Devastating report calls for halt to slide towards decriminalising drugs

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has called on the UK Government to tackle a “drug addiction crisis of unprecedented proportions”.

The think-tank’s new report, ‘Still ambitious for recovery: How to address illegal drug addiction and strengthen law enforcement’s role’, revealed that three times as many people die from drug-related reasons as road accidents.

With drug-related deaths at the highest level in England and Wales since records began, the CSJ advised the Government to abandon moves to liberalise laws on drug possession, and to invest in prevention, treatment and recovery.

‘Plainly wrong’

The report highlighted that a record of 5,448 people died from drug poisoning in 2023, an 84 per cent increase over the past decade.

Pretending liberalisation is the answer is plainly wrong.

Almost ten per cent of adults aged 15-59 reported using illegal drugs in the past year, although the think-tank noted that is likely to underestimate the problem. It also highlighted that 13,800 babies have been born with neonatal withdrawal symptoms since 2012/13.

Sophia Worringer, the CSJ’s Deputy Policy Director, said: “Pretending liberalisation is the answer is plainly wrong. Everywhere you look, it has not stamped out the illegal drug market or acted as a silver bullet to reduce drug deaths or drug use.”

Rt. Hon Jonathan Ashworth, CEO of Labour Together, said: “I hope the findings and recommendations within it will galvanise leaders across government, healthcare, law enforcement, and the voluntary sector to act.”