‘Time is right to review our policy on drug use’

This morning she will ask questions of Health & Social Care and Home Affairs presidents on the progress of the Combined Substance Use Strategy, which could, with supplementary questions, become a mini debate in the Assembly on sentencing policy and decriminalisation.

The deputy admitted she had not realised just how timely her questions would be, given recent events, including the community response to the sentencing of 30-year-old nurse Pip Orchard for importation of drugs to self-medicate for post traumatic stress disorder.

‘In my research I realised there was really no information out there about how this strategy is progressing. It is an issue that is currently one the Guernsey community has been considering and I felt it was right to ask questions in the house to get an understanding of what has been done and by whom.’

The strategy is being led by the Health & Social Care and Home Affairs committees.

‘I have only had positive responses from the community with many people questioning what has happened since the election, when many deputies appeared to be in support of a review, and wondered what had happened since then,’ she said.

‘I felt it was time to raise community awareness of what we are doing and where this project is in terms of both policy areas and any progress we have made. My overwhelming motivation is to make sure that this is in the Government Work Plan.

‘I think the key is that it’s time that we have a grown-up conversation because there is an overwhelming desire from the community, and evidence from around the world, that it is time to review the overall drug policy and sentencing.’

Deputy Kazantseva-Miller said she was also seeking to bring different deputies’ viewpoints to light, to identify potential roadblocks, and to find ways to break down complex issues into smaller, actionable activities for progress.

She said there were no black-and-white answers, but doing nothing was not an option.

‘There are three pillars to this strategy – Health & Social Care, Home Affairs and Criminal Justice. No one could argue that drugs, and the destruction they cause, is not a very complicated issue, and I am sure there are all sorts of the views in the States.

‘It could be argued that we need to tackle this all together but trying to [do] everything at once will take years and years. What we need is to understand where we are, where we want to be, and to prioritise and identify the pieces of work within the strategy that can be achieved soon.

‘I don’t know what the workload would look like but I would like this flagged as a priority. I would like a clear commitment and timelines from both committees and to ensure the Combined Substance Use Strategy is included in the Government Work Plan. I am sure this is what the community would like to know too.’

Under Rule 11, a deputy lodging questions at a States meeting gets to ask two supplementary questions, and any other deputy can ask supplementary questions arising out of the replies.