DRUGS INQUIRY: 'Put the dealers behind bars for much longer'

“LOL, Just because this guys was dumb enough to be become a crack head he wants to see sellers do 20 years. Take some responsibility please. The sentences should be less, with help available on the NHS. If the government really wanted people not to take drugs there would be more in the way of prevention like adverts etc.. Locking people up for ridiculous amounts of time will only lead to an american prison industrial complex style system where people are treated like modern day slaves. If anything lock the USERS up as well for longer. That way they stay off it for longer, commit less crime and it is a deterrent for other people looking to smoke crack and inject heroin. At the end of the day they are just as equally to blame for creating the demand for such drugs, whenever there is money to be made there will always be someone desperate enough to risk selling it.”

“LOL, Just because this guys was dumb enough to be become a crack head he wants to see sellers do 20 years. Take some responsibility please. The sentences should be less, with help available on the NHS. If the government really wanted people not to take drugs there would be more in the way of prevention like adverts etc.. Locking people up for ridiculous amounts of time will only lead to an american prison industrial complex style system where people are treated like modern day slaves. If anything lock the USERS up as well for longer. That way they stay off it for longer, commit less crime and it is a deterrent for other people looking to smoke crack and inject heroin. At the end of the day they are just as equally to blame for creating the demand for such drugs, whenever there is money to be made there will always be someone desperate enough to risk selling it.”

“yasla

There is demand as you put it because they are addicts. You almost paint the pushers as innocent here. They are the lower life form. Breaking into my house to fund a habit is wrong of course, making your money out of others people like pushers can hardly be better as you imply”

“my personal opinion the drug dealer is not the one that is breaking into people houses,cars or commiting most the crime, the A class drug users are commiting all these crimes and they should get longer in prison as they hurtin more people to get there fix.... have you seen london road with all the crack and smack head? they're like vermin. im not supporting drug dealers but drug users are more of a problem than the dealers. where there is a demand for a product there will be suppliers. if there aint no demand there will be no supply.”

“Penrhos is correct.

Since when has arresting and locking up drug dealers actually reduced the flow of those drugs that the Government seems to have randomly selected to make the possession and sale illegal?

Maybe for a few days, but the profit motivation - especially amongst those already "addicted" - is massive and if a prison sentence does not deter them, neither will a longer prison sentence.

Remove that profit motivation by enabling addicts to get their supply of clean drugs - without being offered other drugs - through doctors and pharmacists - must be the sensible alternative - take control of the supply of addictive drugs just like the Government has at least some controls over alcohol (at least those that drink it CAN choose to avoid criminal supplies).

That way quality and dose will be assured, addicts will be identified and any profits made taxed.

Alcohol is one of the most damaging drugs in our society causing violence, absenteeism, illness and premature death, for those that use it to excess. Yet I don't here calls to lock up drinkers or pub managers. Just look back at US prohibition and see the EXTRA damage it caused - and that extra damage is now being caused by the ban on the possession and supply other drugs.

And it is costing the taxpayer BILLIONS annually. In the name of the "war on drugs" which is in fact a war on some people that possess or sell some drugs whilst other drugs are allowed.

Why don't the politicians change this? Simply because they fear their jobs as the Government and the press have convinced the people that prohibition is the best way.

So it is up to the voters now to open their eyes and tell their politicians that prohibition is an expensive and disastrous failure”

“You lock one up many more will be waiting to take their place - this is what causes turf wars and gang violence.

The only way to win is to remove the profits.

Seize dealers assets so people know if they are caught they will loose everything they have made dealing.

Better still kill the black market by having government sanctioned outlets for soft drugs - it works fine in Holland (you don't get dealers on street corners there) & state controlled shooting galleries for addicts were they can get health advice, NHS heroin on prescription (so no need to steal to pay for it) and counciling to try and get to get them "drug-free".

Don't forget it costs the tax payer £40,000 pa to lock someone up. So by the time you have factored in the cost of the raid, court costs etc you are looking at £60,000!

Real control of the drugs market will also kill the "legal highs market" as who wants to smoke "spice" etc if you can get good quality cannabis legally.”

“I thought drugs was part of the reason we are in Afganistan? Who knows the real reason?”

“would you recommend prison for pub landlords then ? after all they selling a far far dangerous drug to anything illegal.decriminalisation is only answer”

“"To say the only way to tackle the real problem with drugs is to legalise it is barmy"

- I agree, it isn't the only way, but why exclude any possible way which might help tackle the drug problem? Especially when there is some evidence of real benefits. All methods need to be evaluated. I don't want free-for-all libertarians dictating that all drugs should be available to everyone over the counter, without the likely outcomes of this being measured. Neither do I want a bunch of uninformed knee-jerkers deciding that some options shouldn't even be considered because they don't like the sound of them. They would have a point to make if prohibition had been successful, but it hasn't.”

“To say the only way to tackle the real problem with drugs is to legalise it is barmy.

Taking that a step further anyone who commits a crime such as breaking the speed limit should be let off and the speed limit raised!! Absolute tosh!!”