The Right Hon David Cameron MP
Shadow Education Secretary
House of Commons
Westminster
London SW1A OAA

Dear Mr. Cameron,

You may remember I gave evidence on cannabis to the HASC in 2001.

The proposals attributed to you in the press regarding the regulation of drugs have been around for years, they have been endlessly debated.

The regulation of drugs by governments is “pie in the sky”. Even if legal, drugs would still have to be paid for and, presumably, taxed. Many addicts are unemployable, so would still have to steal to fund their habit. Legal tobacco and alcohol are widely trafficked and smuggled by people undercutting prices. Drug dealers are criminals. They would hardly turn into upright citizens overnight, they would simply turn to some other type of crime or target even more aggressively young children since the age for legalization would surely not be less than 18. It is youngsters we should be concerned about. We have not been very successful in keeping them from getting hold of alcohol or cigarettes with an age limit on purchase.

Whenever the drug laws are relaxed, usage rises. This has been seen in many countries e.g. Holland, America and Australia. The vast majority of people do not use drugs. More people will be encouraged to try them, especially children, “They must be safe, otherwise, why ever would the government make them legal?” This is the message conveyed to many of them by the down-classification of cannabis. Children take what they want to hear from messages and this one played right into their hands. They also have immature brains and drugs cause much more devastation in the brains of children than in those of adults.

Most opportunistic and motiveless crimes take place under the influence of drugs including alcohol. Crack cocaine can cause extreme violence among youngsters, some even kill other children for their designer trainers. Drug use is being blamed for more and more traffic accidents and our psychiatric hospitals have reported a 22% rise in admissions since cannabis was down-graded.

If you had spoken to a group of around 20 parents whose children had become psychotic or even schizophrenic because of cannabis use, as I have, you would realize the extent of the problem, the devastated lives and sheer waste of talent. It was one of the most harrowing experiences I have ever had.

Not so dramatic but equally destructive is the loss of educational opportunity that I have witnessed in some of my pupils who have used cannabis even occasionally. Because fat-soluble cannabis clogs up the brain cell membranes literally for weeks, chemical signaling between the nerve cells is disrupted and learning, memory and concentration are all impaired. Grades fall and some drop out altogether; few realize their full potential.

As for regulating the quality of drugs, it was ‘pure’ ecstasy that killed Leah Betts, not some adulterated pill. I know not many die from ecstasy but more and more evidence is surfacing that the brain can be permanently damaged. That is a ruined life.

Drug policy has failed because the laws have not been consistently enforced. The “war on drugs” has not been lost, it has never been properly waged. Add to that all the harm reduction messages, instead of prevention, in current school drug education and the frequent pro-legalisation articles and messages in the press and it is no wonder our children are confused. They are bombarded by logos on T-shirts, pictures in magazines, easy access to drug information and the sale of drug paraphernalia and cannabis seeds on the internet and the glorification of the drug-taking lifestyle in pop songs and by pop stars. They don’t stand a chance.

Heroin prescription has been tried and failed before. What about alcoholics and those addicted to nicotine? Would they qualify for prescriptions too? And if not, why not? Are tax-payers going to have to pay eventually for the re-habilitation of all the addicts created by the availability of these now legal drugs?

We should take a leaf out of America’s book. The “Just say no” campaign did work in spite of all the myths to the contrary. Twenty-three million drug users fell to 14 million over the 12 year period between 1979 and 1991. They took their eye off the ball for a few years but now again they are seeing a reduction due to the prevention policies of John Walters, their drug tsar. Just this month on September 4th they released a report of a 9% decline in illicit drug use in the 12 to 17 year age group between 2002 and 2004. A 7% fall was found in adults from 18 to 25 at the same time.

We have enough problems caused by our current legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, why add to the toll of misery?

I have not cluttered up this letter with references but have evidence for all the points I have made, should you wish to check them. I have enclosed several papers I have written on drugs and drug education which you may find useful.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Mary Brett.

Cc to Michael Howard MP, David Davis MP, Cheryl Gillan MP, Angela Watkinson MP, Andrew Selous MP, Nigel Evans MP, Oliver Letwin MP, Ann Winterton MP, Ann Widdecombe MP, Dominic Grieve MP, Annabel Goldie MSP, Bob Russell MP, Earl Howe, Jim Dobbin MP, Kate Hoey MP, Lord Strathclyde, Martin Smyth MP.