Across the 9 days leading up to polling day Dorset Eye will publish the answers to the questions set by local people for some of the local candidates standing in the 2015 General Election. Some candidates have yet to reply and should we receive their responses then they will be included in later interviews.
Simon Hoare: Conservative Party North Dorset
I am not in favour of the legalisation of any drugs. Evidence more than suggests that use of soft drugs affect people in a very significant way and can too easily lead to the use of hard drugs. Government must operate a zero tolerance policy. Drugs do immeasurable harm to users, their families and their communities.
Ros Kayes: Liberal Democrats West Dorset
The Lib Dems believe that the confrontation and over regulation in current drugs policy is part of the problem We would end the use of imprisonment for possession of drugs for personal use and move the drugs and alcohol policy lead from the Home Office to the Department of Health, because addiction and addictive behaviours are health not criminal behaviour issues. Like Russell Brand, we want to see a medical model of dealing with over use of drugs that supports people to change rather than demonising and criminalising them. We will establish a Commission to assess the effectiveness of current drugs law and alternative approaches, including further work on diverting users into treatment or into civil penalties that do not attract a criminal record which can seriously affect their chances of employment.
Peter Barton: Green Party West Dorset
The Green Party will make drugs policy the responsibility of the Department of Health in order to ensure that resources are targeted at supporting rather than punishing drug users. We will treat drug addiction as a health problem rather than a crime and adopt an evidence-based approach to the step-by-step regulation, starting with cannabis, of the drugs currently banned under the Misuse of Drugs act as well as’ legal highs’ with a view to introducing a system that reduces harm and brings the market under state control as a potential tax revenue generator.
Vikki Slade: Liberal Democrats Mid Dorset and North Poole
I am the mother of 4 children. One of the greatest fears as a mother is the fear of them coming into contact with drugs, whether they are legal or illegal. I would not want to see any further drugs legalised. However, I cannot see the value of criminalising a young person for the personal use of drugs – where is the benefit of denying them the ability to travel, limiting their job prospects and involving the criminal justice system? I would therefore want to see the decriminalisation of some drugs while increasing the penalty for drug pushers, dealers and growers.
Jane Burnet: Green Party Dorset South
The Green Party believes that individuals using drugs should be treated under the health system rather than the criminal justice system. This has been successful in Portugal where drug use has fallen. Dealing in drugs would remain a criminal offense.
Oliver Letwin: The Conservative Party West Dorset
We need to maintain our efforts to prevent the sale of dangerous drugs. But I’m proud that, in the last five years, we have also emphasised rehabilitation and recovery. In the end, there is no substitute for reducing demand by helping those caught in the vortex of hard drug dependence to achieve recovery and regain independence.
Rachel Rogers, Labour Party West Dorset
The global war on drugs is unlikely to succeed while there is still demand in wealthy, westernised societies. We need to focus on health education and on the evidence-based solutions which reduce both demand and the consequential harm that is being wreaked on the drug-producing and transporting communities in the developing world.
Simon Bowkett: Labour Party Dorset South
I have worked most of my career in drug & alcohol addiction treatment services. As such, the following is my personal (and professional) view.
My personal view is this. The “War on Drugs” – if that meant stopping the supply of drugs – was lost. The number of people using illegal drugs has not risen since the 1990s. For most drugs use has fallen, and for others there has been a plateau. This suggests that anyonelikely to want to use drugs can – they are available in our communities, on our streets and in our prisons.
It is my view that drugs are not “pushed” – they are “pulled” by demand. I believe that the best way of protecting people from addiction (including alcohol) is by building personal resilience – giving people accurate information, support and for them to have more reasons to stay well than to fall into addiction.
For me, addiction is a health issue – one of mental and physical wellbeing. By criminalising users and addicts, people are likely to be further stigmatised and pushed to the edges of the very society that most already feel excluded from.
I would favour retaining a robust enforcement of laws against drug supply – particularly focused on the large, often violent cartels which make a lot of money for organised crime gangs and frequently use trafficked or exploited labour. However, for users of illegal drugs, I would favour taking a health-oriented approach, with properly resourced community and in-patient treatment services, integrated with the wider services needed to promote inclusion, skills and wellbeing. Locking drug users up has failed, and is not the answer.
Thank you to all those who responded and to all those who set the questions.
