Stuck on amber
Loathe as I am to criticised broadcasters for not giving attention to my pet topics,, I was roused to anger last year. I sent off a sulphuric epistle to BBC Wales complaining of their thin coverage of the sporting miracles of Newport County soccer team last season.
This year all is forgiven. in the coming season BBC Wales guarantee a minimum of 12 live games on our South East Wales FM frequencies, starting with the first home game of the season against Tamworth on August 17th. Radio Wales sports bulletins across Wales will also broadcast live from Spytty Park for that first home game to mark Newport's first game in the Blue Square Premier. A reporter will be present at every Newport County game, home and away throughout the season to ensure Radio Wales Sport listeners are kept up to date with the team’s progress.
The first Welsh derby game between Newport County and Wrexham will be broadcast live on all BBC Radio Wales frequencies across the country. Wrexham MP Ian Lucas is still resentful about Newport gained city status before his constituency. It would be fun if we watched the match together. Meanwhile, thanks to BBC Wales.
They are doing even more by commissioning a two part history of Newport County Football Club, named Stuck on Amber. It will be narrated by Rhys and Eggsy of Goldie Looking Chain. It starts this Friday, 6th August, at 6.30pm and concludes on Friday 13th August at the same time.
Can't wait.
The ignored miracle
Ten years ago, in July 2001, Portugal decriminalized the use and possession of all illicit drugs including cocaine and heroin. Under the new legal framework, all drugs were “decriminalized,” not “legalized.” Drug possession for personal use and drug usage itself are still legally prohibited, but violations of those prohibitions are deemed to be exclusively administrative violations and are removed completely from the criminal realm.
The Cato Institute reports that decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates in Portugal, which, in numerous categories, are now among the lowest in the EU, particularly when compared with states with stringent criminalization regimes. The data showed that the Portuguese decriminalization framework has been a resounding success. Within this success lie self-evident lessons that should guide drug policy debates around the world.
A more recent study in the British Journal of Criminology, "What Can We Learn From The Portuguese Decriminalization of Illicit Drugs?, concluded that contrary to predictions, the Portuguese decriminalization did not lead to major increases in drug use. Indeed, evidence indicates reductions in problematic use, drug-related harms and criminal justice overcrowding.
Decriminalization in Portugal led to a reduction in the number of prisoners who were sentenced for drug offences, declining from a peak of 44 percent in 1999 to 28 percent in 2005. Decreasing imprisoned drug offenders contributed to a marked reduction in prison overcrowding. By 2005 the number of prisoners no longer exceeded the official prison capacity.
The large drop in heroin-related deaths (from 350 in 1999 to 98 in 2003) can be linked to the significant increase of users who entered substitution treatment. Though deaths related to the use of some other drugs did rise, there was an overall fall in drug-related deaths of 60 percent between 1999 and 2003.
The Coalition is charging off in unlikely directions nearly all heading for precipices. This is an ideal model to emulate to cut drug harm and the prison population. Probably this is a truth too far.