“We absolutely must take a public health approach – and start treating people with compassion and support.”
Daisy Cooper MP says that a more preventative, health-based approach to drugs policy needs to be taken up to tackle drugs misuse.
Last week, the St Albans MP joined bereaved families, former drug users, campaigners and other MPs to speak at a Parliamentary lobby organised by campaign group Anyone’s Child.
The group is a branch of the charity Transform Drugs and is formed of a network of families whose lives have been ruined by current drug laws and are now campaigning to change them. Part of the campaign involved encouraging supporters to write to their MP and asking them to attend the event.
Anyone’s Child wants to see a change in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which aimed to stop the supply, possession, or manufacturing of drugs across the UK. It is also the only piece of legislation in British law that hasn’t been formally evaluated or reviewed since its introduction more than 50 years ago.
Speaking at the event, Daisy said: “Behind every single statistic is a life and a story. We know that drugs can destroy lives and they can rip the soul from a family.
“In my own constituency of St Albans, people been through that – and it’s heart-wrenching to know things could have been different.
“We know the so-called war on drugs has failed and continues to fail. We absolutely must take a public health approach to this – and start treating people with compassion and support.”
“It is a longstanding policy of my party to do that, and I’m very happy and prepared to work with any other MP on a cross party basis to bring about the change we need in the law and people’s lives.
“Hearing stories from affected people wins hearts and minds – so it’s important that we keep telling them and eventually we’ll get the change that we need to see.”