The consumption room plan is supported by Scottish National Party, Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians but the UK Home Office insists "there is no safe way to take illegal drugs".
There is no ideal way. Drugs are dangerous, but people take them. I am disappointed by the resistance to legalise drugs. While drugs are illegal, they are unmonitored. I don't take drugs myself. I don't even drink anymore
One of the reasons illegal drugs are as dangerous as they are is because they are illegal. Their illicit nature means they are manufactured and distributed without any proper oversight or regulation, leading to dangerous lack of quality control.
If recreational drugs could be purchased with proper standards for purity, dosage etc they would be much safer for their users.
The Hat Fox: If recreational drugs could be purchased with proper standards for purity, dosage etc they would be much safer for their users.
Social conservatives (inc. parts of the PLP): And that would be a bad thing. Drug consumption is a moral failure and should be punished by poverty, humiliation and death.
Drugs are already difficult to get for the average person. I can’t just walk to my corner shop and buy some crack.
If people want something enough they will find it. All the war on drugs does is hand the money straight to criminals when I could be taxed to provide services who are struggling with addiction.
You can absolutely go to a corner store and buy alcohol. It's not a coincidence that it kills 3 million people per year worldwide.
Making drugs more accessible will increase consumption, that said it might reduce the negative effects for the consumers. If we allow the sell of drugs we should do everything we can to avoid the current situation with alcohol.
Make the packaging ugly, make people understand that they are consuming something that will at best reduce their life expectancy at worst kill them and generally reduce he quality of their lives.
Obesity kills over 4 million people a year should we put food in ugly packages too? People are well aware of the dangers of alcohol and changing what the bottle looks like won’t deter them.
Most people have a reasonably healthy relationship with alcohol. There are already programs in place for those who abuse the substance.
Those who abuse illicit drugs need help more than alcoholics as there is fewer programs available and more social stigma around it. People culturally view alcoholism as a non issue and it is occasionally celebrated.
The war on drugs needs to end so it can benefit everyone with substance abuse. Focusing on alcohol will do little to cure the wider issue of dependency.