Should ecstasy be legalised?

Should ecstasy be legalised?

7 January, 2008 | 8.40AM

• Section: Music News
• Written by: Terry Church

A storm has erupted in Britain over the club drug ecstasy, after an outspoken police officer told the BBC that the drug is “far safer than aspirin”.

The outspoken chief constable of North Wales, Richard Brunstrom, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program:

“There’s a lot of scaremongering and rumour-mongering around ecstasy in particular. It isn’t borne out by the evidence.”

“Ecstasy is a remarkably safe substance – it’s far safer than aspirin.

“If you look at the Government’s own research into deaths you’ll find that ecstasy, by comparison to many other substances – legal and illegal – it is comparably a safe substance.”

A debate than followed in the media, with The Independent even discussing the possibility of the legalisation of ecstasy.

The Independent: Should ecstasy be legalised by the Government?

The Independent concluded their article by repeating the main points for both sides of the legalisation of ecstasy debate.

Yes...

* In reality, very few deaths are caused by ecstasy, and legalising it would allow proper quality control

* Money would stop being channelled to the criminal gangs which are involved in supplying drugs across Britain

* The policy of enforcement and criminalising users has shown little sign of working

No...

* Ecstasy could be responsible for causing brain damage. If we don’t know all the facts, we should err on the side of caution

* People do die each year after taking ecstasy, though the degree to which the drug is directly responsible is disputed

* There is very little demand for the legalisation of ecstasy among the public or politicians. Reclassification is more realistic

What do you think

We’d like to hear what you, the clubbing community, thinks of the possibility of legalising ecstasy.

Post your comments below.

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