Local MP Norman Baker has called upon the government to act after unveiling figures which show that there has been a 40% increase in convictions for drugs offences in Sussex since 2000.
In 2000, there were 818 convictions for drugs offences across Sussex, but by 2007, this had increased to 1,147. There was a similar increase in the number of individuals against whom a case was brought for drugs offences, from 1,009 in 2000 to 1,317 in 2007 - a rise of over 30%.
The figures, which were released in an answer to a Parliamentary Question asked by the Lewes MP, show that in total, there were over 8,000 convictions for drugs offences in Sussex between 2000 and 2007 - an average of over 1,000 per year .
Lib Dem Norman Baker commented:
"These figures show that the government's policies have clearly failed to cut drug use in Sussex . A 40% increase in convictions in just eight years is extremely worrying, and shows that we need a new approach to tackling drug dependency across the Lewes area.
"More than a thousand convictions for drug offences in Sussex each year are far too many. We need to reduce dependency on drugs by treating addiction as a health issue, and by clamping down on the dealers who run the drug trade .
"The government should introduce a new offence of 'dealing' to ensure that those who exploit others are prevented from doing so, and offer better treatment to those who need to escape an addiction."
The Parliamentary Question which contains the information can be reached here at They Work For You.
Table: a breakdown of the number of defendants proceeded against, and the number of convictions, for drugs offences within Sussex from 2000.
| Year | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Conviction rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1009 | 818 | 81% |
| 2001 | 1306 | 1081 | 83% |
| 2002 | 1383 | 1179 | 85% |
| 2003 | 1164 | 1075 | 92% |
| 2004 | 974 | 861 | 88% |
| 2005 | 1162 | 1026 | 88% |
| 2006 | 1166 | 1013 | 87% |
| 2007 | 1317 | 1141 | 87% |
| Total | 9481 | 8194 | 86% |
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