Sanca firm on drugs, booze

THE South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is totally opposed to legalisation on psychoactive substances

The NGO made the statement following the controversial comments by leading academic and editor of the SA Medical Journal JP van Niekerk, who called on the government to review the legality of certain drugs, such as dagga and even cocaine.

Van Niekerk said: "The war on drugs has failed. Making people criminals for taking psychoactive substances is in itself criminal, for one is dealing with, at worst, a vice but not a crime."

He said that the so-called "war" on drugs only increased their prices, demands and profits.

Sanca chief executive Shamim Garda said "the decriminalising or legalisation of drugs won't work".

"More violent crime, especially domestic violence, is committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

"Much drug-related crime is committed because drug use changes the behaviour of offenders and enables them to act violently. Legalising drugs will not stop this behaviour change from occurring in people who use drugs."

Garda said although legalising drugs would decrease drug peddling, a spike in violent crime would emerge.

"Great Britain legalised heroin so users could register and obtain heroin at local pharmacies. The number of heroin users doubled and illegal heroin importation increased threefold."

According to the National Drug Master Plan for 2006/2011, South Africa has 250000 problem drug users, placing a R10billion per year burden on the economy.