Can the drugs problem be tackled primarily through legal enforcement? Discuss this with reference to national and local force perspectives.

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May 2004                                                                                                   Candidate Number – ICJ 40227

Candidate Number:

ICJ 40227

   

Can the drugs problem be tackled primarily through legal enforcement? Discuss this with reference to national and local force perspectives.

Is the legislation currently in place adequate to combat the drugs problem sufficient enough?

Yes I think it is, even though the drugs and the use of drugs is more wide spread throughout county and national level than the general public wish to think and is just not related to Heroin, Cannabis and Ecstasy, there are other drugs, which the general public might not of heard of but are still used today.

Currently there are 3 bands of types of Drugs, which are banded into Class A, (The most notorious and dangerous drugs) Class B and Class C, (more commonly used prescription drugs) overall there are over 150 Class A Drugs, 20 Class B Drugs and 110 Class C Drugs.

Sampson (2004) states ‘The misuse of controlled drugs has become such a pervasive feature of Western society that it now affects almost every aspect of community life. As such, this subject is one of the most written about, argued about and legislated about in our criminal law. The impact of the misuse of drugs on crime and community safety has become so significant that it is also one of the most frequently encountered area of criminal law for police officers.’

“Throughout history people have taken drugs to alter their perceptions and change their moods. The attractions lie in the promise of instant pleasure and the possibility of heightened perceptions. Nietzsche said that no art could exist without intoxication and believed that a dream-like state was an essential precondition to superior vision and understanding” (Bragg 2002).

Drugs it has been noted have been around since 5000.B.C, when the Sumerians used opium for pleasure to enhance their state during “rejoicing” or “joyous times”, since then drugs have developed along with technology of the era, leading up to the current times, where there are a vast variety of  drugs for the “recreational user” to the “dependent user”.

In British law, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was passed by The British Government to bring some “logical structure” for the Police to work from where offenders under this Act could be dealt with appropriately, outlining police powers and procedures. The Act created numerous offences relating to controlled drugs, i.e.

  • Import and Export
  • Supply of Articles
  • Supply and Possession
  • Possession with intent to supply and
  • Use of premises, amongst others.

However, since this Act was incorporated, there have been numerous amendments under this heading; also some new Acts have been developed in connection with this Act, which “run along side” the Act of 1971.  The New Act, Misuse of Drug Regulations 2001, which further outlines the governments’ directions and general requirements towards the use, supply, possession, manufacture and sales of drugs on the whole.

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Drug Strategy Directorate (2002) states, the government has currently a National Drug Strategy in place to help people involved in drugs, which has been split into four areas, which are outlined below, and is also contained within CJIP (Criminal Justice Interventions Programme)

  • Young People

To help young people resist drug misuse in order to achieve their full potential in society. Success for the Drug Strategy means preventing today’s young people from becoming tomorrow’s problematic drug users. All controlled drugs are dangerous and young people and their families need credible, realistic information to protect themselves from ...

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