Rochdale MEP Wants New Drug Law Strategy

Date published: 08/09/2005

A Rochdale Euro-MP's controversial demand for a new strategy on drugs has been given added weight by a leading contender for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies stirred debate last month when he called for the prohibition of illegal drugs to be replaced by government licensing and regulation.

Now Conservative MP David Cameron, regarded by many as a strong contender in the tory leadership battle, has declared his belief that the United Nations should consider legalising drugs.

Speaking to The Independent newspaper (see below for further information), Mr Cameron is quoted as calling for hard-core addicts to have access to state-prescribed heroin and legal "shooting galleries."

In remarks expected to shock traditional Conservative supporters, the MP for Witney said he favoured "fresh thinking and a new approach" towards drugs policy and said "we have to let 1,000 flowers bloom and look at all sort of different treatment models" for heroin addicts.

He also supported calls for ecstasy to be downgraded from the class-A status it shares with cocaine and heroin and said it would be "disappointing" if radical options on the law on cannabis were not looked at.

Mr Davies, leader of the British Liberal Democrat MEPs in the European Parliament, welcomed the ideas being voiced by Mr Cameron.

He said: "It's time that politicians stopped pretending that existing policies on drugs are taking us towards a better future. They are not, they are taking us nowhere.  Current drugs law simply puts huge sums of money into the hands of criminals.

"We need fresh thinking to reduce the harm to society and individuals caused by the illegal drugs market, and I am happy that a man who may have a realistic hope of becoming Prime Minister appears to share these views."