Pubdate: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 Source: Manchester Evening News (UK) Copyright: 2014 Manchester Evening News Contact: http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1313 Author: Steven Woolfe Page: 4 DRUG ADDICTS NEED TO BE DETERRED, NOT EGGED ON BY THE STATE... When I stood as the Ukip Police and Crime Commissioner candidate in 2012 for Greater Manchester, I was a strong voice against the decriminalisation of drugs then and my view, driven by evidence, has not changed since. The reality is that decriminalising drugs would result in drug houses becoming a familiar sight in our towns, in which users would be able to indulge in poisoning there bodies LEGALLY. Drug addicts need deterrence, not encouragement from the state. The most effective deterrent must come from our judicial system. The use of illicit drugs has intoxicating effects on the brain, a damaging impact on the body and adverse impact on behaviour with the worse consequence of drug use being death. Their usage also threatens the health, welfare, and safety of all people in society, of users and non-users alike. Every single day, families across Britain witness the devastating and dangerous consequences of drugs. Ukip recognises that the amount of people who use drugs is a clear problem that needs to be addressed. That is why we are calling for a royal commission to be set up to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of decriminalising drugs and other potential policy ideas. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt