The War on Drugs: A Better Way?

Read Drugs: ditch the arguments, try some action from Scotland's The Sunday Herald and ask if our way is the best way.

"Promoting recovery is hard to disagree with and, as such, is a chance for all those who want to tackle Scotland's drugs problem to regroup under a common banner. Such a gathering place is much needed. Over recent years, the development of policy and practice has been hindered and energy dissipated in fighting too many phoney wars. How often have we rehearsed the abstinence versus harm reduction debate or heard residential rehabilitation pitted against methadone substitution programmes as a treatment?

A focus on recovery does not require any individual or organisation to leave behind their views, values or preferences. Indeed, there will - and should - continue to be healthy debate about what the balance of policy, services and investment should be. But if we sign up to the view that recovery is our common goal, then it flows that a range of different approaches can have a place.

A few months ago I chaired a Scottish government conference on the theme of recovery from drug addiction. Some clear messages emerged. The appetite to move on from argument to action was palpable. So, too, were the many heartfelt pleas to adopt a more positive approach to the way we discuss and deal with drugs and addiction."

I do differ from orthodoxy here - our way does not work to anyone's benefit but drug dealers.