50 years of the Misuse of Drugs Act

That this House acknowledges that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is not fit for purpose; notes that for 50 years, it has failed to reduce drug consumption and that drug deaths are now at a record high; further notes that instead it has increased harm, damaged public health and exacerbated social inequalities; believes that an evidence-based approach which provides pathways for people with drug difficulties into treatment, rather than the criminal justice system, should be prioritised; urges the earliest examination of international evidence from health-led personal drug consumption regime such as Portugal, where outcomes are startlingly better against every reasonable criteria; and calls upon the Government, as a matter of urgency, to repeal and replace the Act with legislation to ensure that future drug policy protects human rights, promotes public health and ensures social justice.