There are unimaginable amounts of money to be made through covertly manufacturing and transporting drugs. When that takes place in the shadows, outside civilised society and free of law and order, it inevitably results in brutality and tragedy. In November 2020, Orges Rizak and Agustin Grembi were arrested at a converted industrial building in … Continued
According to a report published by the World Association of Newspapers World Press Trends, more than half the world’s adult population read a newspaper – a number that surpasses all internet users across the globe. More than 2.5 billion read print newspapers, while more than 600 million get their news digital form. That’s a … Continued
Illicit market operators are perfect candidates to recruit into recreational cannabis markets, representing an opportunity to place social justice at the core of the industry. Global momentum for regulatory change when it comes to cannabis is building. Even authoritarian regimes such as Thailand are embracing medicinal cannabis programs, whilst legal recreational markets emerge in … Continued
Much to the chagrin of ‘project fear’ prohibitionists, yet another study has found that legalising cannabis has no effect whatsoever on the number of young people who use it. Published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study looked at state-level cannabis prohibition laws between 1999 and 2017, and found no association between cannabis legalisation … Continued
Criminalising young people for low-level drug possessions has never led to anything beneficial. The desire to appear ‘tough on crime’ has only perpetuated and increased criminality – particularly amongst young people. The current approach is a failure, doing nothing to prevent reoffending, or tackle problematic drug use. Over the last few weeks, diversion schemes … Continued
If the Government is serious about addressing regional inequalities, there can be few higher priorities than ending the drug death epidemic plaguing our ‘left behind towns’. “Levelling up is about much more than just addressing economic inequality” wrote Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, previewing the release of his much anticipated ‘levelling up’ white paper … Continued
Drugs – including alcohol – play a sinister role in child sexual exploitation, and if we want to bring drug death numbers down, then targeted interventions during childhood are absolutely crucial. If as a society we needed a stark reminder of the link between drugs and child abuse, a new report published by the Independent Inquiry into child … Continued
The UK government’s recent drug strategy announcement offers a fresh and much needed change in perspective. Though the emphasis on diversion over criminalisation is a positive step, the government should go further in ensuring our approach to drugs is not merely reactive, but proactive. For example, the disappointing lack of support for drug consumption … Continued
A new YouGov poll reveals widespread support for London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s proposed new pilot cannabis education scheme. A whopping 63% of Londoners say they support the Mayor’s plan to offer classes and counselling to under-25s caught with small quantities of cannabis instead of arresting them, with fewer than one in five opposed. The … Continued
Our current prohibitionist approach to drugs is incredibly easy to argue against, but rhetorical flourishes have, as yet, not translated into meaningful policy change. For policy-reform advocates looking to catalyse that change, few lines of argument are more effective than demonstrating the staggering costs associated with a policy-agenda that actively undermines its stated aims. With … Continued