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February 05, 2004
How many moons circle his planet I wonder?
The controversial Chief Constable of North Wales has launched another controversy. Having criminalised every motorist who drives a couple of miles an hour over the speed limit (Its possible in Mr Brunstrom's "patch" to lose your licence for speeding in a trip from your home to the supermarket and back again thanks to a vast number of speed cameras he has installed), he now feels we should allow the sale of all "recreational" drugs so that anyone who wants to blow his or her mind can do so legally.
I would have to agree that the prohibition has, like all prohibitions, made the criminal gangs that purvey these drugs extremely rich. I cannot agree that heroin is not dangerous. Like all drugs it affects the central nervous system and the effect is not predictable. Like many of my colleagues I have had the pleasure of trying to deal with someone seeing huge spiders or some other monster trying to "get" them while high on this or some derivative. I have also had to cut the remains of families out of cars wrecked by some hop head tripping out while driving.
No, its not dangerous, unless you count the fact that a lot of these morons generally manage to involve someone else in their attempts to purge their genetic contribution from the gene pool.
I wonder if any of these "the law has failed" types ever stop to ask themselves what would happen if the law was so strict, and applied rigorously, that it was not worth the risk of being caught? Nah, probably not - that might breech the criminals rights somehow!
Read the BBC interview below ....
Brunstrom backs open sale of heroin
Mr Brunstrom's opinions on drugs have made headline news before
North Wales Police Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom has told the BBC that he is prepared to see drugs such as heroin openly on sale because current drug laws are doing "more harm than good".
Speaking on BBC Wales' Dragon's Eye political programme, Mr Brunstrom described drugs as a menace and said that current policy was creating crime around massive illegal profits and leaving vulnerable people in danger.
"Heroin is very addictive but it's not very, very dangerous," he said. "It's perfectly possible to lead a normal life for a full life span and hold down a job while being addicted to the drug. I don't advocate anybody abusing their body with drugs but clearly some want to.
"What would be wrong with making heroin available on the state for people who wanted to abuse their bodies. What is wrong with that?"
Mr Brunstrom believes that legalising drugs would wipe out a multi-million pound criminal trade and says he has been amazed to receive "massive" public support for his views.
I've had overwhelming support for a no-holds barred, all-options considered, total review of the drugs laws
Richard Brunstrom
"The question is actually not 'am I prepared to see the government selling heroin on the street corner or through the pharmacy?' But why would we not want to do that? What is wrong with that?," he said.
"It's a very challenging question. I don't know what society's answer is but my answer is that is what we should be doing because our current policy is causing more harm than good."
In reference to the public backing he says he has received, he went on: "I've had overwhelming support at the very least for a no-holds barred, all-options considered, total review of the drugs laws.
"There is an enormous number of people of all age groups and all sections of our society who are ready to see a root and branch change to our drugs laws."
The chief constable - who has been heavily criticised over his crackdown on speeding motorists - insisted he is not supporting the drug trade - cannabis, he said, was not a safe drug and heroin was "extremely addictive".
But, he said drugs should be legalised adding that there was nothing wrong with the idea that the government could take over responsibility for their sale.
The police chief's unconventional view on drugs, first emerged in 2001 when he told his police authority that it was the only way to win the war against drugs.
He said that, despite billions of pounds and thousands of officer hours, the number of addicts and "recreational users" of illegal drugs in the UK has multiplied at an alarming rate.
Mr Brunstrom compared the current situation with alcohol prohibition in the USA in the 1920s, which was an "unmitigated disaster".
Dragon's Eye is broadcast at 2230 GMT on BBC 2 Wales.
Posted by The Gray Monk at February 5, 2004 12:57 PM