A group of MPs are asking the government to investigate the decriminalisation of the possession of all illegal drugs.
Their reasoning for this request is to prevent the rising number of drug-related deaths – which in 2018 saw the highest annual leap since records began.
The health and social care committee has stated that the UK’s position on drugs was “clearly failing”.
They have urged the government to approach personal drug use as a civil rather than a criminal matter – focusing on prevention, not prosecution.
The Committee Chairman, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP has stated:
"Every drug death should be regarded as preventable, and yet across the UK the number of drugs-related deaths continues to rise to the scale of a public health emergency.”
However, MPs have added that the decriminalisation of the possession of drugs would not be effective without proper investment into harm reduction, support and treatment services for addiction.
They want the responsibility of drug policy to be with the Department of Health and Social Care, not the Home Office.
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