DRUGS- Current laws- Issue: Legalising Cannabis- Proposed changes to laws

PAIRSList all the laws you know of that concern drugs.

RECENT CHANGES TO THE LAWMarch 2006:Smoking is banned in all enclosed public places in Scotland.

PENALTIES:• Fixed fine of £200 for managers who let

people smoke in their premises or for failing to display no smoking signs.

• Fixed fine of £50 for individuals caught smoking in a public place.

RECENT CHANGES TO THE LAWJanuary 2009:Cannabis is reclassified from a Class C to a ClassB drug.

10 June 2013: a temporary class drug order was made on twogroups of new psychoactive substances (or ‘legalhighs’) - NBOMe and benzofuran compounds –making them illegal for 12 months.

GROUP TASK:

BRAINSTORM:Why are police concerned about drug usewithin our society?

• It could lead to other forms of crime e.g. theft.

• Health implications of long term drug usee.g. HIV, overdose, mental health problems.

• Encourage large scale criminals to become involved in drug dealing.

• Scottish people identified drugs as the second most important issue effecting the country.

• Over half of 16 year olds have experimented with drugs.

EVIDENCE:

• By age 13 most kids have been offered drugs, by age 16 most have tried a drug.

• In 2010 75% of drug related crimes were arrests for possession.

• 27% of Scots have used drugs.

• Crimes related to drugs cost the UK £13.3 billion every year.

Heading – Proposed changes to drugs

QuestionIn the United Kingdom, the laws concerned with drugs are not working and need to be changed.

Give arguments for and against the view. that in the United Kingdom drugs laws are not working and need to be changed.

(8 marks)

DRUGS What do we know?