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Why Are Drugs Illegal- Asks Top British Cop

Author: Jonty Adderley
Friday, March 15, 2002
Crime and ill-health associated with drugs are caused by the drugs' illegality rather than the drugs themselves, a senior serving British policeman said on Channel 4 News this week.

"What is the problem- If you're not mugging old ladies and not stealing from shops and not stealing cars, what actually is the problem," asked Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable with North Wales Constabulary.

"Why shouldn't you be taking drugs- And that's the question we need to be asking ourselves. Why are these things illegal- What was the purpose behind it-"

Mr Brunstrom went on to savage the prohibitionist philosophy behind the war on drugs suggesting the war itself causes the greatest harm both to users and to society in general.

"Are these things (drugs) actually that bad- Are they that evil- Are there better alternatives to controlling use of drugs if we still want to control them," he continued.

"The war on drugs is causing a tidal wave of crime. We can demonstrate that something around a third of all recorded crime is committed by drug addicts to support their habit. Do we really want to pay those costs- Are there better alternatives-" he asked.
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