Wilkins for Solicitor

Richard Branson has added his voice to arguments over current policies on drugs by saying that the current approach has failed globally. He says that the policy has led to more drug use rather than less and that prisons are now more overcrowded than ever and billions of pounds have been wasted.

He says that governments are too interested in sounding “tough” on the problem rather than focusing on reforms such as decriminalising drug use and treating it as a health issue as opposed to a crime which would have the effect of reducing violence and organised crime and would also dramatically cut down on theft.

Will today’s leaders have the courage to say that the global policies on drugs have failed as he claims? It’s not likely but it’s unarguable that Branson has some clout and he obviously speaks with passion on this subject, arguing that, while it isn’t yet clear how a new approach would look in practice, what can be said is that future policies should focus on the rights of citizens and on protecting public health. He also says that measuring arrests, prosecutions and drug seizures have very little impact on the actual levels of drug use.

Branson does at least admit that drugs are dangerous and need to be regulated, but his views on drugs are certainly controversial. However, if nothing else, they encourage debate and that’s what we want you to do! Is current policy, not just from this government, but throughout the world, coming from an angle that is completely wrong and which will do nothing to really strike at the heart of the problem? If so how would you tackle it, would you approach it the way Branson does or by some other route? Let us know what you think.