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Listed below are Early Day Motions related drug policy reform that have been tabled in recent years and the names of MPs who have signed. The first EDM listed here (651, tabled by Nigel Jones) concerns a range of topical drug issues. The following three EDMs concern cannabis policy and were tabled by Paul Flynn MP, a long time supporter of Transform. Early Day Motions are a useful way of getting MP's to formally record their support for a particular policy position or issue. An EDM is a motion put down for debate on 'an early day' by one or more MPs. In normal practice the day itself never arrives and EDM's are never actually debated. However, they are printed with the names of supporting MPs on the notice paper, or 'blues', part of the daily vote bundle given to all MPs. ('The Campaigning Handbook', by Mark Lattimer). The EDM 651 listed below, on illegal drug policy, covers a number of issues including non-imprisonment for personal possession of any drug, heroin prescribing and provision of injecting rooms. It also mentions the UN drug control treaties, the effectiveness of treatment spending and a call for more investment, the failure of cannabis enforcement as a deterrent to use, and the Hepatitis C issue. This seems to be an effort to gather support for a number drug policy reform issues that are currently being actively considered in the drugs field. Whilst these EDMs are relatively uncontroversial (none call for legalisation), the list does give an indication of who is willing to publicly support drug policy reform. The medical cannabis issue is now well understood and there are few real opponents, hence the large number of signatories. The smaller list of signatories for the EDM concerning Dutch style coffee shops in the UK and the recent EDM on illegal drug policy are a better indicator of who are the committed reformers. The House of Commons EDM database web-site address is edm.ais.co.uk For details on individual MPs including contact E mail addresses, history, register of interests and other useful information visit www.epolitix.com
That this House believes that General Election dates
should be announced three months in advance and that signitories (3) Flynn / Paul signitories (1) Tyler / Paul
That this House notes that the United Kingdom has one of the biggest drug problems in Europe; believes it is unhelpful and inaccurate to bracket all illegal drugs together as equally harmful; further notes that there is evidence to show that the availability of criminal sanctions does not deter small-scale possession of cannabis for personal use; further notes that there is no evidence to show that imprisonment prevents small-scale possession of other drugs or is an effective measure in stopping problematic drug use longer term; therefore calls for an end to imprisonment for possession of any drug for personal use; further notes that according to extensive research carried out by the leading charity, DrugScope, such changes would be compatible with current UN treaty obligations; further notes the National Treatment Outcome Research Study's estimate that for every £1 spent on treatment, £3 is saved on the criminal justice system; welcomes the Home Secretary's decision to review heroin prescribing; calls on the Government to allocate significant new resources, over and above current provision, directed towards treatment services and the training of professionals to deliver the Government's drugs strategy; further notes that 38 per cent. of injecting drug users are thought to have Hepatitis C; and further calls on the Government to consider providing safe injecting rooms such as those run in Switzerland and The Netherlands for intravenous drug users to reduce the risk of fatal overdoses, transmission of blood borne diseases, dangerous injecting practices and abandoned needles. Signitories (24) Jones/ Lynne MEDICINAL
CANNABIS That this House deplores the continuing criminalisation of thousands of otherwise law-abiding people who use cannabis medicinally to relieve chronic pain and distress caused by multiple sclerosis, AIDS, and the side-effects of chemotherapy; and supports the simple change in the law recommended by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science to allow a limited number of doctors to prescribe cannabis to named patients in the same way that millions of other prescriptions are now dispensed. Signatures
(93) RECREATIONAL
CANNABIS That this House believes that the use of recreational cannabis should be allowed under strictly controlled conditions for an experimental period on the lines of the licensed cannabis cafes in the Netherlands. Signatures
(21)
That this House believes that the welcome decision to reclassify cannabis is an opportunity to restate the message that all drugs are dangerous; notes that previous governments' failure to identify the relative dangers of each illegal drug reduced the credibility of health warnings; asserts that the most valuable and credible health message would re-emphasise the dangers of cannabis but also highlight the risk of cancers, heart and bronchial diseases which can be avoided if cannabis is ingested in ways other than smoking; and hopes that reclassification will be a first step in reversing the policies of harsh prohibition of the past 32 years that have perversely increased drugs use and drug-related crime. Signatures (11) Flynn/Paul |
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