Tim Worstall

Simon Heffer on Drugs

He must be, mustn’t he?

But if we are serious about fighting drugs we do need to lock up
    pushers and throw the key away; and lock up users too, even if it
    means future cabinet ministers going to jail. Otherwise this poison
    will never be countered – and it won’t matter a jot what class
    of iniquity cannabis falls into.

He’s seriously suggesting that between 2 and 8 million people (estimates of drug use are wildly inaccurate) be jailed so that 400 people a year do not suffer psychotic episodes?

More here.

In

9 responses

  1. Jock Avatar
    Jock

    Hmmm – my forthright comment on the Telegraph site must’ve got moderated out! But it was more temperate than some on there – just suggesting he listen to Any Questions when it’s on again today as even his previous boss, Charles Moore, comes out in favour of legalization.
    So far then this week that’s the former editors of the Times, the Telegraph and less surprisingly the Independent who have all stated their preference for legalization. I wonder if they would all have dared to take such a stance in their editorial positions.

    Reply
  2. bgp Avatar
    bgp

    Given the prevalence of drug-taking in jail, it won’t even serve that purpose. But at least the 400 will have the company of thousands of other psychotics.

    Reply
  3. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    … cabinet ministers going to jail
    Sounds like a good idea to me. Can’t we test Simon Heffer’s scheme with this part, and see how it goes?

    Reply
  4. dearieme Avatar
    dearieme

    Legalise the horrible stuff, tax it and use the cash to scrap income tax and national insurance on the working poor. How about that? Since it doesn’t threaten the jobs and privileges of the New Class, it might even be politically possible.

    Reply
  5. james C Avatar
    james C

    The refernce to future cabinet ministers is surely code for Dave ‘the Eton inhaler’ Cameron.
    Tim adds: I’m not convinced that Heffer is that optimistic about the Tory Party’s chances at present.

    Reply
  6. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    “He’s seriously suggesting that between 2 and 8 million people (estimates of drug use are wildly inaccurate) be jailed so that 400 people a year do not suffer psychotic episodes?”
    If it saves the life of one person murdered by a stoner during a psychotic episode – why not?
    Or is the stoner’s ‘right’ to poison themself more important than somebody else’s right to life?
    What might work would be, given the apparent prominence of Vietnamese nationals in the dope business, restricting Vietnamese immigration completely.

    Reply
  7. Roger Thornhill Avatar
    Roger Thornhill

    Decriminalise drugs and make them freely available to remove the sourge of non-psychotic drug cartels.
    Taxing them will just keep the underground supply going. Best thing is to ensure people know what they are getting and what they get passes Reinheitsgebot.

    Reply
  8. Opinionated Avatar
    Opinionated

    Someone left a comment on the Telegraph blog which sums up the situation quite nicely. He said that the vast majority of internet users seem to be against cannabis prohibition, while the mainstream ‘news’ providers such as newspapers seem to just fall in line with government policy.
    This is especially poignant, in view of the lack of clear distinction between the Telegraph newspapers and ‘Whitehall’ (MI6). One is reminded of the wild and unsubstantiated ’45 minutes’ claims on WMD, which editor Con Coughlin (an MI6 agent) was told to publish in his newspaper. That was the Telegraph.
    I think it’s clear that this Simon Heffer, a well known and well placed public figure in his own right, would be an eminent candidate for so-called ‘I/Ops’, and it’s quite probable that this accounts for his outburst on cannabis.

    Reply
  9. John Smith Avatar
    John Smith

    “If it saves the life of one person murdered by a stoner during a psychotic episode – why not?
    Or is the stoner’s ‘right’ to poison themself more important than somebody else’s right to life?”
    You are flaunting your ignorance by refering to cannabis as “poison”. Cannabis nor any other psychedelic drug is poisonous. The active components are not toxic. Understand?
    Mate, I think you are the one having a psychotic episode. “Murdered by a stoner”, lol, I take it you don’t know any “stoners”.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Tim Worstall

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading