In the previous chapters a number of proposals for legalising drugs were examined with special reference to crime, the position of juveniles and commercial considerations. The topics discussed include most of the main points in the legalisers’ proposals. Arising from this are five questions, which I suggest must be asked if we are to produce a rational drug policy. They involve: the justifications for controlling drugs; the likely implications as far as crime is concerned; commercial considerations; the groups of persons, if any, to be separated to receive special attention; and the type of enforcement that should operate to control rule breakers. Before looking at these I want to give a brief overview of some of the conclusions arising from the ideal types presented in Chapter One.

A general point to make is that within those ideal types discussed, all have limitations, and none, including prohibition, is entirely satisfactory. Beginning with prohibition: it is said to have majority support, yet this is only a partial riposte against criticism, and a device used by governments when it suits them. Its supporters could point to the many exaggerations of the legalisers, or the way they avoid the more difficult features of their proposals. An example can be given from Stevenson (1994, p 14) who says that ‘If some people insist on using drugs it is better that they should buy them from law abiding businessmen than from criminals and better still if they can be integrated into society and brought under medical supervision if needed.’ The trick here, say Reuter et al (1994, p 86) is in the word ‘some’. ‘Some’ might turn out to be a lot. And even if harms per user are reduced, the total harm created by an increase might be greater.

Prohibition may have its faults, but is not without its virtues. A major virtue, at least of the form of prohibition practised in the UK, is that it is a jumble of inconsistencies, which paradoxically have the merit of allowing various strands to be developed, and work undertaken within current practices. There may not be a clear or straightforward set of policies, but that is no bad thing. The drug world is too complicated for one approach to dominate. Under prohibition we can prescribe, we can decriminalise, we can legalise and we can promote harm reduction.