Scotland - Officers in call to legalise all drugs

This is the smartest thing to do.

The body, which represents 7000 officers, is set to argue that all drugs should be licensed in the same way as cigarettes and alcohol. Officers claim this would cut drug deaths and divert police resources to other crime-fighting priorities. It is the first time that an organization representing officers has made such a demand.

Opponents today said the move would only increase the availability of drugs. But the federation believes millions of pounds are wasted on enforcing existing laws, with little impact on the availability of drugs on the street.

That's nonsense. The things that affect availability of any product are supply, demand, price and profit.

If all drugs were legalized profits would plummet and drug dealers would disappear overnight. With profits and dealers gone, the illegal supply would decrease while the government could control the legal supply like alcohol and tabacco. That would have the added advantage of a safer supply.

Nicotine is the most addictive substance known to man and has always been legal. Yet the consumption of nicotine has declined dramatically, from a high of 60% use to the current level of around 25%. How was this achieved? Advertising that glorified nicotine was banned and was replaced with advertising portraying the horrible effects of nicotine. Education campaigns highlighted the problems further.

When cannabis was downgraded to class C there was no reported increase in use.

Legalization is not the same as condoning drugs. All the time and money spent on prosecuting drug offenses could go into education and advertising, stressing the dangers and affects of drugs.

Look at the benefits of legalizing all drugs. Most dealers will disappear overnight, drug money will no longer fund terrorists and criminals, police can spend their time chasing criminals, and we would save a fortune on Police, courts and jails.

The idea that it will send the wrong message just doesn't fly. Does anyone truly believe that the Govenment condones nicotine? People who follow this line say the government should ban nicotine so as to send the right message. I disagree. The message should be, we are not a nanny state, it is up to you as an individual to make up your own mind what to do with your own body. The state should, through education and advertising, provide the public with the best information on the dangers of drugs.

It works with nicotine.
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