Report by Anthrax team says that Scottish Government should consider allowing heroin supply issue during periods of contamination, we should do this!

Dear All

I have repeated blogged on the need for the legalisation of drugs in Scotland.

There are several reasons for my decision to campaign on this matter.

1/ the drugs market must be bankrupted and taken away from the criminal classes.

2/ money collected could be re-invested in programmes and services to change people’s lives.

3/ ease the burden on NHS by better monitoring of addicts.

4/ unburden the courts and police from the crippling and phoney war on drugs which is a total failure.

And there is another reason; to protect the health of those people who are unfortunately addicts from being exposed to bad and unregulated drugs.

Certain drugs such as tobacco and alcohol are legal, they are taxed and regulated, however; we have seen that both these products kill if taken to excess.

Drugs also can kill, there is no question about that issue; it is widely accepted with stacks of evidence and research.

A recent report into an anthrax outbreak which killed 14 heroin addicts suggests officials should consider prescribing the drug during any future contaminations.

This is a start but it is a piecemeal approach, it is time to be bold, every time an outbreak of anthrax kills addicts, it is in part the fault of the failure of Holyrood Parliament to be bold.

Politicians want to be seen to be ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’; this is the mindset that has been created out of fear of being seen as weak and losing their seats at election time and party support.

And people are dying because of this.

14 heroin addicts are dead because no politician had the courage to save them, in truth it could be argued that these people probably might have died anyway.

But we do know they certainly died due to intransigence.

The National Anthrax Outbreak Control Team (NAOCT) says the Scottish Government could "usefully give this aspect further consideration" as guidance on the issue would be helpful for Outbreak Control Teams (OCTs) and addiction services.

Report author Dr Colin Ramsay, chairman of NAOCT is on the right track, but this is a political decision.

Legalisation of drugs is so big an issue for some politicians and the scale of the problem so huge that they are unwilling to speak up or act.

Ramsay added it was now relevant for consideration by Government officials.
This issue should be looked at again in the interests of public health.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University