New Amsterdam? Why would that be bad?

First off… Hats off to Gavin St Pier for even broaching the subject of the legalisation of drugs. For too long States members have not wanted to hear or debate any new ideas to change the angle of approach towards the failed ‘war on drugs’. For many years I have always had the stance that Guernsey will be far behind the mainland with changes made in these areas. In the last year or two I have noticed more and more openness to debate and a slight shift in opinion on the matter within the island, which is absolutely brilliant.

Whether Deputy St Pier was raising an inquiry into complete legalisation, de-criminalisation or medical legalisation, there are positives to be taken from all three changes in the law.

I feel that a response to the letter written is important as it was extremely vague and negative and did not give any explanation as to why it would be a bad thing to ‘end up like Amsterdam’. Also I quote ‘can you imagine what these schools [new two-school system] and drugs combined would generate?’ These two statements do not help any matter without giving any reasonable explanations as to why she felt this way.

So my first point is: What’s the problem with ending up like Amsterdam? The statement has no substance. I’m assuming you’ve been to Amsterdam and have had a bad experience there, due to your negative expression of it. I have been a number of times and can tell you that it is an absolutely beautiful city which is visited by all walks of life. I have never seen any trouble and feel very safe exploring it. I will add that Manchester, Birmingham, London, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton and Cardiff all score higher on the European Crime and Safety Index. This proves a point that legalisation does not make somewhere more dangerous.

Maybe this is a venture Guernsey should look to. We have a dying tourism industry and plenty of disused greenhouses and through cannabis legalisation we would create new jobs within the growing industry again and hotels, bars and restaurants could have a new lease of life. We can also look to the American states that have legalised its use. Colorado and Washington have been able to build new schools and fund drug addiction programmes with the tax profits made since legalisation and the Tax Foundation has estimated that all other states are losing out on a minimum of $28bn a year in tax revenue. Now just think how much more relaxed us taxpayers in Guernsey would be about all these pointless and astronomically expensive road layout changes.

The second question to address was that of the problems which the two-school system and legalisation combined would generate. Again, I see no reason as to why it’s been raised. You don’t see pupils drinking alcohol at school just because it’s legal. Therefore why would cannabis be any different? We’ve stepped out of the 20th century and science has really started to move at lightning speed, giving us new understandings and information on many subjects where we’ve clearly been getting things wrong for many years. With new information should come new ventures. What’s the point in sitting stagnant and not dealing with a failed system? Handfuls of studies on the use of psychoactive (‘illegal class-A’) drugs are coming out each year with the absolute undeniable improvements and even total cures of some of the most prevalent mental illnesses in today’s society. This isn’t just taking something and hoping for the best. These programmes are in a controlled, relaxed setting with trained specialists and continued care throughout and after use.

With all the research now coming out on cannabis it really does boggle my mind how it’s still not been given the green light. It doesn’t mean just because you have an ache you should be able to light up and get ‘high’. Medicinal cannabis can be free from the psychoactive compound THC and the CBD compound (non-psychoactive) has a huge list of issues it can alleviate. For instance, just last week the BBC news covered a story of a child who had up to 25 epileptic fits a day. The parents moved to Holland and with the use of a THC-free cannabis oil (CBD) they reduced that to one to three a month. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons they had to move back to the UK and weren’t allowed to continue with treatment. Truly heartbreaking for the family. How, with the science of today and for something that grows naturally from the ground, are we not allowing a child a way to escape a terrible standard of living? To add, there are far fewer side effects than you will get from the use of man-made pharmaceuticals.

With access to the internet now you just have to spend a little time researching the amazing things that are happening across the globe in places that have de-criminalised drug use. The method is tried and tested with proven improvements in crime reduction, addiction, unemployment and standards of living.

Unfortunately, and by no fault of their own, many in the older generation grew up in a time where access to this type of information was not readily available and were subjected to years of programming and propaganda around the ‘dangers’ of illegal substances. In my view the ‘war on drugs’ has now overstayed its welcome, bringing nothing but a criminal underworld that has needed constant policing, costing the taxpayer billions if not trillions and ruining the lives of many people unnecessarily.

I am fully aware that there are many drugs out there that have no place in this world and cause utter destruction, but on the other hand there are many drugs out there that if used responsibly are very beneficial to certain individuals. Of course, in this world you are always going to have drug addiction but why treat this as a criminal act? Whether something is illegal or not, the abuser will still abuse. This is not a criminal act, this is a mental problem that can be addressed without slapping an already suffering person with another fine and criminal record, further reducing the likelihood of recovery and an improved future.

Further to this point towards de-criminalisation; it’s becoming very tiring seeing teenagers in the Guernsey Press almost daily, sent through the court system for doing what teenagers do – trying new things. The fact it is illegal is a lure in itself. This can instantly put the brakes on the successful integration of children into adult life and hinder the prospect of great careers and a potential young mind doing great things for the community of Guernsey, just because of outdated laws.

We live in a world full of legal drugs; sugar, caffeine, alcohol and prescription medications, all of which contribute to the major illnesses we face as a society today. Yet we don’t see them as being as dangerous as some illegal drugs, even through new research tells us otherwise. I guess where I’m going with this is that no matter what is illegal or legal, it is down to us to make the conscious choice on how we treat our bodies.

I would like to open people up to the idea that you have probably had many people through your lifetime that have helped you, guided you, been of service in some way and unbeknown to you are users of illegal drugs for recreational or self-development purposes. These people could be intellectual outside-the-box thinkers, bosses of well-known companies or just your average Joe. Not every drug user is bad or a criminal, that’s just the programming we’ve been sold and need to break free from. I will add that this is a subject with which it is hard to gain traction with the many respected and influential members of our society who want change. These people have the ability to shift opinion and action, but the fear of repercussions and backlash from people in disagreement unfortunately outweighs the risk of speaking out.

In short, I guess the point I am trying to make is that I get that everyone is entitled to an opinion on each matter, but I see it every day that people cast their vote on something without updating themselves on the latest information available, instead believing the first things that the media broadcasts. If you feel strongly about something and want to put your point across to the public it has to be factual and backed up, as otherwise it can hamper positive change. Don’t just go with the side you favour. Please research the other side of the story and always question your beliefs. I mean no disrespect to the person who wrote in and I have no idea if her life or that of others around her have been affected in a negative way in relation to drug use. Times are changing and positive steps have been taken in a number of places and I hope Guernsey can do the same soon.

Name and address withheld.