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Doctors are set to consider calls for cannabis and other recreational drugs
to be legalised.
The move will be proposed at the British Medical Association's annual
conference in Torquay on Wednesday.
Connie Fozzard, 70, a retired surgeon who will propose the motion, said she
hoped it would spark a debate among doctors and the general public.
The BMA advised against the legalisation of cannabis when it gave evidence
to the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2002.
The committee recommended downgrading of the class A drug ecstasy to Class
B, but this was rejected by ministers.
Ministers did agree to downgrade cannabis from Class B to C, but the Home
Office is opposed to legalisation.
'Cut crime'
Miss Fozzard will propose the motion on behalf of doctors in Cornwall.
She will tell the conference that legalisation could help to cut
drug-related crime.
"The government has a responsibility to the public to reduce crime," she
told BBC News Online.
"Prohibition does not work. Just look at the experience of the United States
when they tried to ban alcohol.
"What arose out of that was Al Capone and armed gangs and that is what is
happening now in this country."
"This is also about the nanny state," she said. "Consenting adults should be
allowed to do what they like."
Miss Fozzard said legalising drugs would enable the government to put taxes
on them and also ensure the quality of drugs.
She suggested many drug users were putting themselves at risk by taking
adulterated and low-quality drugs.
"We want the BMA to debate this. We want the public to debate this," she
said.
On Tuesday, doctors attending the BMA conference held an informal debate on
the issue.
There were mixed views although most appeared to be against any proposals to
legalise drugs.
Dr Fay Wilson, a GP in Birmingham, said: "Legalising drugs will not help. It
will not do a thing to reduce crime.
"There are quite a number of people who do not take drugs because they are
illegal."
Other doctors called for studies into the possible effects of legalising
drugs.
Dr Noel Olsen, chairman of the Alcohol Education and Research Council, said:
"We need research and an evidence base."
The UK charity DrugScope welcomed the debate.
But a spokeswoman said: "We believe that this debate must be based on the
evidence that has been given to the government on the harmful nature of
drugs, such as our support for the reclassifying of cannabis and ecstasy, as
well as the recent outlawing of GHB."
Pubdate: July 2, 2003
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Author:
Webpage: BBC NEWS | Health | Doctors reject drugs law change
to be legalised.
The move will be proposed at the British Medical Association's annual
conference in Torquay on Wednesday.
Connie Fozzard, 70, a retired surgeon who will propose the motion, said she
hoped it would spark a debate among doctors and the general public.
The BMA advised against the legalisation of cannabis when it gave evidence
to the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2002.
The committee recommended downgrading of the class A drug ecstasy to Class
B, but this was rejected by ministers.
Ministers did agree to downgrade cannabis from Class B to C, but the Home
Office is opposed to legalisation.
'Cut crime'
Miss Fozzard will propose the motion on behalf of doctors in Cornwall.
She will tell the conference that legalisation could help to cut
drug-related crime.
"The government has a responsibility to the public to reduce crime," she
told BBC News Online.
"Prohibition does not work. Just look at the experience of the United States
when they tried to ban alcohol.
"What arose out of that was Al Capone and armed gangs and that is what is
happening now in this country."
"This is also about the nanny state," she said. "Consenting adults should be
allowed to do what they like."
Miss Fozzard said legalising drugs would enable the government to put taxes
on them and also ensure the quality of drugs.
She suggested many drug users were putting themselves at risk by taking
adulterated and low-quality drugs.
"We want the BMA to debate this. We want the public to debate this," she
said.
On Tuesday, doctors attending the BMA conference held an informal debate on
the issue.
There were mixed views although most appeared to be against any proposals to
legalise drugs.
Dr Fay Wilson, a GP in Birmingham, said: "Legalising drugs will not help. It
will not do a thing to reduce crime.
"There are quite a number of people who do not take drugs because they are
illegal."
Other doctors called for studies into the possible effects of legalising
drugs.
Dr Noel Olsen, chairman of the Alcohol Education and Research Council, said:
"We need research and an evidence base."
The UK charity DrugScope welcomed the debate.
But a spokeswoman said: "We believe that this debate must be based on the
evidence that has been given to the government on the harmful nature of
drugs, such as our support for the reclassifying of cannabis and ecstasy, as
well as the recent outlawing of GHB."
Pubdate: July 2, 2003
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Author:
Webpage: BBC NEWS | Health | Doctors reject drugs law change