In this instalment of Green Talks, co-leader Carla Denyer hosted Green Party candidate for Mayor of London, Zoë Garbett, Green Party Health Spokesperson, Dr Pallavi Devulapalli and Executive Director of Release, Niamh Eastwood.
They assessed the current approach to and criminalisation of drugs in the UK and presented their own alternatives. They all agreed that we desperately need change. We need drug laws that are based on dignity, fairness and human rights. The current system favours the illicit drug trade and undermines the poorest in our society. The solutions put forward by the panel put science, safety and harm reduction at the very heart.
Resources mentioned during the event
- Interactive map of drug decriminalization around the world
- Release publication on the unequal enforcement of drug laws and racial injustice
- Release publication on drug decriminalization across the globe
- Release publication on equity and social justice within cannabis reform
- The Green Party Drug Policy Working Group explains our policy in Green World. It is informed by evidence and not political ideology. An approach that puts harm reduction, community safety and an opposition to profiteering at the very heart of drug policy.
- The full Green Party Drug Policy
- Law Enforcement Action Partnership (for drug law reform)
- Zoë writes about how dangerous it is to ban the use of nitrous oxide within the misuse of drugs act
- Reducing drug deaths report from London Assembly Health Committee
- Find out more about the cost our current war on drugs have on the environment
- The cost global drug trade is estimated at $650bn a year and the environmental harm is exponential
Get involved
- The organisation Anyone’s Child are lobbying parliament on 27 June, find out more about how you can join them here
- Help us campaign to get more Greens elected in Bristol in July!
- Help us campaign to get more Greens elected in London!
