dealing not a worlthwhile business proposition.

What ever happens its not going to be any easy problem to solve.

Yes your right, but realistically, can it get much worse in the inner cities than the situation we are in now now?