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.

This. It all feels so hopeless.

And also this^

Because there's a massive link because physical/ emotional trauma and addiction.

So if you want to genuinely tackle addiction again you need to have a government that is willing to invest heavily in the NHS, in community resources, in more research into appropriate long term pain management, heavier implications for unsafe workplace practices, early intervention work, a better resourced education system, more resources for young people in terms of safe spaces to socialise, a more robust and ethical care system, better, longer term, faster and free mental health services.

But we have a government who is chronically underfunding all of the above. So naturally, when you under cut community resourcing, you're going to find an increase in community based problems such as drug use. If you want to tackle the problem that's where you start.

Shame they don't prosecute gun dealers with the same zeal. Although to be fair guns are pretty harmless compared to weed.

@RegretMisery you say 'illegal drugs' don't serve a purpose. What about 'legal' ones?
Heroin/diamorphine (latter being legal version) can be less dangerous than fentanyl.
Alcohol is more dangerous than pretty much everything.
Amphetamines are commonly used to treat ADHD etc.
Cannabis is now prescribed medicinally.
Ketamine is used legally.
Benzos are massively addictive both legally and illegally
So, it's the same stuff. The only damage is that people are branded criminals.
Drugs work. Sorry but it's true.
'something should be done'
Criminalise white wine then 20 minutes later, half way through your glass, you can go to prison for 50 years?
You don't understand human need or addiction very well in my view.

Yes, because the US have no issues in respect of drugs do they....

Christ the night

Many drug users are also passively suicidal and mental health is in their boots. Many of those caught drug smuggling are being exploited because they are vulnerable. These are not the people we want to target with the death penalty.

No, I don't understand drug addiction at all. Explain it to me.

I’ve had diamorphine and ketamine medically. 20/10, had a great time, would try both again if I wasn’t so scared of dying or being arrested after taking drugs.

Im not mentally ill or ADHD or suffering from trauma. They were genuinely good fun, aside from the issues needing me to have such drugs obviously.

I was given morphine in the hospital and that gas inhaler thing. Still don't understand how people get addicted to it. I didn't have a 'good time' it just stopped me screaming in agony.

Surely purveyors of alcohol cigarettes and fast food along with those who incentivize unhealthy sedentary lifestyles would also have to be tried as murderers?

Depends on your agenda really. Most "anti drug warriors" are really pushing their own agenda for command and control (and are therefore best ignored).

It's a choice to take them them OP first and foremost reason

Decriminalise them. Control the distribution before fentanyl makes it's way over here, get the money out of the gangs hands. Legalise weed - go back to old the old school strains, and sell them like wine.
There's no use trying to do more of what we're doing now, it's clearly not working. Harsher punishments won't work unless we're also going to tackle the exploitation of vulnerable young people though county lines. You think the gang leaders will give a shit if a teenage boy is sentenced to death?
Unfortunately I don't think there is any incentive for governments to tackle drug abuse. Why would they care to?

@RegretMisery using hardline tactics like certain other countries is criminalising the unwell. Human beings have their reasons for taking drugs. Rich ones get them off doctors. Poor ones get put in jail.
Have you never drank alcohol? Met anyone with ED, obesity, gambling issues. Addiction is very powerful. Freedom to do things in moderation is also something most responsible people shouldn't have to forgo. It's not easy to understand but the way you are speaking is you can just delete all perceived drugs from everyone and they'll all be fine, with what support are you suggesting? Would you ban sugar? You can't ban stuff that's already illegal anyway.
If it was legal there would be less crime at least.

Nobody gets addicted to gas and air. Jesus wept.

You don’t understand that it numbs the physical/mental pain for people? You were presumably in labour and felt desperate enough to take hardcore drugs to stop the pain.

Get it now?

No actually I haven't drank alcohol before, seeing the state that it put people in was enough to deter me from it from a young age.

I just want young people to stop dying. It's so tragic.

I didn't technically take anything, I was given it by doctors.

So you're not actually interested in debate.

So what are you going to do about it?

What can I do? I have no power. I just want people to stop dying from ODs.

I want addicts to stop terrorising the public.

Against your will? No. You were offered it and you took it. Don’t twist things.

Arguably then, most people don’t take drugs, they are given them. No?

Do you want to ban rock climbing, or basejumping, or parachuting, etc so that "beautiful young" people stop dying of those as well? Or it it just drugs?

Life is dangerous. We can put checks in place to make it safer, but too many and you infringe on peoples freedoms. Banning things outright generally just forces them underground and makes them more dangerous, not less.

I agree with this too. I have felt threatened by and been stolen from by addicts too and it's not very nice. Not all addicts are violent vagrants who steal from people, however, some are just normal working people who struggle with their mental health and don't have the support necessary to stop using.

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

I don't know anyone killed by an overdose. However a friends brother (year below me in 1977) was killed by a speeding car.

I refer you to my previous point. You want to ban things that kill people ? I know where I'd start.

I know many very young people who have died from an overdose and no on who has been killed in an accident.