Most people oppose drugs legalisation, our poll shows

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 28th Jan 2006.

THE majority of people in Swindon are against the legalisation of drugs, according to an Advertiser poll.

The phone poll was carried out following our revelation that Swindon has a £36.5m-a-year drug habit.

Sixty-two per cent of readers said they were opposed to the legalisation of drugs, despite claims that most of the money used to buy drugs in the town comes from crime.

Swindon solicitor Rob Ross, pictured, says the town's courts are inundated with drug addicts, who are usually arrested for petty thefts or minor burglaries.

He claimed the town's 2,000 drug addicts each have, on average, a £50-a-day habit and called for the legalisation of drugs.

And he believes there is a whole drug culture in Swindon with drugs available to addicts.

Mr Ross also claimed that in the last 10 years, heroin and crack cocaine have become a real problem in Swindon.

The national debate to legalise drugs has been going on for the past few years.

High-profile figures who have called for legalisation have included the late former Cabinet Minister Mo Mowlam, a group of MEPs and Ben Elton who outlined the case in his book High Society.

But strong opponents to the legalisation include Swindon freelance writer Jan Andersen, 46, of Freshbrook, whose son Kristian died from a heroin overdose in 2002.

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