Crispin Blunt MP discussed the UK’s historic failures on drug use policy, and recent attempts to move to an evidence-based approach when dealing with addiction.
Blunt has held the position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Youth Justice within the Ministry of Justice and spoke of his eye-opening experience during this time.
He highlighted that over the past 20 years drug addiction has skyrocketed across the UK, demonstrating the scope of an issue successive governments have failed to act on. Blunt looked at the example of Portugal, which has managed to obliterate drug-related issues as well as addiction and even drug use itself through decriminalization and a preventative approach.
