The War We Never Fought: The British Establishment's Surrender to Drugs

Again and again, British politicians, commentators, and celebrities intone that 'The War on Drugs has failed'. They then argue that this failure justifies abandoning all attempts to reduce drug use through the criminal law.

Peter Hitchens, however, reveals a different story. He shows that in Britain, there has been no serious 'war on drugs' since 1971, when a Tory government adopted a Labour plan to implement the revolutionary Wootton report. This report granted cannabis, the most widely used illegal substance, a special legal status as a supposedly 'soft' drug. In fact, Hitchens argues that cannabis is at least as dangerous as heroin and cocaine, particularly because of the threat it poses to mental health. This marked the beginning of:

• A progressive reduction of penalties for possession, and
• The effective disarming of the police.

This process continues even today, hidden behind a façade of falsely 'tough' rhetoric from politicians. Far from fighting a 'war on drugs', Britain has experienced what Hitchens calls a covert surrender to drugs, concealed behind official adherence to international treaty obligations. In practice:

• Cannabis is effectively legal in Britain, and
• Other major drugs are not far behind.

In The War We Never Fought, Hitchens uncovers the secret history of the government's real stance on drugs. He highlights the increasing recruitment of the police and courts into covert decriminalisation initiatives and contrasts these actions with the public rhetoric. His conclusion? Whatever or whoever is to blame for the undeniable mess of Britain's drug policy, it is not 'prohibition' or a 'war on drugs'—for neither truly exists.