Letter: New consequences for drug possession (accessible)
Published 4 October 2022
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Jeremy Quin MP
Minister of State for Crime and Policing
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
Professor Owen Bowden-Jones, Chair, Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)
4 October 2022
Dear Professor Bowden-Jones,
Swift, Certain, Tough. New consequences for drug possession
As you know, in July this year the Government published a White Paper setting out our ambition for a new escalatory framework to ensure those who misuse drugs face meaningful consequences. This is a critical part of the government’s Drug Strategy and highlights our commitment to reducing overall drug misuse and driving down demand. We are running a public consultation until 10 October and will consider responses before finalising the approach.
Alongside this public consultation I am clear that the Government wishes to draw on advice from the ACMD, with a particular focus on ensuring our proposals achieve their intended effect. I am grateful for the proactive discussions between officials and the ACMD already, and now is the time to set out how best we can use the ACMD’s role in understanding the evidence.
The policy we have set out, and the public consultation in response, will form the backbone of the legislation that we will put in place to deliver a new framework. But beyond that there are options and choices in how best to implement the policy, and it is in this implementation that I would welcome your evidence-based advice.
As a result, I would be grateful if the ACMD would establish a dedicated working group specifically to consider the implementation of proposals within this White Paper. Once in place I will provide more targeted commissions on areas where your expertise would be valued, including any specific timeframes. I am, of course, open to receiving views from you on any topics that you wish to consider, but believe most value will come from targeted asks on specific implementation areas. This will enable the ACMD to consider issues beyond this calendar year, providing evidence-based advice ahead of implementation of the policy.
I hope this letter is clear in highlighting the importance of the ACMD and its role in providing advice in implementing an important policy. Once you have established the Working Group, I would be pleased to meet you ahead of any legislation being laid to discuss the proposals.
Jeremy Quin MP, Minister of State for Crime and Policing