The evidence from abroad, especially Portugal, suggests that scaling back on criminalising drug users in the UK could be a smart move, says Jessica Magson
Despite major advances in drug treatment support over the past 20 years, punitive approaches to tackling illicit drug use remain a central feature of UK policy. Current sentencing guidelines still impose a maxmium penalty of seven years in prison for drug possession offences, and figures from 2010 suggest 43,406 individuals were found guilty of drug possession in the courts that year, primarily in relation to cannabis.