Jack Straw: Drug report ‘needs attention’

4:30pm Tuesday 11th December 2012 in Blackburn Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

Jack Straw says drug report ‘needs attention’ Jack Straw says drug report ‘needs attention’

FORMER Labour Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw has said the government must give “serious consideration” to a new report calling for a relaxation of some drug laws and a greater emphasis on tackling dealers and treating addicts.

However, he believes the suggestions by a committee of MPs will not require major change to existing practices.

His view is backed by Burnley Liberal Democrat MP Gordon Birtwistle.

The House of Commons home affairs committee yesterday called for a royal commission to consider the decriminalising of illegal drugs - which was immediately ruled out by Prime Minister David Cameron.The committee has called for tougher action on drug dealers and more emphasis on treatment for addicts. It also expressed concern over the growth of legal highs abuse and prescription drugs addiction.

Mr Straw, while stopping short of backing the call for a Royal Commission, said the report deserved serious government consideration.

“I doubt it will make much difference to current policy where people caught in possession of small amounts of drugs, are normally informally warned or cautioned for a first offence rather than prosecuted.

Mr Birtwistle said: “I see no reason to change our drug laws at the moment. They are working.

The committee is right that we need to crackdown harder on dealers and keep up the emphasis on treatment.

“Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said: “I hope the government look very carefully at this report and any new evidence on the issue.”

Comments (14)

4:52pm Tue 11 Dec 12

lwg76 says...

If the man of Straw, or is it "Grass" now, thinks the Drug Laws should be Liberalised, Why didn't he take action when he could as a minister? 'Pocrit.
If the man of Straw, or is it "Grass" now, thinks the Drug Laws should be Liberalised, Why didn't he take action when he could as a minister? 'Pocrit. lwg76

5:30pm Tue 11 Dec 12

Info-warrior says...

Lets remind Jack what his party did when somebody else was suggesting the same thing as he is here Prof Nutt came to public attention in 2009 when he was sacked from the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after tabloid outrage over a paper he wrote claiming that ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol.
Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson felt compelled to sack him..

So whats different now Jack ..?
Lets remind Jack what his party did when somebody else was suggesting the same thing as he is here Prof Nutt came to public attention in 2009 when he was sacked from the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after tabloid outrage over a paper he wrote claiming that ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol. Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson felt compelled to sack him.. So whats different now Jack ..? Info-warrior

6:07pm Tue 11 Dec 12

DEO VOLENTE says...

Mr Straw is in no position to "tell" the government what it must or must not do. In case it escaped his attention both he and "New Labour" are in opposition and thankfully will be for some considerable time. This can be partly explained by the mess, or should that be horlicks? that "New Labour" left the country in following it's lamentable time in government. It can also partly be blamed on the unions choice of " New Labour" leader or should that be non-leader?Furthermo
re it can also be partly blamed on the politically disorientated policies adopted and enacted by the "New Labour" party. Most of all the fact that "New Labour" are in the political wilderness is that they lost the trust of the electorate and as such were thankfully relegated to the political long grass. No-one listens to a tired old opposition with no leader,new ideas or policies. As for relaxing drug laws given the amount of Class A drugs and other illegal drugs freely available in towns like Blackburn I honestly thought drug laws had been not relaxed but repealed. As for "tackling" dealers I did not see much evidence to support that "New Labours" so called war on drugs did this. In fact "New Labour" failed miserably, again, in relation to drug use and drug dealers as they did in education, the NHS, the economy and every other aspect of government. Remeber " New Labour equals "Old Lies. As has previously been pointed out "New Labour" had the time and majority to address the use and dealing of illegal drugs in the U.K. during their time in office but evidentially they made no positive contribution. I am all for tough action against the "Evil" scum who deal, and have dealt, in illegal drugs. These Evil scum should face the ultimate samction, that being the death sentence. Until we have a criminal justice system worth the name drug dealing by Evil scum will continue.

Deus Vobiscum
Mr Straw is in no position to "tell" the government what it must or must not do. In case it escaped his attention both he and "New Labour" are in opposition and thankfully will be for some considerable time. This can be partly explained by the mess, or should that be horlicks? that "New Labour" left the country in following it's lamentable time in government. It can also partly be blamed on the unions choice of " New Labour" leader or should that be non-leader?Furthermo re it can also be partly blamed on the politically disorientated policies adopted and enacted by the "New Labour" party. Most of all the fact that "New Labour" are in the political wilderness is that they lost the trust of the electorate and as such were thankfully relegated to the political long grass. No-one listens to a tired old opposition with no leader,new ideas or policies. As for relaxing drug laws given the amount of Class A drugs and other illegal drugs freely available in towns like Blackburn I honestly thought drug laws had been not relaxed but repealed. As for "tackling" dealers I did not see much evidence to support that "New Labours" so called war on drugs did this. In fact "New Labour" failed miserably, again, in relation to drug use and drug dealers as they did in education, the NHS, the economy and every other aspect of government. Remeber " New Labour equals "Old Lies. As has previously been pointed out "New Labour" had the time and majority to address the use and dealing of illegal drugs in the U.K. during their time in office but evidentially they made no positive contribution. I am all for tough action against the "Evil" scum who deal, and have dealt, in illegal drugs. These Evil scum should face the ultimate samction, that being the death sentence. Until we have a criminal justice system worth the name drug dealing by Evil scum will continue. Deus Vobiscum DEO VOLENTE

6:47pm Tue 11 Dec 12

George White Bread says...

Cue the pro weed bong brigade spouting off about how cannabis is harmless and how evil alcohol destroys the world......blah blah blah.
Cue the pro weed bong brigade spouting off about how cannabis is harmless and how evil alcohol destroys the world......blah blah blah. George White Bread

6:59pm Tue 11 Dec 12

Wishingwell says...

I despair that folk actually still vote for this person in fact I just despair for Blackburn. You get what you vote for, end of!
I despair that folk actually still vote for this person in fact I just despair for Blackburn. You get what you vote for, end of! Wishingwell

7:47pm Tue 11 Dec 12

Info-warrior says...

Total crackdown on drug trafficking dealing smuggling sniffing or anything else they do with it would mean that the British are fighting a war for nothing. The war in Afghanistan is simply for the control of the poppy fields and nothing else the more the drugs are relaxed the more they can get hooked up. Drug dealers being pharmaceutical or illegal peddlers they'er are not bothered how they get you hooked up as long as they do.

Tories, Lib-dems and Labour you couldn't get a fag paper between the lot of them on the way forward with the drugs that flood the shores of Britain and Burnley or on any other issues that affects each of us. None of them ever think outside the box when they're in power when they're not they have lots to say about how it should be handled..."hypo's the lot of them"..

Each of the three main parties have played this game of politics between them for so many years now thats its become so predictable and boring to watch or listen to that you can only raise an eyebrow at the same old rhetoric..there isn't one of them with any backbone to stand up for change or to the ones who pull their strings..The drugs trade pharmaceutical or illegal is a big big card at the globallists poker table and while thats the case am affraid that jokers like the tories labour or lib-dems haven't got a say in any of it....as long as they're protecting those poppy fields they need not bother with any silly drugs nonsense..

The only way forward is to have a complete clear out of the three main parties and start again..
Total crackdown on drug trafficking dealing smuggling sniffing or anything else they do with it would mean that the British are fighting a war for nothing. The war in Afghanistan is simply for the control of the poppy fields and nothing else the more the drugs are relaxed the more they can get hooked up. Drug dealers being pharmaceutical or illegal peddlers they'er are not bothered how they get you hooked up as long as they do. Tories, Lib-dems and Labour you couldn't get a fag paper between the lot of them on the way forward with the drugs that flood the shores of Britain and Burnley or on any other issues that affects each of us. None of them ever think outside the box when they're in power when they're not they have lots to say about how it should be handled..."hypo's the lot of them".. Each of the three main parties have played this game of politics between them for so many years now thats its become so predictable and boring to watch or listen to that you can only raise an eyebrow at the same old rhetoric..there isn't one of them with any backbone to stand up for change or to the ones who pull their strings..The drugs trade pharmaceutical or illegal is a big big card at the globallists poker table and while thats the case am affraid that jokers like the tories labour or lib-dems haven't got a say in any of it....as long as they're protecting those poppy fields they need not bother with any silly drugs nonsense.. The only way forward is to have a complete clear out of the three main parties and start again.. Info-warrior

8:58pm Tue 11 Dec 12

Good call says...

Info-warrior wrote:
Total crackdown on drug trafficking dealing smuggling sniffing or anything else they do with it would mean that the British are fighting a war for nothing. The war in Afghanistan is simply for the control of the poppy fields and nothing else the more the drugs are relaxed the more they can get hooked up. Drug dealers being pharmaceutical or illegal peddlers they'er are not bothered how they get you hooked up as long as they do.

Tories, Lib-dems and Labour you couldn't get a fag paper between the lot of them on the way forward with the drugs that flood the shores of Britain and Burnley or on any other issues that affects each of us. None of them ever think outside the box when they're in power when they're not they have lots to say about how it should be handled..."hypo
's the lot of them"..

Each of the three main parties have played this game of politics between them for so many years now thats its become so predictable and boring to watch or listen to that you can only raise an eyebrow at the same old rhetoric..there isn't one of them with any backbone to stand up for change or to the ones who pull their strings..The drugs trade pharmaceutical or illegal is a big big card at the globallists poker table and while thats the case am affraid that jokers like the tories labour or lib-dems haven't got a say in any of it....as long as they're protecting those poppy fields they need not bother with any silly drugs nonsense..

The only way forward is to have a complete clear out of the three main parties and start again..
The Globalists own everything the financial system,the big corporations,drugs most of the worlds governments and are trying to take control of the world food supply by introducing GM seed.
[quote][p][bold]Info-warrior[/bold] wrote: Total crackdown on drug trafficking dealing smuggling sniffing or anything else they do with it would mean that the British are fighting a war for nothing. The war in Afghanistan is simply for the control of the poppy fields and nothing else the more the drugs are relaxed the more they can get hooked up. Drug dealers being pharmaceutical or illegal peddlers they'er are not bothered how they get you hooked up as long as they do. Tories, Lib-dems and Labour you couldn't get a fag paper between the lot of them on the way forward with the drugs that flood the shores of Britain and Burnley or on any other issues that affects each of us. None of them ever think outside the box when they're in power when they're not they have lots to say about how it should be handled..."hypo 's the lot of them".. Each of the three main parties have played this game of politics between them for so many years now thats its become so predictable and boring to watch or listen to that you can only raise an eyebrow at the same old rhetoric..there isn't one of them with any backbone to stand up for change or to the ones who pull their strings..The drugs trade pharmaceutical or illegal is a big big card at the globallists poker table and while thats the case am affraid that jokers like the tories labour or lib-dems haven't got a say in any of it....as long as they're protecting those poppy fields they need not bother with any silly drugs nonsense.. The only way forward is to have a complete clear out of the three main parties and start again..[/p][/quote]The Globalists own everything the financial system,the big corporations,drugs most of the worlds governments and are trying to take control of the world food supply by introducing GM seed. Good call

11:43pm Tue 11 Dec 12

2 for 5p says...

Quote:

Mr Birtwistle said: “I see no reason to change our drug laws at the moment. They are working.

Oh birtwistle I haven't laughed so hard in ages it shows how out of touch you are.

Totaly legalize all drugs bring the price down so they dont need to steal to support there habit
They can then kill themselves without bothering decent people.
Quote: Mr Birtwistle said: “I see no reason to change our drug laws at the moment. They are working. Oh birtwistle I haven't laughed so hard in ages it shows how out of touch you are. Totaly legalize all drugs bring the price down so they dont need to steal to support there habit They can then kill themselves without bothering decent people. 2 for 5p

11:30am Wed 12 Dec 12

shytalk says...

2 for 5p wrote:
Quote:

Mr Birtwistle said: “I see no reason to change our drug laws at the moment. They are working.

Oh birtwistle I haven't laughed so hard in ages it shows how out of touch you are.

Totaly legalize all drugs bring the price down so they dont need to steal to support there habit
They can then kill themselves without bothering decent people.
Quite true 5 4 2 pee. Espescially where you live.
[quote][p][bold]2 for 5p[/bold] wrote: Quote: Mr Birtwistle said: “I see no reason to change our drug laws at the moment. They are working. Oh birtwistle I haven't laughed so hard in ages it shows how out of touch you are. Totaly legalize all drugs bring the price down so they dont need to steal to support there habit They can then kill themselves without bothering decent people.[/p][/quote]Quite true 5 4 2 pee. Espescially where you live. shytalk

9:21pm Wed 12 Dec 12

M.DANNY says...

Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011.
Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011. M.DANNY

12:09am Thu 13 Dec 12

George White Bread says...

M.DANNY wrote:
Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011.
The clue is in the titles, BLACKBURN.......DARW
EN. 2 separate towns, look them up there on maps, of these new gadgets they've got now called Sat Navs.
[quote][p][bold]M.DANNY[/bold] wrote: Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011.[/p][/quote]The clue is in the titles, BLACKBURN.......DARW EN. 2 separate towns, look them up there on maps, of these new gadgets they've got now called Sat Navs. George White Bread

6:01pm Thu 13 Dec 12

woolywords says...

Why not change the laws so that only the Police can sell drugs? Here's how it works.
People ship the stuff from where ever in the World, hand it in to Customs at point of entry into the country and get paid to do so, at a fair market price. These are then processed through the now closed down, Forensic Science Service Labs, to ensure quality and consistancy.
Once they meet the required standard they are then sent to your local Police station for distribution. This would, of course, require the reopening of the Northgate Police station, it being properly staffed and fitted out.
Drugs would be bought, used on the premises, in a carefully controlled enviroment, to ensure safety and that no minors were involved.
The profits from all this legalised trade could be used to properly finance the Police and any other local services that are a bit cash-strapped at the moment.
Just a thought...
Why not change the laws so that only the Police can sell drugs? Here's how it works. People ship the stuff from where ever in the World, hand it in to Customs at point of entry into the country and get paid to do so, at a fair market price. These are then processed through the now closed down, Forensic Science Service Labs, to ensure quality and consistancy. Once they meet the required standard they are then sent to your local Police station for distribution. This would, of course, require the reopening of the Northgate Police station, it being properly staffed and fitted out. Drugs would be bought, used on the premises, in a carefully controlled enviroment, to ensure safety and that no minors were involved. The profits from all this legalised trade could be used to properly finance the Police and any other local services that are a bit cash-strapped at the moment. Just a thought... woolywords

7:10pm Thu 13 Dec 12

M.DANNY says...

George White Bread wrote:
M.DANNY wrote:
Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011.
The clue is in the titles, BLACKBURN.......DARW

EN. 2 separate towns, look them up there on maps, of these new gadgets they've got now called Sat Navs.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council ,Darwen is part of Blackburn.
The new census come out reveals the population of Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500.Darwen is not a searate anymore it is part of Blackburn the big brother of Lancashire and capital of East Lancashire.All your council taxes are paid in Blackburn Town Hall.
[quote][p][bold]George White Bread[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]M.DANNY[/bold] wrote: Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500, Blackpool pop 142,100 and Preston pop 140,200.Blackburn with Darwen is the largest town in county of Lancashire outside Greater Manchester and Merseyside in census 2011.[/p][/quote]The clue is in the titles, BLACKBURN.......DARW EN. 2 separate towns, look them up there on maps, of these new gadgets they've got now called Sat Navs.[/p][/quote]Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council ,Darwen is part of Blackburn. The new census come out reveals the population of Blackburn with Darwen population 147,500.Darwen is not a searate anymore it is part of Blackburn the big brother of Lancashire and capital of East Lancashire.All your council taxes are paid in Blackburn Town Hall. M.DANNY

3:54pm Sun 16 Dec 12

modan says...

Blackburn with Darwen is the largest local authority in county of Lancashire with a population of 147,000 and it's eighteenth largest in the Northwest.Other towns like Burnley,Preston and Blackpool has population decrease in the new 2011 census while Blackburn with Darwen population went up by over 7%.
Blackburn with Darwen now take this accolade as now the largest town in county of Lancashire as Blackpool was for the last ten years or so the number one largest town in Lancashire.It could put Blackburn on map with the largest football club in Lancashire and a Cathedral in the town.Blackburn needs a University and a four or five star hotel in the town centre for any chance of being awarded the city status.
Blackburn with Darwen is the largest local authority in county of Lancashire with a population of 147,000 and it's eighteenth largest in the Northwest.Other towns like Burnley,Preston and Blackpool has population decrease in the new 2011 census while Blackburn with Darwen population went up by over 7%. Blackburn with Darwen now take this accolade as now the largest town in county of Lancashire as Blackpool was for the last ten years or so the number one largest town in Lancashire.It could put Blackburn on map with the largest football club in Lancashire and a Cathedral in the town.Blackburn needs a University and a four or five star hotel in the town centre for any chance of being awarded the city status. modan

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