Jimmy Carter calls on David Cameron to decriminalise drug use
Jimmy Carter has called for the UK to make drug use legal
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Saturday, 19, Nov 2011 10:48
By James Gardiner
Jimmy Carter and a group of high-profile public figures have written to David Cameron calling for the legalisation of drug use.
An open letter to the prime minister and every British MP has called for a liberalisation of the UK's drug laws and a shift to seeing usage as a medical rather than criminal issue.
Among those calling for the change are musician Sting, artist Yoko Ono, Sir Richard Branson and professor AC Grayling.
The Beckley Foundation coordinated the letter in an effort to challenge the public taboo on discussing the issue and the campaign is being headed by the Countess of Wemyss.
She said that the initiative should not be dismissed and that the fact that "distinguished, respected and intelligent people" are championing the change means that it can no longer be ignored.
"One must have a wake-up call that we must begin a global debate on how we minimise the harm from drugs," the countess claimed.
The letter claimed that tens of thousands of people die each year from the drug war and highlighted the fact that the corruption it can cause among politicians and law enforcers is a major threat to democracy and civil society in producer and transit countries.