The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee report on drugs
policy in the UK is available online.

The entire report can be viewed from URL:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmhaff/318/31802.htm

The conclusion, at
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmhaff/318/31814.htm

is pasted below. I haven't had a chance to read through the entire
report yet, but it looks like a good one. The last bit about not
recommending decriminalization or legalization is unfortunate, then
again, they are recommending essentially decriminalization of marijuana
in spite of that, so the opposition to decrim/legalization may be just
semantic.

Thanks,
Doug McVay
Editor, Drug War Facts
Research Director/Projects Coordinator
Common Sense for Drug Policy
1327 Harvard Street NW (lower level), Washington, DC 20009
202-332-9101 -- fax 202-518-4028
http://www.csdp.org/ -- http://www.drugwarfacts.org/
dmcvay@csdp.orgdmcvay@csdp.org

>>>"
THE GOVERNMENT'S DRUGS POLICY: IS IT WORKING?

CONCLUSIONS

268. There are no easy answers to the problems posed by drug abuse, but
it seems to us that certain trends are unmistakable. If there is any
single lesson from the experience of the last 30 years, it is that
policies based wholly or mainly on enforcement are destined to fail. It
remains an unhappy fact that the best efforts of police and Customs have
had little, if any impact on the availability of illegal drugs and this
is reflected in the prices on the street which are as low as they have
ever been. The best that can be said, and the evidence for this is
shaky, is that we have succeeded in containing the problem.

269. What we do know is that the ready availability of illegal drugs is
sustaining a vast criminal industry and that the need of addicts to fund
their habit is responsible for an enormous amount of acquisitive crime.
We also know that the harm caused by illegal drugs varies immensely from
one drug to another and-since most users and potential users kno
this-there is no point in pretending otherwise.

270. It, therefore, seems to us that certain conclusions follow
inexorably: First, that harm reduction rather than retribution should be
the primary focus of policy towards users of illegal drugs. We are glad
to note that the Government is making the first tentative steps in that
direction. We believe it should go further and have offered some
suggestions.

271. Second, that law enforcement should focus primarily on the
criminal network responsible for manufacturing and importing the most
harmful drugs-notably heroin and cocaine. We are glad to note that
increasingly this is happening.

272. Three, that we should invest in a programme of
education-addressing all forms of drug abuse, including cigarettes and
alcohol-to make young people aware of the damage they can inflict upon
themselves and others. To be effective, however, such programmes must be
realistic, honest, targeted and preferably delivered by someone with
"street credibility"-recovered addicts, for example.

273. Four, we have to recognise that, however much advice they are
offered, many young people will continue to use drugs. In most cases
this is a passing phase which they will grow out of and, while such use
should never be condoned, it rarely results in any long term harm. It
therefore makes sense to give priority to educating such young people in
harm minimisation rather than prosecuting them. The Government's recent
advice to users of so-called "recreational drugs", Safer Clubbing, is a
welcome step in this direction.

274. Five, overwhelmingly we should focus on treating or reducing the
harm caused by the 250,000 or so problematic users whose habit is
damaging not only their own lives, but those of their families and the
communities in which they live. Although there are recent signs of
improvement, treatment facilities remain woefully inadequate.

275. Finally, many sensible and thoughtful people have argued that we
should go a step further and embrace legalisation and regulation of all
or most presently illegal drugs. We acknowledge there are some
attractive arguments. However, those who urge this course upon us are
inviting us to take a step into the unknown. To tread where no other
society has yet trod. They are asking us to gamble the undoubted
potential gains against the inevitability of a significant increase in
the number of users, especially amongst the very young. They are
overlooking the fact that the overwhelming majority of young people do
not use drugs and that many are deterred by the prospect of breaking the
law. We, therefore, decline to support legalisation and regulation.

276. It may well be that in years to come a future generation will take
a different view. Drugs policy should not be set in stone. It will
evolve like any other. For the foreseeable future, however, we believe
the path is clear."<<<