Casual drug users could be fined, made to take drug tests, and wear monitoring tags under a new Home Office proposal. The tougher penalties described in the plan detail how people caught with cannabis and cocaine would be fined or forced to pay for a drug awareness course.
Repeat offenders could lose their passport and driving licence in measures described as "a step towards changing the damaging culture of drug use and the consumption of drugs" even for "so-called recreational users"
The penalties are part of efforts to help tackle the "scourge of substance abuse in society which devastates lives and tears communities apart, as well as make our streets safer".
The proposals were published by the UK Government in a white paper titled 'Swift, Certain, Tough: New Consequences for Drug Possession' published online on Monday. The approach is a three-tiered system that would be used in England in Wales.
Regarding its use in Scotland, the paper says: "Tiers 1 and 3 may also apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland, which will be determined in due course."
The focus of the plans is reducing the demand for drugs with an aim to reduce overall drug use to a 30-year low.
"This white paper represents a significant step towards achieving that goal," wrote Home Secretary Priti Patel. "We are proposing a new regime for how the criminal justice system deals with drug possession offences for so-called recreational users.
"Recreational, casual, non-addicted – whichever terminology is used – too often these individuals are sheltered from the human cost of the drugs trade."
People caught for the first time would be made to pay and attend a drug awareness course. Those who fail to attend would be fined further or charged with a criminal offence.
Second-time offenders would receive a diversionary caution as well as mandatory drug testing and a drug awareness course. Those who test positive on drug tests could possibly be charged, whilst those who don't comply would be charged.
Finally, third-time offenders would see formal court proceedings, a court order, drug awareness course, exclusion order (such as a ban from nightclubs), drug tagging, and a confiscation of their passport and driving licence.
The proposals are now subject to a 12-week public consultation available online here that closes on October 10.
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