Drugs

What are drugs

Drugs include a broad range of substances ranging from prescription medicines, to illegal street drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, to readily available products such as tobacco and alcohol.

In public health and political terms, "drugs" usually refers to recreational drugs, specifically those which are illegal under the Misuse of Drug Act. Although technically a mind-altering substance, alcohol is not commonly included in the drugs debate, with binge drinking treated as a separate issue. Similarly, tobacco warrants its own debate.

Background

The UK government has adopted a prohibitive stance towards recreational drugs, which is enforced through the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Prior to this act, drugs policy in the UK was relatively liberal but was reformed under pressure from the US, who pushed for the global criminalisation of drugs.

This makes it an offence to possess drugs for personal use or with intent to supply, or to allow premises you occupy or manage to be used for drug taking. It does not make it a specific offence to be under the influence of controlled substances.

The act created the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which became responsible for distinguishing three separate classes of controlled substances, referred to as Class A, Class B and Class C drugs. This classification system both attempts to rank the harm caused by various drugs and set appropriate penalties for their use.

Class A: Punishable with up to seven years in prison or an unlimited fine or both for possession. Life in prison or unlimited fine or both for intent to supply. Includes; Ecstasy, LSD, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms and amphetamines (if injected).

Class B: Punishable with up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine or both for possession. 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both for intent to supply. Includes; amphetamines, Ritalin and pholocodine.

Class C: Punishable with two years in prison, an unlimited for or both for possession. 14 years in prison, or an unlimited fine or both with intent to supply. Includes' cannabis, tranquilisers, some painkillers, GHB and Ketamine.

When assessing the classification of new drugs, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs hears evidence from law enforcement agencies, charities, professional bodies and scientific evidence. It classifies drugs using a risk assessment matrix, which covers nine types of term divided between physical harm, dependence and social harms.

Controversy

Drugs policy in the UK falls under the domain of the Home Office. This places it as a criminal matter and yet many argue drugs policy would be better overseen by the Department of Health. Similarly, the ABC drugs classification system has been criticised for combining physical and social harm caused with criminal penalties.

The UK adopts a policy of prohibition towards drugs. Police constable Richard Brunstrom argues this has proved as effective as America's attempt to ban alcohol during the 1920s. There is a body of thought that argues drugs policy should shift from abstinence education and government attempts to disrupt supply to harm reduction policies. Small-scale versions of this approach tend to target existing addicts and focus on teaching people to avoid overdose, needle exchanges and opiod substitutes.

It has also been argued that criminalising all drugs by definition creates a criminal subculture to meet demand for recreational substances. This in turn has been linked to other forms of crimes including gang violence. However, calls to legalise all drugs are politically unpopular and the late Mo Mowlam is one of the few members of the political establishment to have made the case for legalising all hard drugs.

The ABC system for classifying drugs has come under intense criticism, both from within parliament and the scientific community.

Numerous sources have accused the ABC system of inconsistency, noting that the criminal penalties ascribed to various drugs do not always equate to the harm caused. Richard Brunstrom has said the ABC system "defies logic" and has no basis for excluding alcohol and tobacco.

A study published in the Lancet in spring 2007 concluded UK drug's policy was not fit for purpose. Looking at the harm caused by various narcotic substances, it found alcohol was the fifth most dangerous drug available, following heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and methadone, yet it is not included in the ABC system. Tobacco emerged as the ninth most dangerous drug, ahead of cannabis and the Class A drugs ecstasy and LSD.

The decision to include or reclassify a drug in the ABC system is invariably met with further controversy. Rising expectation in 2006 that crystal meth was set to surge in popularity in the UK led many to argue it should be reclassified as a Class A drug, underscoring the harm caused by the amphetamine. However, concerns were raised the resultant publicity from reclassifying the drug would draw attention to its effects and inadvertently increase its use. Nevertheless, in January 2007, crystal meth was reclassified as a Class A drug.

The reclassification of cannabis has provoked similar controversy. In 2004 it was revised downwards from a Class B to a Class C drug after it was argued this would give police more time to concentrate on 'hard' drug users. In practice this means it is unlikely an adult caught in possession of cannabis will be arrested and charged. Instead they will likely receive a warning and have the drug confiscated, unless certain conditions apply.

A selection of anti-drug campaigners, scientists and MPs have argued the reclassification of cannabis was inappropriate and ignored the evidence that stronger strains of 'skunk' cause more harm than the cannabis available during the 1960s and 1970s. In summer 2007 Gordon Brown indicated he is prepared to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug and the issue will be considered as part of a wide ranging consultation on drugs policy.

Statistics

For every £1 spent on drugs treatment, £9.50 is saved in drug-related crime and health costs.

Around four million people have at least one illicit drug use each year and around one million young people use Class A drugs at least once a year.

Ten per cent of 16 to 59-year-olds admitted using drugs in the past year, placing drug use at its lowest level for ten years.

Number of deaths with heroin use listed on the death certificate in 2005: 842.

Number of with alcohol listed on the death certificate in 2005: 6,627.

Statistic 1: (Source: Department of Health 2007); statistic 2: (Source: Home Office 2007); statistic 3: (British Crime Survey 2006-07) statistics 4 & 5: (Source: Office for National Statistics)

Quotes

"The current classification of controlled drugs has no sound underpinning logic. Most importantly the ABC system illogically excludes both alcohol and tobacco. Drugs and psychotropic substances are simply not going to go away as if by magic."

Police constable Richard Brunstrom, October 2007.

"I did break the law... I was wrong... drugs are wrong,"

Home secretary Jacqui Smith, July 2007.