Top doctor joins calls for drug decriminalisation

By politics.co.uk staff

The movement for an end to drug decriminalisation won another senior supporter today when the president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) came out in support of reform.

The move comes a month after the chair of the Bar Council and the editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the UK's most well-respected medical publication, came out in support of decriminalisation.

By Experts turn against war on drugs

In a final email to 25,000 RCP members beforestepping down from the role, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore said he felt like ending his tenure on a controversial note - and did so by backing the article on drug law reform written for the BMJ last month by Stephen Rolles of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

VoiceOver

Unite: Police Privatisation 999

"There's a lot of evidence that the total prohibition of drugs, making them totally illicit and unavailable, has not been successful at reducing not only the health burden, but also the impact on crime," he told the Press Association.

"I'm trying to take a fresh look, as many people have done. There is a strong case for trying a different approach. I'm not saying we should make heroin available to everyone, but we should be treating it as a health issue rather than criminalising people."

By Comment: The case for legalising drugs

Many of the medical problems which developed from drug use were in fact the result of their prohibition, rather than the drug itself, the professor added.

"I see a lot of patients with the complications of opiate addiction from dirty needles, or from using drugs that are contaminated - and not from the use of heroin itself," he said.

He also cited the economic benefits of decriminalisation.

"In times of financial hardship, the closer to the drug user you invest your money the better value you get. It's more cost effective to try to treat people with drug problems than to close down poppy fields in disparate countries," he said.

Both David Cameron and Nick Clegg publicly stated their support for drug law reform before entering frontbench politics, but activists are not expecting any significant reform of Britain's drug laws during the coalition administration.

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy policy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

MRSA Action UK Annual Memorial Event

Families will pay tribute and remember those lost to MRSA and healthcare associated infections at Westminster Abbey on Thursday 13th June 2013

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.