On Tuesday 14th July, a network of families whose lives have been wrecked by our current approach to drugs gathered beneath the banner of  ‘Anyone’s Child: Families for Safer Drug Control’ and headed to 10 Downing Street. Together we handed in a letter calling on David Cameron to carry out a review of UK drug policy and to look at all possible alternative approaches including legal regulation. Too many families have been and are still being ruined – the time is right for change!

Several family members also arranged meetings with their MPs to tell their story and demand a new approach.

A spokesperson from the project said:

“Our vicious and stupid drug laws don’t stop young people from taking drugs. But putting dangerous criminals in charge has devastating results for them and their families. In 2002 David Cameron called for a debate on legal regulation. Since then, there have been over 26,000 drug deaths in the UK – compared with 453 UK soldiers in Afghanistan. Enough is enough. He should immediately commission an independent review of our drug laws. The government knows the evidence proves that legally regulating drugs would help protect all our families.”

You can read more about the families’ stories here and find out more about the campaign.

The day attracted a good spread of media coverage. Key highlights include:

An extended interview with Channel 4 news due to be aired this Sunday

Articles in the Daily Mail, the Mirror, Huffington Post, Politics.co.uk, Sky News, Russia Today, The Oxford Times and the Scottish Daily Record.

Family members also spoke on Radio 5 live, BBC Radio Stoke, Merseyside, Scotland, Cornwall, Hereford and Worcester.

We are now building up this campaign, attracting new families to join us, increase the pressure on Cameron and his government to finally review our failed drug law to save lives and better protect all of our families.