New front on drugs to be welcomed

DEAR Editor, It would appear that West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson is going down the route of psychology in his proposals in a paper submitted to a House of Commons inquiry to those who are suffering from drug addiction ( Post, July 4).

His bold approach will not please everyone, but I believe that he is right to say: “Those suffering from drug addiction should be treated as having a health problem, not just as criminals.”

I support his view on the basis, if obesity is now classed as an illness, which reminds me of the idiom, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

Drug addicts do need help but controlled help. Treating them as criminals will not change a drug users attitude one iota, if they are branded as a criminal then they will act as a criminal. It is nonsense to believe that all drug users are criminals, which is not necessarily so.

The proposal put forward by the Police and Crime Commissioner to let him set up places in a controlled environment where addicts can take illegal drugs in peace is admirable and will reduce the amount of addicts shooting up in many parts of our city and leaving behind dangerous needles everywhere.

I genuinely believe that David Jamieson has come up with a master plan, giving a solid foundation to the way ahead.

The spin-off to his proposals will save a lot of money all around, significantly reduce the illicit sale of drugs, shoplifting, burglary, robbery and not to mention a cleaner city.

In all honesty I can’t add to his comments as he is applying common sense, but hope the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, which is holding an enquiry into drugs policy in the UK, give it their complete support as current efforts to cut drug use are failing.

Mike Butler, Wylde Green,

Sutton Coldfield