Stuck on amber

Loathe as I am to criticised broadcasters for not giving attention to my pet topics,, I was roused to anger last year. I sent off a sulphuric epistle to BBC Wales  complaining of their thin coverage of the sporting miracles of Newport County soccer team last season.  

This year all is forgiven. in the coming season BBC Wales  guarantee a minimum of 12 live games on our South East Wales FM frequencies, starting with the first home game of the season against Tamworth on August 17th. Radio Wales sports bulletins across Wales will also broadcast live from Spytty Park for that first home game to mark Newport's first game in the Blue Square Premier. A reporter will be present at every Newport County game, home and away throughout the season to ensure Radio Wales Sport listeners are kept up to date with the team’s progress. 

 The first Welsh derby game between Newport County and Wrexham will be broadcast live on all BBC Radio Wales frequencies across the country. Wrexham MP Ian Lucas is still resentful about Newport gained city status before his constituency. It would be fun if we watched the match together.  Meanwhile, thanks to BBC Wales.

They are doing even more by commissioning a two part history of Newport County Football Club, named Stuck on Amber. It will be narrated by Rhys and Eggsy of Goldie Looking Chain. It  starts this Friday, 6th August, at 6.30pm and concludes on Friday 13th August at the same time.

Can't wait.

The ignored miracle

Ten years ago, in July 2001, Portugal decriminalized the use and possession of all illicit drugs including cocaine and heroin. Under the new legal framework, all drugs were “decriminalized,” not “legalized.” Drug possession for personal use and drug usage itself are still legally prohibited, but violations of those prohibitions are deemed to be exclusively administrative violations and are removed completely from the criminal realm.  

The Cato Institute reports that  decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates in Portugal, which, in numerous categories, are now among the lowest in the EU, particularly when compared with states with stringent criminalization regimes. The data showed that the Portuguese decriminalization framework has been a resounding success. Within this success lie self-evident lessons that should guide drug policy debates around the world.

A more recent study in the British Journal of Criminology, "What Can We Learn From The Portuguese Decriminalization of Illicit Drugs?, concluded that contrary to predictions, the Portuguese decriminalization did not lead to major increases in drug use. Indeed, evidence indicates reductions in problematic use, drug-related harms and criminal justice overcrowding.
 

Decriminalization in Portugal led to a reduction in the number of prisoners who were sentenced for drug offences, declining from a peak of 44 percent in 1999 to 28 percent in 2005. Decreasing imprisoned drug offenders contributed to a marked reduction in prison overcrowding. By 2005 the number of prisoners no longer exceeded the official prison capacity.

The large drop in heroin-related deaths (from 350 in 1999 to 98 in 2003) can be linked to the significant increase of users who entered substitution treatment. Though deaths related to the use of some other drugs did rise, there was an overall fall in drug-related deaths of 60 percent between 1999 and 2003.

The Coalition is charging off in unlikely directions nearly all heading for precipices. This is an ideal model to emulate to cut drug harm and the prison population. Probably this is a truth too far.

Comments

[John]

This is a truth too far as you say Paul. Unfortunately successive Governments have instilled in the population a totally erroneous view towards uncontrolled drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy. They have even stifled anyone who dare speak the truth about uncontrolled drugs as exemplified by the sacking of Professor Nutt.

As a first step towards the Portugese model
in the UK we need a period of truthful and science based policy and reporting to reverse the misinformation that is the greatest barrier to any adult discussion of this subject.

Too often shamefully Governments have not dared speak the truth about drugs because it wiii "send the wrong messages" to our kids. We tell our children untruths and exaggerations in order to protect them. Unfortunately most of our children eventually realise this and any truth we may accidentally tell them about the real dangers of some drugs they will ignore because our lying has removed any credibility from anything we may say.

As an aside Holland has been shutting prisons down because they don't have the criminals to fill them. Is it just a coincidence that they have to all intents and purposes decriminalised cannabis for the last 30 years.

[HuwOS]

Britain seems, as a nation, determined to not try anything novel, unless it is obviously pointless, vicious and wrong, such as invading Iraq and Afghanistan.

There are probably reasons for it, but who knows what they might be.
Whether its drug legislation, sex education and teen sexuality or our attitude to prisons.

If it doesn't work or is wrong we wan't it that way. When doing the same thing as before still doesn't work we think lets try it again only more so.

God forbid we should ever follow another EU country, we aren't followers, we are leaders and will go wherever the US goes.

[Mike]

Just saw your pathetic tweet about the PM and his foreign policy comments. Most are mis-spoken and actually pretty true (i.e. some in the Pakistan establishment aid the terrorists).

You criticise misspeaks - did you complain when Gordon Brown said there would be a 0% spending INCREASE?? I don`t recall you complaining and probably defended it as a mis-speak although Brown was meant to be a Labour economic guru!

[HuwOS]

The trouble you have Mike is that Brown's statement that there would be an increase and it would be a 0% increase, is clearly a misspeak. Not a deliberate mislead, not confusing fact and fantasy.
Saying zero point seven percent as he intended is easily stumbled into zero p ercent.

Saying Iran has a nuclear weapon however is Bushlike as is the idea that US was defending the UK in 1940.
Those aren't so much misspeaks as illustrative of pure and unadulterated ignorance.
God what a combination, looks and acts like Blair but has all the intellectual might of George W.

[Paul Flynn]

Interesting to hear from 'Mike'. The right wing bloggers are is shocked hibernation now they do not have a Labour Government to kick around. Calamity Cameron manages a major cock-up a week. It was stupid and inept to criticise Pakistan while he was in India. It's no joke that the Briton who has his finger on the nuclear button thinks that Iran has a nuclear weapon. Mis-spoke does little harm. What if he mis-pushed the nuclear button?