The debate about drug control is a long-standing one and shows little sign of receding. The Misuse of Drugs Act is now 40 years old and the calls for its review are becoming more frequent, particularly in the light of the number of new synthetic drugs which are being produced and sold, especially via the internet.

The UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) has, over the past four years, sought to foster a more informed and evidence based approach to drug policy. But the challenge for society and policy makers faced with these new ‘legal highs’ is the paucity of robust evidence upon which to make objective decisions. There is then a risk that making a hasty decision about controlling a new drug may, on occasions, make matters worse and increase harms, both to individuals and wider society.

Unfortunately, the debate about drug policy often degenerates into a polarised one, where any pragmatic suggestions for change and improvement will be decried by those on opposing sides of the debate. It was against this background that the UKDPC was genuinely keen to explore with Demos whether and how we might approach this challenge in a fresh way. We are grateful to the AB Charitable Trust for their support to enable us to do this.

Keeping pace with rapid technological developments is challenging to legislators and those responsible for enforcing the law, as the experience from other countries also shows. The conclusions we reach will, we hope, help people to begin to think differently about how society might set about controlling harmful substances, enhance understanding about the legislative options available and stimulate more productive discussion about the steps that could be taken to tackle these issues in this country.

Dame Ruth Runciman
Chair, UK Drug Policy Commission