Failure to pay will result in the fine being registered at court for enforcement or prosecution for the original offence. If they do not attend the course, they will pay an increased financial penalty. Tier 1: A person should be issued with a fixed penalty notice as an alternative to prosecution, which requires them to attend and pay for a drugs awareness course.A second drug possession offence will attract a tier 2 intervention, and a third offence will receive a tier 3 intervention. Where appropriate, all first-time drug possession offenders should receive a tier 1 intervention. Consequences should be tough, but they should also be fair and meaningful. Our ambition is to bring about large-scale behaviour change and our vision is for the framework to be operated at scale with swift, clear and certain consequences.ĥ. A new three-tier framework will apply to all drug users, except where users have a drug dependence, (described by Dame Carol Black as a chronic health condition), and treatment is the most relevant intervention. We are proposing reforms to strengthen the response of policing and the criminal justice system to drug possession offences. This white paper is an important part of government’s work to achieve this aim but does not represent all of it.Ĥ. At its heart, this white paper is concerned with reducing demand for drugs and reversing the rising trend in drug use so that within a decade, overall use is at a historic 30-year low. We invite consideration and response via a public consultation which can be found under Annex A or alternatively via the online consultation. It includes a combination of proposals for legislation, as well as broader areas for reform. This white paper sets out a tough, escalatory framework aimed at adults caught in possession of low levels of so-called recreational drugs. Individuals who use so- called recreational illegal substances must understand that they are not only risking their health, but funding dangerous criminals who rely on fear, exploitation and violence.Ģ. They are harmful, affecting both physical and mental health, relationships, career prospects, and wider society. The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, Home Secretary Executive summaryġ. We want to see swift and certain interventions delivered which can deter drug use and, alongside other measures, reduce demand for drugs. They are putting money into the pockets of dangerous drug gangs, fuelling violence and causing wider social harms, including environmental destruction and human trafficking.įundamental to this new regime is ensuring that drug users are more likely to be caught, and that they face tougher and more meaningful consequences than today. Recreational, casual, non-addicted – whichever terminology is used – too often these individuals are sheltered from the human cost of the drugs trade. We are proposing a new regime for how the criminal justice system deals with drug possession offences for so-called recreational users. This white paper represents a significant step towards achieving that goal. This means reducing overall drug use towards a historic 30-year low within the life cycle of the strategy. Our drug strategy commits to delivering a generational shift in demand. This white paper focuses on reducing the demand for drugs. An additional £780 million over three years has been committed specifically to rebuild treatment and recovery services. We have committed to driving down drug supply and demand through a tougher response to criminal supply chains, coupled with the largest ever increase in drug treatment funding. This was followed in December 2021 by the 10-year drug strategy, ‘From harm to hope’, which set out our plan to cut drug crime and save lives. In July 2021, our Beating Crime Plan set out how we are working to make our communities and streets safer. It is our mission to turn the tide.Īddressing the problem of illegal drugs is a top priority for me and for this government. Įven these shocking numbers cannot fully capture the scale of the human tragedy, with countless lives ruined and families devastated. The total cost to society and taxpayers is huge too, running close to £22 billion a year in England alone. Drugs also cause enormous harm to children and young people, impacting on their health and their ability to work and learn. More people die every year as a result of drug misuse than from all knife crime and road traffic accidents combined. Illicit drugs are at the root of untold harm and misery across our society. Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for the Home Department by Command of Her Majesty - July 2022Īny enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at Ministerial foreword.
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