Martin Cassini's Blog Posts Tagged 'prohibition' (2)

The Observer reports that Humberside chief constable, Tim Hollis, has proposed decriminalising personal drug use to rationalise resources, in apparent support of the widespread (commonsense?) view that prohibition doesn't deter drug use, and decriminalisation would cut crime. There is a clear parallel with roads policy, e.g. one-size-fits-all speed limits. (Of course, one size can’t fit all, so the idea is nonsensical applied…

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In 1981 (writes Ben Goldacre, Guardian, 7.11.09), studies of rates of change in cannabis use based on national surveys in the 70s found the most rapid increase was in countries with the toughest penalties. Cannabis use in the UK fell after the move from Class B to C. Prohibition of alcohol provides the most famous example of counterproductive control and enforcement. "If you wish to justify a policy that increases the harms associated with each individual act of drug use by creating violent… Continue