Chief
Constable speaks out on drugs laws
"Heroin
is a very, very addictive substance, extremely addictive, far more
so than nicotine, but it's not very, very dangerous. It's perfectly
possible to lead a normal life for a full life span and hold down
a job while being addicted to heroin" - Richard Brunstrom,
the Chief Constable of North Wales.
In
tonight's Dragon's Eye (Thursday 5 February 2004,
BBC 2W, 8.30pm; BBC ONE Wales, 11.35pm) Richard Brunstrom, the Chief
Constable of North Wales, talks to political editor David Williams
and discusses how he believes the laws on drugs need to change.
Brunstrom
is well known for his outspoken opinions and in tonight's programme
he is questioned on whether heroin should in fact be legalised.
"What
would be wrong with making heroin available on the state to people
who wanted to abuse their body? Why is that anathema?
"The
question is actually not am I prepared to see the Government, the
state selling heroin to users on the street corner or through the
pharmacy but why would we not want to do that, what is wrong with
that, that is the question we should be asking."
He
has strong views on this subject which he expresses clearly.
"My
answer is yes, unequivocally yes, that's what we should be doing
because our current policy is causing more harm than good, it is
creating crime where one did not need to exist."
Brunstrom
also voices his opinion on how cannabis compares to alcohol and
nicotine and where they should be placed in terms of what he calls
a, "sort of hierarchy of harm".
"In
my opinion it [cannabis] is demonstrably less harmful to the human
physiology than nicotine. Not only is it less harmful, it causes
less damage and less harm in our society."
The
full interview, in which David Williams also questions the Chief
Constable on issues ranging from devolution, policing, speed laws
and Brunstrom's response to articles about him in the press will
be broadcast in full on Dragon's Eye tonight (Thursday 5 February
2004).
Dragon's
Eye is a weekly Welsh politics and public affairs programme presented
by David Williams.
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the BBC's digital services are now available on Freeview,
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