Change drug laws to stop the ‘Mr Bigs’
THE West Midlands Police Commissioner is right to urge the law to be changed so that drug addicts can be prescribed safe NHS supplies (Feb 11). This was the position prior to the infamous 1965 Drugs Act, which criminalised all the victims of drug abuse.
It is pointless to legislate further to stop drug abuse. This is a war that we can never win – and its only effect has been to make millionaires of all the major drug producers and suppliers.
By allowing doctors to prescribe safe and cheap NHS supplies, the UK would put most of the major firms of criminals out of business. It would also significantly reduce crimes such as theft and prostitution, which largely happen to fund addiction. This would allow the police to concentrate their resources against the ‘Mr Bigs’ of crime as well as taking people driving under the influence of so-called ‘leisure drugs’ off the road. Chris Youett Earlsdon
Rising demand, rise in costs
I WRITE in response to Mr Bevan’s letter (Feb 27) questioning the use of the social care pre-cept of three per cent on council tax bills. As the cabinet member for adult services, I can tell Mr Bevan that the pre-cept was introduced in 2015 as an additional way for local authorities to raise funds to meet to the costs of providing social care. Coventry City Council made the decision to apply the pre-cept. This decision was made in the context of the significant reductions to local authority funding received from central government, without any corresponding reductions in the duties on local government to provide social care.
This is added to by increased demands on social care which are being experienced nationally and locally and the introduction of legislation that further increased the costs of providing social care, such as the national living wage.
Use of the pre-cept is essential in order for the city council to continue to meet its responsibilities to support our most vulnerable residents, in the context of rising demand and reduced resources from central government. Councillor Faye Abbott Cabinet member for adult services
Short-term bans for using mobiles
I WAS interested to hear on the radio of a report from the AA that the number of motorists fined for using a mobile phone while driving has halved in the last 12 months.
This could imply that motorists are driving more safely, but from my experience, I have noticed even more drivers using mobile phones. I think that this is due to lack of policing more than safer driving.
Penalties should be increased to short-term bans which may make drivers think twice about using phones while driving. Roy Frost Marton
The day I dodged a Bren Gun Carrier
WITH reference to the query raised by Audrey Sterne of Rugby (Feb 21).
For a long time prior to the D-Day landings, large numbers of armoured vehicles were parked/ stored on the cycle paths of the Coventry Bypass i.e. the A45.
During the war, hardly any traffic used the bypass; grass grew between the sections of concrete roadway. When the tanks etc. were being moved I was riding a trolley down the A45 from the junction with Broad Lane and had to avoid a Bren Gun Carrier by making a sharp right turn into Brookside Avenue. Time and traffic change. B Pearce Eastern Green
Two-week wait for doctor appointment
PONDER this – if you are ill in this city and need medical advice, where would you go?
Our NHS system is hopelessly underfunded and understaffed and the surgeries are filling and waiting times are getting longer.
You are held at ransom by overeager receptionists and end up booking two or maybe three weeks in advance for an appointment. The sudden increase in population coupled with additional cuts mean the hard-working doctors, paramedics, nurses and everyone connected to the medical profession struggle to keep up with the demand. Surely the time has come that drastic measures need to be taken to reduce the waiting time and increase appointments. Is it pay increases or more lucrative training practices or perhaps payment for certain ailments or people? I don’t know, but what I do know is something has to change. A two-week wait for an appointment is unacceptable in this day and age. Andy McDonald Tile Hill