Decriminalise drugs, says Clegg
NICK Clegg today will press ahead with plans t o decriminalise possession of all drugs – despite charities warning the move will wreck thousands of lives.
The Lib Dem leader is to pledge that his party will bring forward plans to ensure those caught with drugs for ‘personal use’ will no longer face criminal prosecution.
Instead, the maximum penalty would be a fine.
The move covers the powerful ‘skunk’ strain of cannabis and hard drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin, as well as ‘soft’ drugs includ- ing marijuana and amphetamines. Mr Clegg will use an event with Virgin boss and long-time pro-drugs campaigner Sir Richard Branson today to claim that the move will spare thousands of young people a criminal record.
But experts last night condemned the move, saying it will push thousands of youngsters into addiction and mental health problems.
A poll of 100 charities by the Centre for Social Justice found that 69 per cent of such organisations would be concerned if the Government decriminalised cannabis.
More than half – 56 per cent – said cannabis use would increase if its use was decriminalised.
Christian Guy, the think-tank’s director, said: ‘Drug addiction is ripping Britain’s poorest communities apart. Our network of 300 frontline charities sees this on a daily basis.
A spokesman for Mr Clegg said: ‘Nick is anti-drugs, but just throwing people into the criminal justice system isn’t working – skunk use is going up.’