Drug policy and decriminalisation have been ongoing debates in British politics, with concerns about young people being exploited through drug dealing. However, neither the Labour nor the Conservative parties have made significant moves towards decriminalisation. Groups like Transform Drugs Policy Foundation continue to advocate for changes, believing that government control over drugs would help combat organised crime.
While the UK has seen minimal changes in drug laws, other European countries have taken different approaches. In Croatia, possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use was decriminalised in 2013, with offenders facing fines rather than criminal charges. Italy decriminalised personal drug use in 1993, allowing for possession of drugs for personal use while imposing fines or other penalties. The Netherlands has a policy of tolerating recreational drug use, particularly cannabis, under certain circumstances, while also cracking down on the possession of harder drugs.
Portugal took a bold step in 2001 by decriminalising the personal possession of all drugs, treating possession of small amounts for personal use as an administrative offence rather than a criminal one. Offenders may face fines or non-pecuniary sanctions, with the possibility of referral to a rehab centre for those with larger quantities. Switzerland has focused on harm reduction since 1991, decriminalising drug use and providing supervised consumption rooms to prevent overdose deaths and the spread of diseases. However, cannabis remains banned in Switzerland unless it contains very low levels of THC.
These varying approaches to drug policy in European countries offer insight into different strategies for handling drug use and possession. While the UK has not made significant changes to drug laws, other countries have embraced decriminalisation and harm reduction as part of their strategies. The debate over drug policy continues, with advocates pushing for more progressive approaches to address drug-related issues in society.
