Something needs to be done about drugs in UK

[RegretMisery]

Drugs are killing healthy young people. How is it that a drug dealer is not tried as a murderer?

It's not limited to class. It could be your own son or daughter.

You know how many people in Singapore die from overdoses? Almost none, because drugs are actually illegal there.

They're illegal here.

So is burglary and assault-they never happen either do they?

Presumably because murder is a specific crime involving a motive and intent. If dealers intended to kill their customers a)they wouldn't do it via the drugs and b)they'd quickly be running out of customers.

Personally, I think drugs should be controlled in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes. You buy them legally, you know what you're buying every single time. But no government is going to do that.

Ok OP.

Why don't you go and look up the statistics for alcohol induced death and disease in this country vs those attributable to illegal drugs.

Both tobacco and alcohol can kill you. Same as drugs can

So those should be banned too

OP is right.

Alcohol and tobacco kill thousands of people a year.

Something Must Be Done.

Drugs have always been a problem

But who would you try for murder? Because there's a chain...

It's their choice to do it. Sorry, but it is. Everyone takes responsibility for their own actions.
Drugs will always be around because prohibition doesn't work and pushes it further underground. In fact, based on the premise that people will always want to do drugs, a further clampdown just makes it even more dangerous - look at weed, imagine if that were legal a la Canada (and most of Europe), that would massively stop how many people are spiked with spice and other synthetic cannabinoids.
Drug education and harm reduction should be taught more widely, then it's up to you to make an educated decision to do it or not do it.

Something Must Be Done

Like? You can't stop it

Drugs are everywhere

'Harm reduction' centres in Canada have been utterly catastrphophic.

I agree with @TimeForTeaAndG legalisation for sure, with perhaps a little more care taken with class A drugs like heroin.

@RegretMisery A big part of the OD risk with drugs is that people don't know what they are getting and the supply isn't regulated. If it was, that would change and lives would be saved. Naloxone (brand name 'Narcan') counteracts opiate ODs and saves lives, it is given out in many areas where drugs are an issue, esp. in Scotland but should be more widespread.

The war on drugs has failed. It's time for something different.

So was prohibition in America, lol. Look, people have been getting high since the dawn of time. Tackle the root causes rather than go in saying ALL DRUGS BAD, because it's simplistic and doesn't work.

Most things are illegal in Singapore, not a place I'd particularly like to live thank you. Drugs aren't murder, plenty of people choose that route, I agree young people being caught up in county lines etc is evil though

I'm in Scotland where we have the worst drug death levels of Europe. The studies have found that hardline stance doesn't work it's a multilayered issue which needs addressing including easy and quick access to rehab. Sadly that's not happening along with a lot of other failings.

So ban anything with potential to kill then?

This. There is basically no NHS rehab and the few that exist have years of waiting lists, and people die of ODs on those lists.

Sounds fair.

Cars and dogs too.

29,742 killed or seriously injured ( KSI ) casualties by cars in 2022, 1,711 fatalities. Better ban them as well

Cars.
Baths. In fact, probably best just ban water altogether.
Toasters.
Hard edged furniture.
Tiled floors.
Trees.
The sun.

The "something" that needs to be done is decriminalisation.

This country is nowhere near ready to have an actual grown-up debate on drugs though.

Cars and dogs serve a purpose, to transport and accompany. Drugs (illegal ones) do not.

I would be willing to try anything that tackles the problem, but I have heard that in Canada that this has actually worsened the epidemic.

Decriminalisation is what needs to be done, how long does the failed war on drugs have to go on?

Fentanyl (synthetic opioid) was largely responsible for fatal overdoses peaking above 112,000 last year, for the first time in U.S. history.

Only a matter of time until it starts wreaking similar havoc over here.