British Doctors Are Pushing for Decriminalization of All Drugs

Doctors and researchers in the U.K. are calling for the decriminalization of all drugs as a means to protect public health. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has also called for decriminalization and legalization of drugs. The BMJ supports non-criminal charges for non-violent drug users.

A report indicates that the war on drugs in the U.K. is a failed initiative, just as it has been in the U.S., Consumer Affairs reports.

BMJ editor-in-chief Dr. Fiona Godlee said, “The BMJ is firmly behind efforts to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of drugs for recreational and medicinal use. This is an issue on which doctors can and should make their voices heard. This is not about whether you think drugs are good or bad. It is an evidence-based position entirely in line with the public health approach to violent crime.”

According to Godlee, decriminalizing non-violent drug possession cases allows communities to access more resources regarding public health treatment options for drug addicts, and may help reduce violent crime.

The report also states the American Medical Association’s (AMA) slight shift in opinion when it comes to marijuana legalization, saying that additional studies should be conducted. The AMA commented that taking a public health approach to marijuana is better than incarcerating those that use it, yet they still misguidedly claim that “cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a public health concern.”

In April, the Royal College of Physicians in London said that the war on drugs deters addicts from seeking appropriate help.