Legalise Drugs?

We are being asked to consider the legalisation of drugs in Scotland, yet again. Not just the so called soft drugs like cannabis, but hard drugs like heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine! Not surprisingly there is a wide difference of opinion among the 'experts', and their views are expressed so strongly. The arguments for legalising drugs stretch from the revenue they would raise for the tax man, to the cost change to the NHS. Many people are in the debate, each with their own slant on what to do.

The one point which I have not heard expressed by any of these experts is the issue of whether drug use is right or wrong! We seem to have lost the ability of saying, you don't do this 'because it is wrong'! I believe we are scared that someone will think we are too religious, or too moral, and this is not the case. Why do we shy away from saying something is wrong or immoral, especially when drug use causes so much harm and damage to the user, the family, and the wider community? I am not aware of any benefits from using heroin, cocaine or crack cocaine, by any member of society, so why should it be legalised? Some folks don't want us to criminalise the poor pushers! Why not?? Just because the problem is getting out of hand? Or because the police and courts can't keep up with the problem?

The one thing most experts agree on is that hard drug use is a bad thing. Thank goodness for that. Do we really want to start down the slippery slope of legalising drugs for any reason at all? Cost should not be an argument. This is a simple right or wrong issue, and we shouldn't be sand dancing around excuses for legalising a destructive element in our society. Our drug users will still use it. The pushers will still be in business, and anyone who thinks differently is living on another planet. Our already big drugs problem in Scotland, will become an even bigger problem, and we would have no one to blame but ourselves.

Drug use is such a blight on our society, that we should be increasing the penalty for pushing to a real life sentence. Any crime caused by drug users stems from the dealers, so they must shoulder a very high responsibility. A life sentence is only reasonable, and I don't mean a tariff which means the perpretator could be out in 18 months! If we need more prisons, then build them. As for the users, anyone who commits crime because of drugs should get 5 years minimum, with no remission for good behaviour. If pushers, dealers and users are in prison, they are certainly not causing society a problem. No bail should be allowed, which only lets them out to do it again. The nice social service people who think these folks have a bad deal, should be locked up with them, until their 'patients' have come off their drug of choice. That's right their drug use is by choice. We are on the way to making irresponsible drinking, and drink driving an anti social thing, so we can and should do the same thing with the more devastating problem of drug use. 


Did you also know that the social services can now provide a drug to family in the event that someone they know overdoses and stops breathing? The rep talking about it on TV says it will bring a dying junkie back to life, 'just like Lazarus- Instantly'! I just hope that the money to provide this drug does not deny any kind of drugs for kids with leukaemia, or cancer, or heart disease! We keep being told that the NHS must make difficult choices. Well here's an easy one. Divert the 'Lazarus drug' money from the junkie to the person who has not chosen their disease as a lifestyle add-on!  

Lets not pussyfoot round the issue. Lets face it down, and head on. It will not happen overnight, but see the problem for what it is. Self inflicted and wrong!! Mind you we need strong politicians to make it happen, and that's the weak link in the chain. They talk it up, but play it down, and we, the ordinary person in the street, have to live with their inaction in our communities. The longer we leave it, the harder it will become to rid the streets of a menace to our children and grand children.