Let's talk about drugs

Dawn Butler did a fantastic job today on politics live.

While talking about the topic of drugs on the show Dawn mentioned a YouTube film called 'Fair Trade'. I've not had much on today so figured it was worth a quick watch.

I watched the film.

It reminded of something my mum said once when I was younger, she said flippantly one day she didn't ever need to worry about me doing drugs, 'drugs are for rich kids' she said. She was only partly joking.

I lived in a different borough to the one I went to school in. The kids I went to school with were generally better off and mostly white. In fact, the majority of people in my school that weren't white came from the same area as me.

Interestingly enough, as I got older, I realised what my mum said had a lot of truth to it. I quickly learned drugs were for rich kids. Don't get me wrong, I went out, did my fair share of drinking and partying, but growing up the only time I ever really saw pills or coke was when I took a train journey to the neighbouring Borough, to party at some big rich house, I didn't care to participate.

Growing up, drugs were absolutely present in both areas, but where I was from kids weren't doing coke and pills at some mad raving house party. They were sitting on a bench in the park at night quietly smoking a joint. And a tiny number of those who did smoke weed would occasionally get on their bikes to go sell the 'real' drugs to rich kids.

I have been stopped by the police maybe 3 or 4 times in my life, but only once was it on account of them 'suspecting' drug use in the area. Surprisingly, I was with a black friend at the time and they were only interested in searching him not me.

After what's been talked about in the news recently its clear that the issues surrounding drug abuse and crime are very misunderstood.

Firstly, weed is less harmful than alcohol, no one has ever died from weed consumption alone, you only have to look at Snoop Dogg to know its pretty much impossible. So legalise weed and tax it the same way we do with alcohol and tobacco. Better still, study it properly and take advantage of its medicinal properties, like other societies have done all throughout history.

Secondly, legalise all drugs. People that do drugs and suffer with addiction will continue to do so regardless of the law and the problems only escalate with incarceration. An alcoholic wouldn’t just suddenly sober up tomorrow if booze were made illegal. By legalising drugs, you are giving those people safe spaces and safe doses, you are better able to provide them with systems of support. Recreational use will be safer and addiction can be treated as a mental health issue not a criminal one.

Lastly, its not a poor people problem. The only reason the poor are vilified for drug use is cause they can't afford to do it 'well'. Which isn't surprising because guess what? They are poor. There’s a lot they can't afford in life, expecting them to be able to afford addiction is unfair. Like expecting someone with bi-polar to pay for the medication they need. Mental illnesses are not something people choose to have and neither is addiction. When rich people do drugs, they can do so and still afford to pay their rent, their bills, if the problem gets really bad they can even afford to check themselves into a nice private rehab. The poor can't do this, they lose their house, they end up on the streets and because drugs are criminal they can't even ask for help.

We need to change the way the system works.

The speaker of the House has recently said he is going to raise concerns over cocaine use in the commons with the police. The problem with this, isn't that someone in the house might have a slight drug problem, it's the way they criminalise members of the public that do. One rule for them and another for everyone else. Those making the rules criminalise young black boys that smoke weed. The problem isn't their coke fuelled dinner parties, their middle class university pill popping raves, no. It's the black boys on the corner selling the stuff to support his family, to afford clothes and food. He is the criminal.

Sounds to me like the real criminal here is inequality. Take away poverty and maybe that young working class boy wouldn't have to stand at that same corner for years selling drugs, all so that the rich can have one fun night out.

Change the system.