Putting a smackhead in prison because they committed theft to fund a habit they cannot break is not helping them to quit. Removing dealers from the equation removes the need for the junkie to steal to furnish his habit and having the drugs in a controlled environment where purity can be assessed, preventing deaths from overdose etc means the chances of doctors being able to wean users off their addiction are significantly improved.
As an example I think it'd work rather well. Trouble is it first requires admission that the current system helps no-one. Bring on the finger pointing and blame game politicians.
For many years I have had a job and responsibility whilst at the same time enjoying the occasional tipple of various things. For those that can behave in a reasonable manner, being labelled a criminal because I favour one activity over going into town on a friday or saturday night, drinking a skin-full then having a fight, seems to me to be part of the root of the problem. Like prostitution, drugs are a social taboo (despite the fact that just about everybody uses them) that we sweep under the carpet rather than facing up to the truth. People like to get high; since the dawn of civilisation man has searched for ways to get off his face for any number of social, cultural or religious reasons. Modern drug use differs very little in this respect. All that has changed is our perception of it.
I don't believe drugs ought to be 'freely available to the public'. In the case of heroin the priority must be netting existing users and usurping their street supply with properly controlled distribution centres. In the case of other lesser class substances, possession ought not to be a criminal offence if there is no indication of intent to supply. The current hypocrisy where the government taxes two quite dangerous and insidious drugs whilst in the same breath declaring everyone else who uses substances that (in essence) are not currently taxable is what I consider to be criminal. Things are changing with that last one, but very slowly.
As far as health issues and the money to treat them is concerned, we hardly suffer from a pandemic of mental illness or disease as a direct result of the consumption of drugs. A better argument for the correct spending of money on our NHS could be satisfied in the following manner:
"Chuck another couple of hospitals on the fire"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sofron111.xml
Construction of these modern day folly's differs nought from the past where rich lords would have a building constructed for the sake of displaying their wealth- look how much cash I can waste on something with no purpose! Except for the fact that they are spending taxpayers money to do this.
Prestigious event? Yes. A complete waste of money that could be better allocated elsewhere? Damn right.
The same applies to the allocation of billions of pounds to developing nations that stubbornly refuse to stay developed. Look after and secure the welfare of your own addicts, homeless people and poor
first then you can start thinking about your debt to relieving other nations who require help. That's only common sense. 'Meet the Natives' on UK tv the other week illustrated this very well when the 'primitive' tribesmen came to see the wonders of modern society and were astounded and shocked that we have people living rough on the streets in the midst of so much splendour and affluence. How can this be? they asked incredulously . How indeed.
I pay national insurance an lead a moderate lifestyle, so any injury I sustain as a result of my occasional indulgence I have already paid for, that thus far most of nhs spending seems to go to managers, useless computer systems and treatment of those who contribute nothing in return is what I object to.
The whole system of control of drugs needs to be changed and managed by people who actually live in the real world, not some guy in a wig at the top of an ivory tower, who most likely enjoys a line of coke as much as the next guy.
And it's that last that puts the whole situation into horrible perspective for me.