"The Moral Maze" BBC Radio4 tonight 9pm

[bp]

This should be definitely worth listening to.

B


Melanie Philips,
Ian Hargreaves,
Claire Fox,
Professor Jules Pretty

The Chief Constable of North Wales, Richard Brunstrom is notable for his enthusiastic prosecution of speeding motorists. This week he's turned his attention to the problem of drugs. You might expect a police officer with his credentials to be calling for tougher action; after all it's estimated in Britain that drugs and the crime related to their use, cost £16 billion pounds a year. But no. Mr Brunstrom wants drugs to be legalised. The war on drugs has been lost, he says and it's time to come up with a more radical solution.

When you look at the figures he might have a point. Despite all the money spent on prohibition, the worldwide narcotics business is worth $177 billion dollars a year. Only the oil industry beats it. But, illegal narcotics kill hundreds of people in Britain every year and inflict a life of misery on many thousands more.

In the face of all the human suffering that drug-taking causes, is it immoral to just admit defeat? Melanie Phillips, Ian Hargreaves, Claire Fox and Professor Jules Pretty cross-examine the experts.

[steve]

I wish i had time to give you a more in depth answer,I heard about this as I live in his area he has also tried to come forward with other drug related ideas such as machines that dispense works for persons who need them I personally dont like the police but even I must except that there must be even a small % of them with a brain and he seems to be one of them (sometimes).

[bp]

Hi Steve

No need for an in depth answer, this is just the blurb about tonight's Moral Maze.

B