Parliamentary group says illegal drug taking should be human right

A group of MPs and peers are calling for drug reform, saying taking illegal drugs should be deemed as a human right.

Similar to Australian MPs calling for drug use to be decriminalised, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform has stated that it shouldn't be a criminal offence if people are using minimal amounts for personal use, highlighting Article 8 - "right to respect private and family life" - of the European Convention on Human Rights.

A report said: "For European countries the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular Article 8, could be invoked in support of the argument that possession or purchase or cultivation of drugs for personal use, particularly in small quantities, do not injure other people's rights either directly or indirectly and therefore should not be criminalised."

As well as saying the United Nations' current drug conventions have "failed to reduce addiction worldwide", the committee reckons "a more balanced approach to drug policy" should be applied and says low-level drug offences shouldn't result in imprisonment.

The informal parliamentary group has incited controversy before when it said heroin and cocaine should be decriminalised two years ago.

[ Via: The Telegraph]