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Drugs policy report sparks coalition row

A row has erupted at the top of the coalition after a Home Office report on drug abuse re-opened differences between Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the survey - which found the "toughness" of a country's drug enforcement policy did not affect the level of substance abuse - showed the "war on drugs" was failing.

The dispute, which his been festering for months, broke out after the Home Office finally agreed to release the report - which the Lib Dems had originally commissioned - comparing drugs policies in different countries.

Appearing on his weekly LBC radio phone-in, Mr Clegg complained that the Conservatives had tried to block its release.

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Nick Clegg: 'The war on drugs is not working'

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said the "war on drugs is not working".

His comments came after a Liberal Democrat report published today found drug laws had no impact on levels of substance misuse.

Nick Clegg says drug addiction should be treated as a health rather than criminal problem. Credit: PA

Speaking on LBC radio, he said it should be a "wake up call" to the other parties that the current system was failing.

We have got to get away from this facile view that just talking tough solves this problem. It is a betrayal of the families of those 2,000 people dying every year in our country.

The evidence shows that a smarter approach where you deal with addicts as people who need treatment so they don't remain hooked on the stuff that is being pushed at them by criminals.

That actually frees up resources that allows you to go after the pushers and the criminal gangs and the 'Mister Bigs' who should be behind bars.

I cannot understand why on earth we as a society are putting a thousand people behind bars every year who have only been found to possess drugs for personal use. They have done nothing else wrong.

– Nick Clegg
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Drugs policy report sparks coalition row

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