Taking drugs is a human right, according to a cross-party group of MPs and peers who want to legalise the possession, purchase and growing of drugs.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform want to use human rights legislation to decriminalise drug use, claiming the 'blanket prohibition' drug policy approach has failed.
In a new report it suggests that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which outlines rights to 'private and family life', could be used by defendants caught with illegal drugs.
It says drug laws needed to “reflect the supremacy of human rights conventions' and suggests that as long as drug taking does not harm others, it should not be a criminal offence.
The group is an informal grouping of parliamentarians but its high profile and authoritative membership gives the group a significant degree of influence.
Its members include the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, former Justice Secretary Lord Falconer, former Labour leader Lord Kinnock, former Conservative Chancellor Lord Lawson and the former director general of M15 Baroness Manningham-Buller.
The report by the group could lead to a test case brought by a drug user but Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, who said the successful use of Article 8 of the ECHR could 'open the flood gates' for people using the legislation to avoid prosecution against all kinds of crimes.
“This applies fully to the response to the production, trafficking and sale of controlled drugs.
“When the existing unbalanced prohibitionist response to drug market activities breaches human rights, then adjustments must be made.”
A Government spokesman said it had 'no intention of decriminalising or legalising drugs'.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/is-taking-drugs-a-human-right-a-crossparty-group-of-mps-and-peers-think-so-10461824.html?icn=puff-1
Should there be a more relaxed view of drugs and drug taking or do we need greater control of their use?
Can a rights based approach be applied to drug taking?
What do you think?
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