In 1986, Margaret Thatcher initiated a scheme to prevent the spread of HIV and protect society. In its day, the Needle Exchange Programme was hailed as debauchery and was seen to condone drug use.
Margaret Thatcher, love her or hate her, took charge and did was right for the people, she took a brave step and stuck by her guns.
Regulation of drugs is the inevitable and logical conclusion to this "revolutionary" programme.
We are now 24 years into this programme, and the UK and Thatcher are hailed as flag bearers to a modern day stance on health related drug use. As cited in the source below, many countries still do not have such programmes and refuse to do so, the U.S and Russia being most notable. The evidence speaks volumes, there is not a single person that can argue the programme has not worked and is an overwhelming success. The UK has kept HIV rates in drug use down to a steady 1%- compared to Russia who have no interest in anything but judicial stance, they have a 60% HIV rate.
Regulating and controlling drugs in the UK is not revolutionary, it is a continuation of the exchange programme in its essence. We look to Portugal, Holland, Italy, Czech Republic, these countries have decriminalised; drug use has lowered, crime has dropped dramatically, HIV rates have plummeted, harms reduced considerably, and every area of society has benefited. Abuse in children has also seen a noticeable change for the better.
Continue Thatcher's legacy, her work remains unfinished. Clean up our country and take drugs away from cartels and gangs. Regulate, decriminalise, and control that which has been uncontrollable under prohibition.
Thatcher, for better or for worse, was a leader, not afraid of media bias. We need leading, we cry out for leadership:
http://stats.org/stories/2008/needle_exchange_drug_czar_dec03_08.html
Drug laws have failed to such a degree that we face threats from every area of a broken democracy and society. Legal highs cannot be combated, cartels lure children into the underworld industry, pushers stop at nothing for profit.
As civil unrest grows, police forces weaken and we are asked to police our own streets, we simply cannot have the mess that comes with drug law. To render a thriving industry powerless, you need to gazump, it is basic marketing… the drug industry is booming! It was said by the UN when the war on drugs was waged that 60% of drugs would need to be wiped off the streets to have an impact. The UK is seizing 1%.
Speaking on the 60% figure to have an impact:
Detective Chief Constable Gordon Meldrum, of the Scottish Crime & Drug Enforcement Agency, says: “My honest view is that we will not get anywhere close to that. You know we will never have enough law enforcement within the UK to actually stop anywhere near the amount of drugs that actually come into the country.”
Let the UK lead once more and not trail in a quagmire like we are currently doing.
I may have personal feelings on Thatcher, but her programme will forever be hailed as humanity at its apex. Let humanity be part of governance once more.
