Sanchek
08-16-2008, 05:39 PM
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-big-question-is-the-war-on-drugs-really-making-the-problem-worse-881271.html
Do seizures have any effect?
The report was unequivocal. It said: "Despite significant drug and asset seizures and drug-related convictions in recent years, drug markets have proven to be extremely resilient. They are highly fluid and adapt effectively to government and law enforcement interventions." It added: "While the availability of controlled drugs is restricted by definition, it appears that additional enforcement efforts have had little adverse effect on the availability of illicit drugs in the UK."
How do we know?
A sure sign that attempts to strangle the supply of drugs have come to little is the fact that prices have continued to fall. Street prices for heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis have all fallen since the start of the decade. The average price for a gram of heroin in 2000 was £70, but that had fallen to £45 by last year. Cocaine has more than halved in price in some areas – from £65 a gram in 2000 to as little as £30 a gram last year.
Even though the number of seizures more than doubled between 1996 and 2005, that only makes up 12 per cent of heroin and nine per cent of all cocaine. The crux of the problem is that experts believe authorities would need to seize between six and eight times more than that to make a real dent in the drugs business. That doesn't seem realistic, leading some – current and former policemen among them – to call for a change in tactics.
The results of the study came as no surprise to Danny Kushlick, head of policy at the pressure group Transform. He said: "This is nothing new – we've known that prohibition measures haven't worked for 20 years. But the situation is actually worse than the report suggests. It is the measures of prohibition that have caused drugs problems, and pushed the trade into the hands of organised crime and street corner dealers."
Why do current tactics have so little effect?
One of the problems is that the drug trade is extremely adaptable. According to the report, even when a major drug seizure is made or a high-level dealer is convicted, little changes on the streets. Other dealers move in, or the remaining supplies are made less pure so they last through the period of shortage. The dealing and buying, in most cases, carries on regardless.
It really is like watching Prohibition replay, in slow motion.
Do seizures have any effect?
The report was unequivocal. It said: "Despite significant drug and asset seizures and drug-related convictions in recent years, drug markets have proven to be extremely resilient. They are highly fluid and adapt effectively to government and law enforcement interventions." It added: "While the availability of controlled drugs is restricted by definition, it appears that additional enforcement efforts have had little adverse effect on the availability of illicit drugs in the UK."
How do we know?
A sure sign that attempts to strangle the supply of drugs have come to little is the fact that prices have continued to fall. Street prices for heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis have all fallen since the start of the decade. The average price for a gram of heroin in 2000 was £70, but that had fallen to £45 by last year. Cocaine has more than halved in price in some areas – from £65 a gram in 2000 to as little as £30 a gram last year.
Even though the number of seizures more than doubled between 1996 and 2005, that only makes up 12 per cent of heroin and nine per cent of all cocaine. The crux of the problem is that experts believe authorities would need to seize between six and eight times more than that to make a real dent in the drugs business. That doesn't seem realistic, leading some – current and former policemen among them – to call for a change in tactics.
The results of the study came as no surprise to Danny Kushlick, head of policy at the pressure group Transform. He said: "This is nothing new – we've known that prohibition measures haven't worked for 20 years. But the situation is actually worse than the report suggests. It is the measures of prohibition that have caused drugs problems, and pushed the trade into the hands of organised crime and street corner dealers."
Why do current tactics have so little effect?
One of the problems is that the drug trade is extremely adaptable. According to the report, even when a major drug seizure is made or a high-level dealer is convicted, little changes on the streets. Other dealers move in, or the remaining supplies are made less pure so they last through the period of shortage. The dealing and buying, in most cases, carries on regardless.
It really is like watching Prohibition replay, in slow motion.