tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post3975775571400964689..comments2023-09-20T11:15:28.673+01:00Comments on Transform Drug Policy Foundation Blog: Finding common ground: the principles of drug policyjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263261726046054614noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-2517196764231783912007-07-12T22:45:00.000+01:002007-07-12T22:45:00.000+01:00compare and contrast. these are the principles of ...compare and contrast. these are the principles of policy as determined by the recent Tory social justice policy group: <BR/><BR/>Principles of Policy:<BR/>The policy proposals we suggest are derived from what we learnt from the many centres we visited and the people who talked to us. They are based on the following three principles:<BR/><BR/>1. Reforming treatment – breaking the cycle of addiction and devolving responsibility<BR/><BR/>The ultimate goal of treatment should be recovery and rehabilitation through <BR/>abstinence. Such treatment is labour intensive, time intensive and commitment intensive but highly cost effective. Alongside this strategic direction and oversight, the principle is one of devolution of responsibility for recovery to a<BR/>local level. Local projects that deliver ‘recovery’ should be supported and given incentives to expand and replicate.<BR/><BR/>2. Preventing harm - promoting public health and social order<BR/><BR/>The most effective way to reduce harm is to set out to prevent it. Fundamental to prevention is cutting consumption in the first place – the more consumption<BR/>is cut the less damage, the less cost and the less enforcement and ultimately the less treatment is required. Harm prevention also requires higher expectations<BR/>of social and personal responsibility and requires local level initiatives.<BR/><BR/>3. Protecting children – facing parental substance misuse and confronting cannabis<BR/><BR/>Children have been the most compromised and abused by the harm reduction philosophy – they have been left exposed and unprotected and the best offer that is made for them under the current system is to help them build their resilience. <BR/><BR/>That is not good enough for us as a society. Parents must be supported<BR/>to meet their children’s needs for love and security, praise and recognition, responsibility and new experiences all their emotional, social, intellectual and<BR/>educational needs. Where this is impossible society must provide safe havens.<BR/><BR/>(see more recent blogs for more discussion)Steve Rolleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487781869462634203noreply@blogger.com