UK Drugs policy crushing Black lives

A young Black man patiently waited his turn to speak during an intense and at times heated discussion about the impact of drugs and drugs policy on Black people and communities.

There had been brilliant short film made by group ‘Y-Stop’ about what to do when the police attempt to ‘Stop and Search’ you. This sparked a heated exchange. Young men and their parents lamented about the numerous times they and their children had been ‘stopped and searched’, and humiliated. One father explained that his son was able to literally plaster a whole wall of his bedroom with the receipts he’d collected from being ‘stopped and searched’.

In danger of not being heard, the young man’s mother alerted the meetings Chair, Viv Ahmun that her son wanted to speak. The well dressed young man stood up, and in a quiet voice he confronted the general tone of the meeting by stating:

"Whilst you’re all against this ‘Stop and Search’ stuff, you are perhaps forgetting that young men-including myself at one time - do carry weapons and at times drugs. We have to", -he argued- "because if we come across other gang members we know they’ll be carrying”.

The young man, perhaps in his early 20’s reminded the group in stark terms about how the nation's present ‘War on drugs’ feeds into get a ‘get rich quick or die trying’ gang culture, that is tearing both families and communities apart. A young man working with ex-offenders stated that once these young men are in prison:

"The situation only increases tenfold. For Black men to survive in prison they absolutely need to be in a gang for their own security, and then they not only get security, but they can also tap into the extremely lucrative prison drugs market, estimated to be worth millions.”

A long time drugs campaigner told the focus group that the data also shows that this narcotic prison jungle, which drives certain people down a particular path, means that whilst many white drug dealers and users are guided down a route of either getting the necessary medical help for their drug problem or how they can transform their skills for legitimate businesses, young Black men are herded down the 'elite university of crime' path.”

The same youth worker explained that even when a young Black man wants to start a clean life the police never stopped hounding him, telling him that; “once a drugs dealer, always a dealer”. The ex-offender told the youth worker that he was so down  so broke,  and with so much negativity thrown at him that he might as well go back to his old ways, because that’s how everyone sees him anyway.

These first-hand accounts about the consequences of failed UK drugs policy on Black communities was perhaps the first time that they have been collectively aired in this way. Viv Ahmun, Director of Coreplan, along the grassroots movement ‘Blacksox’, organised this event to feed into the upcoming global debate at the United Nations forum on Drugs policy called UNGASS in April this year.

Ahmun told the group that:

"When it comes to drugs and the effect on Black people, most people talk at us, and about us. They inform us and others, if and how we are affected by it.

Then their usual response to their own conversation about drugs and Black people is to lock more of us up, and State-demonise and terrorise us through the police and other services. In the last ten years overall crime as gone down but prison population has doubled. That style of debate and policy outcomes must end” demanded Ahmun.

One of the leading agencies on drugs policy reform, RELEASE, gave a presentation through one of their lawyers Kristie Douse. Douse gave ‘chapter and verse’ in great detail about the race disproportionality to drugs policy. For example she outlined that despite the Met policies’ assertion that they ‘Stop and Search’ Black youths primarily to prevent knife crime their own data shows that in the last year alone they have conducted over 150k searches, of which 62% have been for drugs and only 2% for knives.

When drugs are found Black people are three times more likely than white people to be charged, and conversely, whether it’s cannabis or cocaine, Black people are less likely than white people to be cautioned. The criminalisation of great sways of Black youths means their life chances become more curtailed and their families torn apart. Further on down the criminal justice system Black people will then be subjected to higher sentencing, and less likely to be given parole. Once out, the revolving prison door soon kicks in because there are little or no services to support ex-offenders.

From any standpoint UK drugs policy shockingly targets Black communities and quickly condemns them whilst often turning a blind eye to the white middle class, city type class A drug use, or the white music festival and rave scene class A drug use too.

As the world leaders prepare to gather at the UN in New York the real voice of pernicious often raciailised drugs policy must be heard. These historic debates are funded by the Open Society Foundation Drugs policy programme, which is driving a conversation which demands to be heard.

This is one of a series of events, the next one is to be held today in Manchester, at The Hideaway youth project. The Amani Centre Quinning, Manchester,. M14 4RX

Simon Woolley