Health experts call for drug use to be decriminalised

The government's position on drugs has been challenged by leading public health bodies who are calling for the personal possession and use of illegal substances to be decriminalised.

A report from the Royal Society for Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health, which represent thousands of doctors and other health experts, claims the so-called "war on drugs" has failed.

"The time has come for a new approach where we recognise that drug use is a health issue, not a criminal justice issue," said Royal Society chief executive Shirley Cramer.

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She added that the government has failed to recognise that harsh criminal sanctions "have pushed vulnerable people in need of treatment to the margins of society".

The report, Taking a New Line on Drugs, calls for dealers to continue to be prosecuted, but saysindividuals who misuse drugs should be offered treatment and support instead of punishment.

An accompanying poll found that more than half of the 2,000 adults surveyed agreed that users should be referred for treatment instead of facing criminal charges.

Other key recommendations include improved education in schools and moving the responsibility for drug policy from the Home Office to the Department of Health.

The groups have a "strong record of influencing government policy," says the Daily Telegraph. They have previously successfully campaigned for a sugar tax and public-space smoking restrictions.

In response, the Home Office said the number of people misusing drugs had fallen over the last decade.

"The UK's approach on drugs remains clear, we must prevent drug use in our communities and support people dependent on drugs through treatment and recovery," said a spokesperson.