How Hove candidates will deal with drug abuse problem

One of the most important issues for voters in Brighton and Hove is the problem of drug abuse in the city, particularly by teenagers and young adults.

Brighton has previously been dubbed the ‘Drug Death Capital of Britain’ and its problem with drug use has returned to prominence in recent months following at least one death related to the use of methadrone (or Miaow).

The issue also features prominently on the campaign website for Mike Weatherley, who is the favourite to win for the Conservatives in the Hove constituency at next month’s general election.

News From Brighton asked all the major parliamentary candidates in Hove about their policy on dealing with the problem of drug abuse in the city to give the voters an opportunity to compare the parties.

We asked: What is your party’s policy with regards to reducing drug abuse amongst teenagers and young adults, which is a particular blight on this city?

The candidates answered:

Mike Weatherley (Conservatives)

I passionately believe in additional rehabilitation and education. Drug addicts are not criminals – they are just people who if they came off drugs, would stop their criminal ways in many instances. We should offer assistance in giving up drugs rather than simply driving it underground. And education since, well, a good example is drinking and driving. We all know that is wrong and peer pressure stops drivers drinking as much as the possibility of getting caught (although both have a place). And of course sensible, consistent advice on drugs.

Celia Barlow MP (Labour)

Labour has promised to expand Family Intervention Programmes to every problem family in the country over the next five years. At the end of such a programme, there is on average a 70% reduction in drug abuse. Locally projects like Operation Reduction have had a huge effect in reducing long term drug abuse.

Paul Elgood (Liberal Democrats)

The Liberal Democrats will always base drugs policy on the independent scientific advice of experts. This will involve making the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) completely independent of Government. We will also spend less police and court time on the unnecessary prosecution of users and addicts, with a focus instead on getting addicts the treatment they need. Police attention should focus on drug pushers, who will be made easier to prosecute by the introduction a new offence of “drug dealing”. We will give people a direct say in how petty criminals and those who engage in anti-social behaviour are punished in their area by setting up Neighbourhood Justice Panels, like the one run by Liberal Democrats in Somerset where 95% of offenders have been turned away from further crimes.

Paul Perrin (UKIP)

This needs to be addressed at many levels, from the policing of illegal drug sales through the care/treatment of those made sick by illegal drugs to the reasons that people are taking illegal drugs in the first place.

UKIP party policy is to have a Royal Commission take an unprejudiced look into the issue with all options open to consideration – even including the evaluation of what legalisation might mean in practice.

Existing drugs policy is not working, and the three failed old parties have no credibility when they set their policies according to ‘messages’ and prejudice rather than rational consideration, evidence and advice.

Ian Davey (Green Party)

Dealing with the impact of drugs is challenging and controversial. But if what you are doing isn’t working the common sense thing to do is try something else. The level of drug abuse shows that current policy clearly isn’t working and the cost to us all in terms of impact upon people, crime and health runs into many billions. We need to listen to drug experts not undermine them to the extent that they resign.

Brian Ralfe (Independent)

As your Independent Candidate I would want to see more Bobbies on the beat, to fight all aspects of crime which would include young people and drug users of any age.

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Posted by Joseph Lewis on April 20, 2010. Filed under Brighton Politics,Celia Barlow,Conservatives,Green Party,Hove,Labour,Liberal Democrats,Mike Weatherley,Paul Elgood,UKIP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry