How is it fair that the life chances of our young people are ruined by being criminalised for non-violent drug offences? How is it empathetic to allow problematic heroin users to suffer because they are treated by the criminal justice system instead of doctors? How can we possibly talk about equality when young black men are thirteen times more likely to face custodial sentences for drug offences than their white counterparts?
We need a politics that is more progressive on these issues if we truly want to represent the most marginalised and vulnerable in our society – and that means pressuring our politicians, in particularly the Labour Party, to ditch its policy supporting drug prohibition. For that reason I was thrilled that this year’s Labour conference featured three inspirational events about drug policy reform, perhaps indicating that at long last politicians are willing to accept the drug war has failed spectacularly.
Labour MPs were joined by medical professionals, police, NGOs and affected families, whose lives have been wrecked by the drug war, to discuss why Labour must take the lead on the most important social justice issue of our time. Here are some highlights:
Chris Williamson MP talked about the issues concerning heroin and the synthetic cannabinoid Spice in his constituency, Derby North, emphasising that these stronger and more harmful drugs are a direct result of criminal gangs attempting to circumvent the current drug laws.
Dr Judith Yates, a practicing GP representing International Doctors for Healthier Drug Policies, told heart-breaking accounts of patients who have suffered and died as a result of how poorly treated addiction is in this country.
Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, introduced us to local innovations in the West Midlands and made the important point the PCCs around the country have some freedom to implement life-saving harm reduction schemes independently from Westminster.
Anne-Marie, one of the founding members of Anyone’s Child Families for Safer Drug Control, spoke eloquently about the loss of her daughter Martha to an accidental ecstasy overdose. Anne-Marie is clear that Martha was like any other teenager her age, curious about the world and new experiences: “She wanted to get high, she didn’t want to die”. If drugs were regulated and supplied through legal means, Martha would not have taken that lethal dose of ecstasy.
The room was moved to tears by Ray, a father who lost two sons to accidental ecstasy overdoses. Ray explained that the “just say no” approach to drugs and risk of a criminal record are not a deterrent. People should be properly protected by accessing drugs through a legal means.
The powerful testimony of family members really speaks to people in a way that doctors, police and policy experts never could. No one in that room was unconvinced of the damage done by illegal drug markets after hearing Ray’s story.
Another highlight of the event was certainly when Former Secretary of State for Justice, Lord Falconer, spoke of regret about his role in the British drug war openly apologised for being “on the wrong side of the argument” – a hugely powerful moment for the cause and a welcome contribution by those of us seeking reform in the Labour Party.
The final event, Labour on Drugs: How to Reduce Harm, Cut Crime & Save Money, hosted by the Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform, a group recently founded by Thangam Debbonaire, MP for Bristol West and Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington, to engage the party membership and wider public with a view to introducing a policy which finally works for everyone in our society – a hugely encouraging step in the right direction.
Jeff and Thangam summarised the meeting with the hopeful message that opinion is shifting in favour of reform. They gave a rallying cry to Labour members and beyond to support the campaign, talk to your MP and increase awareness of the issues to build popular support for reform. There is lots of work to do but change is coming and if we keep up the momentum; it won’t be too long.
John Hirst is a Labour Member Bristol East CLP and Anyone’s Child Activist
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