Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-14-Speech-2-326"
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"en.20041214.17.2-326"2
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".
Mr President, even though I will not be supporting the report I should like to thank the rapporteur for his work. Despite what he may say about the need to move away from ideology, there is an awful lot of ideology within the report. If we have differing opinions, it will be hard for us to find the common ground that we should all strive for.
I must say at the outset that on reading the report one would believe that the criminalisation of drugs and drug use has led to an increase in the use of drugs. One would therefore have to tacitly agree that decriminalisation would lead to a reduction in and the safer use of drugs.
The references to 'harm reduction' methods and so on are an abuse of the English language. It is merely facilitation. Despite what people may say and despite the good intentions that they may have, it is incorrect to say that the death rate from AIDS could be reduced through needle exchange. A user will always use more needles and pass them on to other users.
We have to be realistic when we look at this problem. The fact is, first and foremost, that we are dealing with people's lives – and the lives of people who are invariably some of the most vulnerable in our society. There are claims that we would make their drug use safer by supplying shooting-up kitchens, by giving them clean needles, or by the medical use of heroin – as stated in the report – and that this would make these people's lives better. The reality is that addiction is hell, addiction destroys.
The only way to stop people from being addicts is by stopping them from using drugs. The only way to prevent people from relapsing into addiction is to take away their need for the drug. If you disbelieve what I say, do not bother looking at any of the so-called 'illegal drugs'. Look at the legal drugs that are available in Europe – alcohol and cigarettes – and see the damage that they cause. Mr Moraes spoke earlier about the devastation that is caused on the streets because of drug-related crime. Look at the devastation that is caused by alcohol – a legal drug – on the streets of every city in western Europe. If we go down the road of legalisation and harm reduction, as proposed in this report, then we would see the problem exacerbated a hundredfold across all our cities.
The issue here is not about a mix-and-match of best policies. The issue is about information to show people the damage and dangers that they face if they get involved in drugs. The issue is about strong criminal penalties to ensure that those who traffic in drugs are hit where it hurts: in their pockets. That requires asset seizures and asset freezing; a strong policy to ensure that those who are addicts and those who fall into drug problems are given proper resources to overcome their addictions. As somebody who has worked with young adults who are drug addicts and alcoholics, I have seen that the only way that people get off drugs is when they stop. That should be the ultimate aim, not facilitating drug use."@en1
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