On 24th April a Parliamentary Select Committee was taking evidence on the subject of de-criminalising drug use. At the moment Action on Addiction does not have an official position on de-criminalisation or its close cousin legalisation. We will shortly be undertaking a review as to whether the Charity needs to have one and if so what it will be and why.

Into our thinking will go a recognition that no matter which way the country ends up going on this contentious issue, addiction will remain a major issue for society to address. There will still be millions of people whose lives will be overtaken by their all-consuming relationship with mood altering substances. There will still be the millions more who are badly affected through their relationship with those people. We have only to look at the numbers of people addicted to legal drugs – tobacco, alcohol, prescription and over-the-counter medications - to understand that. The focus on illegal substances does much to distract us from the uncomfortable realities to be found in those “legal” relationships.

Whichever way the Charity or public policy leans, we need to take great care over the decision because once it has been taken it we will not be able to go back. The subject often provokes emotionally charged moral argument, even hysteria. What we really need are cool heads able to think rationally.

I am not sure what position the Charity will come to but I am sure the process of thinking it through will be an interesting one.

Nick Barton
Chief Executive