Worcester Liberal Democrats: “Legalising All Drugs Is Not the Answer”
Worcester Liberal Democrats: “Legalising All Drugs Is Not the Answer”
Worcester Liberal Democrats have strongly criticised calls from Green Party leader Zack Polanski to legalise all drugs, describing the proposal as “reckless and out of touch with the realities facing local communities.”
Responding to recent leadership remarks supporting full legalisation, Cllr Mel Allcott, Parliamentary Spokesperson for Worcester Liberal Democrats, said:
“Legalising all drugs is not a serious solution to the very real challenges of addiction, crime and mental health. It risks creating more harm, not less.
In Worcester, families are worried about anti-social behaviour, youth safety and access to health services. We need stronger prevention, better rehabilitation and tougher action against organised criminal gangs — not a free-for-all.”
The Liberal Democrats argue that while aspects of current drug policy require reform, blanket legalisation would place additional strain on already stretched public services in Worcester, including the NHS, mental health provision and frontline policing.
Local party representatives emphasised that reform must focus on reducing harm and targeting criminal supply networks — not opening the door to unrestricted availability.
Worcester Liberal Democrats are calling for:
- A relaxation of penalties for personal possession, treating addiction primarily as a health issue rather than a criminal one
- A renewed focus on cracking down on organised drug dealing and exploitation
- Greater investment in treatment, rehabilitation and recovery services
- Expanded harm reduction measures, including properly supervised drug consumption rooms and heroin-assisted treatment programmes
Cllr Allcott added:
“We believe in compassion and evidence — but also responsibility. Relaxing the approach to personal use, alongside robust enforcement against dealers and major criminal networks, strikes the right balance.
We need better treatment and harm reduction to save lives — but we must not send the message that all drugs are harmless or consequence-free. Blanket legalisation simply fails that test.”
Worcester Liberal Democrats are calling for a balanced, evidence-led national debate focused on reducing harm, saving lives and strengthening public services — rather than pursuing headline-grabbing policies that risk serious unintended consequences
