Police chiefs will enforce the law on drugs

National Policing Lead on Drug-related Crime, Chief Constable Andy Bliss said:

“Recent evidence suggests that, overall, drug misuse in the UK is falling. Government policy on drugs enforcement is very clear and unambiguous and our job as police officers is to enforce the law. Forces across the country focus particularly on those who deal in the most harmful drugs such as heroin.

“As the law in the UK currently stands, individuals using what are sometimes referred to as drug consumption rooms would be breaching the law by possessing illicitly acquired illegal drugs, as would owners or managers if they were aware that premises were being used for supply. I have real concerns about the associated crime and anti-social behaviour that these rooms might attract and the potential impact on local people and businesses. There is also clearly a risk that low level dealers will seek to take advantage of the venues to deal in drugs.

“Mike Barton is putting forward a perspective based on his extensive operational policing experience and his recent visit to Copenhagen. Ultimately, these are matters for Parliament to decide but I look forward to discussing in more detail with him what he has learnt.”

The show will be aired on BBC1’s Inside Out on Monday at 7.30pm in the North East and Cumbria

For more information please contact:

ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk