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Norman Baker on UK drug policy - video

On 9 Jan 2015 at 9:10pm Lewes Skeptic wrote:

For those who were unable to attend our event last Wednesday here's Norman Baker's talk for Lewes Skeptics in the Pub. It's in black & white because the colour balance was a bit off due to the nature of the room lighting.

Watch the video »

On 9 Jan 2015 at 9:43pm Border Control wrote:

Yawn

On 9 Jan 2015 at 9:48pm Old Bloke wrote:

I'd sooner be tied to a chair and have to watch the omnibus editions of Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale back to back

On 9 Jan 2015 at 10:58pm Grateful, not rude wrote:

Thank you for taking the time and effort to post this. Please ignore the ill-mannered trolls in the previous two posts.

On 10 Jan 2015 at 11:58am Fred wrote:

I daresay much more than the colour was off balance in Norm's bore fest.
Wonder if the interest in anything Norm has to say is reflected in the lack of replies and/or the tone of those that did bother.

On 10 Jan 2015 at 12:12pm Southover Queen wrote:

No, it reflects the fact that the Lewes SitP group is well mannered and happy to abide by the rule that the debate is opened to the floor after the speaker has finished. There was a lively and well-informed Q&A session after the break. Personally, I applaud any move toward evidence based politics.

On 10 Jan 2015 at 5:52pm George wrote:

Really

On 11 Jan 2015 at 12:10pm Ringo wrote:

Yes M8

On 11 Jan 2015 at 2:04pm Regan wrote:

I went to the talk and found it very interesting. Norman gave a very balanced and informed talk and the bones of the matter was he wants Drugs to be decriminalized or at least to have a serious and informed debate on the matter as people who are addicts have an illness that needs to be dealt with by the department of health and not the home office. Decriminalization would concentrate resources to help these people as well as focussing the police budget on the real criminals who are pure profiteers who do not care if they make their money from drugs, guns or child pornography. Decriminalizing people for having an illness is a powerful argument. Offering them access to treatment instead of prison which is proven to make them worse offers more hope of recovery. Better for the individual and better for the society in which they live.

On 11 Jan 2015 at 2:17pm Carter wrote:

Well said sir

On 11 Jan 2015 at 3:57pm trooper wrote:

Mr Lee Kuan Yeu the Prime Minister of Singapore put a stop to drugs in that country very effectively. If you deal drugs in Singapore you will pay the ultimate price. Of course this will not happen here because we are swamped by bleeding hearts, do gooders and god wallopers. I have traveled in, and have business contacts in the countries that produce the drugs and they tell me that the cartels see UK and Europe as the promised land. Millions of pounds poured into Afghanistan alone,and what do we get in return ,the biggest percentage of Cocaine and Marijuana imported. DRUGS MAKE BIG MONEY AND BIG MONEY IS POWER.

On 11 Jan 2015 at 9:48pm Nevill resident wrote:

I don't disagree with N. B.'s ideas. But WHAT is he doing to get these implemented?
What Norman WANTS is not always what Norman GETS. Norman talking about drugs policy is no different from me giving a speech on it if her does not do anything to get it implemented.
Did he say what he was doing to get his ideas implemented? I can't be bothered to watch the link so I am gambling N.B. won't make a fool of me. Has he?

On 12 Jan 2015 at 10:25am Southover Queen wrote:

Yes, Trooper. How about watching the video (or reading what Baker has actually said) before commenting. That would help.

Nevill Resident: he did explain that he spent much of his time at the Home Office trying to get someone to engage with this issue on the basis of evidence rather than ideology. He failed, because politicians are terrified of what the voting public will think - characterised, I think, pretty perfectly by Trooper's contribution above.