|
|
| Youth Culture Has Changed Attitudes |
|
Posted by FoM on March 07, 2002 at 10:26:59 PT By David Taylor Source: Evening Standard UK 
The surprising spectacle of a minister doling out advice on how to take drugs safely, is a belated admission that ecstasy and cocaine are deeply embedded in British youth culture. Latest government estimates suggest 220,000 teenagers aged 16 to 19 take ecstasy and cocaine, while up to 675,000 take softer drugs such as cannabis and amphetamines. Today's guidance for clubs is a tacit recognition that the Government is wasting its time telling young people to stop taking drugs. London's clubs already have an agreement with police over how to deal with clubbers caught in possession of small amounts of drugs. The drugs are simply confiscated and some clubbers are barred. Police then pick up the contraband and destroy it. Home Secretary David Blunkett has signalled his intention to downgrade cannabis so it is no longer an arrestable offence to be caught with small quantities, but he has made clear he has no intention of doing the same with ecstasy, a drug he sees as a killer. There is no doubt, however, that Britain is about to embark on its most far-reaching examination of its 31-year-old drugs laws and in the coming weeks a series of major reports will pave the way for a free-for-all debate before Parliament will vote on changes. The reports include: results of the Lambeth experiment where offenders caught in possession of cannabis were let off with a verbal warning; a study on the health effects of cannabis and the implications of downgrading it, and the home affairs select committee's report on whether the drugs laws are working. Source: London Evening Standard (UK) Related Articles: Lib Dems Call for Ecstasy Laws Shake-Up Drug Laws Revolution Set for UK Dutch Model for UK Drug Laws Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
 |
|
Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on March 09, 2002 at 07:16:23 PT:
|
| See this link:
[ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #1 posted by Dan B on March 07, 2002 at 22:06:30 PT:
|
| Latest government estimates suggest 220,000 teenagers aged 16 to 19 take ecstasy and cocaine, while up to 675,000 take softer drugs such as cannabis and amphetamines. To lump cannabis in with amphetamines as a soft drug is a major sign of scientific ignorance. Amphetamines can actually kill a person, cannabis simply cannot. Granted, amphetamines aren't as deadly as their more dangerous cousins, methamphetamines, but they are far less "soft" (as drugs go) than cannabis. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
| Post Comment |  |
 |  |