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Politics Reconstructing the “420 unfriendly” narrative

Delia He Peici

When asked about easing the UK’s cannabis policy, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was not hesitant to reveal that he opposed the liberalisation of drug laws. He stated: “When I was director of public prosecutions, I prosecuted many, many cases involving drugs and drug gangs and the criminality that sits behind. And it causes huge issues to vulnerable people across the country.”

When asked about the possibility of decriminalision, he says: “I’ve never gone down that route…I have supported schemes where you’re not arrested for [cannabis possession], you’re not prosecuted for it. And I believe in that.”

His comments indicate a drastic shift away from the previously expressed sentiments of the Labour leadership. In a 2020 report published by the Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform (LCDPR), the group called for a “progressive approach to drugs”. It further recommends a regulation of the cannabis market with appropriate controls on access, safety and potency.

Currently, cannabis is designated as a Class B drug in the UK, and possession of the drug can be punished by up to five years in prison. Medical cannabis can be legally prescribed to some patients.

Starmer’s views regarding the decriminalisation of cannabis primarily concern criminal activities and violence implicating vulnerable persons. While coming from a place of good intentions, this view is one that, I believe, fails to distinguish between the nuances of the drug trade and drug use.

The truth is that drugs will always be in demand

If the conversation is spotlighted on protecting the community, then all evidence points toward decriminalisation.

Organised criminal groups are gaining increasing control of the drug market in the UK, occupying a large percentage of the annual £9 billion profit. Meanwhile, the cost of policing drugs remains upwards of £100 million annually, in addition to the 1.5 million hours spent by the police working on cannabisrelated cases. Surely, it is fair to say that the ‘war on drugs’ has an emerging victor. Focusing on a cost-benefit analysis of the drug trade, however, seems to be adopting an extremely narrow perspective. Saying of the war on drugs that ‘the benefits far outweigh the costs!’ insinuates a highly desensitised view to the lives lost in the process. Drug-related deaths are at a high in the UK, with 5,546 fatalities in 2018 observing an overall increase of 52% in the past decade, notwithstanding the exploitation of some 4,000 children in London alone as drug mules.

Organised crime networks involved in the drugs trade profit off the addiction and exploitation of communities throughout the country, with low-income persons and ethnic minorities disproportionately affected. It remains that they should be duly punished by the justice system. It must be emphasised that judicial legitimacy will in no way be undermined by decriminalisation policies. Rather, cannabis legislation should aim to transfer control away from unethical and unregulated criminal organisations into that of the government.

The truth is that drugs will always be in demand. If policies to curb drug-usage have proven to be of diminishing efficiency, perhaps it is time to consider shifting the strategy toward controlling supply. Decriminalisation, therefore, should prioritise harm reduction. Drug-checking directly reduces drug-related harm by offering transparent information of chemical components in the drugs, which can be strictly regulated by medical experts. A comprehensive support infrastructure can also be implemented for drug users seeking treatment without fearing stigmatisation or criminal charges.

The fundamental tenet of decriminalisation is to humanise drug users

The fundamental tenet of decriminalisation is to humanise drug users. It is a grave mistake to associate crime with drug use. A call to decriminalise cannabis is not one that pardons drug dealers and manufacturers who consciously choose to harm the community at large, but rather, a policy that extends fairness and compassion to drug users.

Decriminalisation would not downplay the drug’s negative effects, but much rather the contrary: it emphasises the proven medical conditions that either cause or are caused by cannabis-usage and can offer a targeted treatment plan, if necessary. Studies have revealed that circumstances of trauma, socio-economic status, mental health and even genetics result in heightened susceptibility to drug addiction. In viewing drug use as a chronic illness, addicts can be offered rehabilitative harm-reduction programmes, a much more humane and efficient alternative, compared to the prosecution of over 15,000 people annually for cannabis possession.

(dannybirchall, Creative Commons)

‘Flyin’ Ted’ and the Texan weather crisis

Richard Herbert

Since the 6th January uprising at the Capitol, Ted Cruz has been making a new name for himself with another spell of “incompetence”, according to a former aide. As Texas was facing one of the worst snow blizzards in over a decade, with mass power outages and temperatures of -18°C (-0.4°F), the Texan Senator decided to book a lastminute trip with his wife and two children to Cancun, Mexico.

Cancun is a popular destination for many American spring breakers, with temperatures as high as 29°C at this time of year. The move had created an uproar amongst many politicians and Texans alike, with the name ‘flying Ted’ dubbed on many news outlets, a name that was even trending on Twitter.

After the initial news reports, the Republican senator returned just ten hours after landing in Mexico, stating that in hindsight he “wouldn’t have done it”. Cruz also justified the trip, saying that his daughters had persuaded him to go and that he was “trying to be a dad.” The defence was criticised by many, with the Texas Democratic Party calling on Cruz’s resignation. Texas was facing mass power outages and temperatures of -18°C

The backlash did not stop there, as protesters gathered outside the senator’s $2 million home demanding that “Cancun Cruz must resign”. Despite heavy criticism from both sides of the political spectrum the senator showed no intent on resigning. Many analysts believe the repercussions are unlikely to be felt for a long time, if at all, given that the Republican would not be up for re-election until 2024.

Millions of Texans have been without any safe water and around 28,000 have no electricity. To make things worse, Texas’s governor, Greg Abbott, decided to make the crisis a political issue, claiming that this “shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States”. His comments came after reports that frozen wind turbines had contributed to grid power loss despite wind shutdowns had only accounted for 13% of the outages and the loss of power from frozen coal-fired and natural gas plants was six times larger.

President Biden declared Texas a major disaster, potentially unlocking aid to tackle the problem of 78,000 homes still without power. The declaration has so far been a start for the lone star state, granting temporary housing, home repairs and lowcost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

Cruz also justified the trip, saying that his daughters had persuaded him to go

However, the provisions have only been made available to individuals in 77 of the 254 counties. Many politicians have called on all counties to be provided with funds during this dark time. It seems that in order to prevent more deaths and the crisis worsening, funding from the Federal Government would be paramount.

Politics SU elections show student (dis)satisfaction

Matthew Lambert

As a fresher, I am yet to have any interaction with Durham’s Students’ Union. The SU has played no significant role thus far in my student experience, or, to my knowledge, in the experience of any of my fellow freshers.

This is not a feeling held only by first-years. With turnout at just 14% in the 2021 election, the overwhelming majority of the student populace is clearly apathetic to whoever holds the role of SU President. Yet, whilst the context of Covid-19 may make the results of this year’s elections irrelevant to student life, the real test of democracy at Durham will come in 2022.

The majority of the student populace is clearly apathetic

This year, the student experience has been very poor. This could be a result on the extent to which Covid-19 has damaged student life, something that, regardless of who was in charge, would have minimised contact with the SU for everyone. Undoubtedly, it seems difficult to suggest that the University itself has managed to provide a fulfilling student experience during these times, or that the government has put the welfare and experience of students at the forefront of their Covid-19 strategy. The SU would have always been fighting an uphill battle, regardless of who the sabbatical officers are.

To this end, to say that SU elections will have any impact

(Pete Reed, Creative Commons) upon student life depends upon which direction you approach them. If focusing specifically on this year’s election cycle, it seems inevitable that Seun Twins, who won her second term, will spend most of her tenure tied up with returning student life to a state of relative normality. Yes, there will have been slight variations in how each of the candidates sought to do this, but the end goal, and the experience that students will face, will be effectively identical. Twins will not go down in the annals as one who has brought about significant reforms, but rather one that has had to focus on Covid-19 recovery.

However, in a wider context, should the pandemic be the sole contributor to a lack of student experience this year, then whilst 2021’s elections will end up not severely impacting student experience, one can say with conviction that there is no reason that 2022’s should as well. It would be premature to suggest that just because this year’s elections will not impact student experience that the importance of the SU, and the election of its officers, has waned.

Another year of poor student experience could no longer be blamed merely on Covid-19, and questions would have to be asked of the entire institution, and its inability to adapt.

The argument that no one else would have done a better job cannot be allowed to cut it, and the next set of officers must realise their predecessors’ impact on student life has been minimal. This will admittedly be difficult under a President who oversaw that, and who will naturally want to defend her record, but there must be an improvement in student experience going forward, and the responsibility for that rests, in part, with the SU.

If you are still unsatisfied, voting is the way to change that

This, fundamentally, is why students should continue to vote in the SU elections. Yes, this year’s vote was somewhat irrelevant in determining the short-term future of student experience, which will be more a consequence of the UK government’s policy surrounding lifting restrictions. But come the next election cycle, the responsibility for the quality of our student life will rest squarely on the SU. If, in a year’s time, you are still unsatisfied with your Durham experience, then voting is the way to change that.

Myanmar protestors persist peacefully

Olivia Bothamley-Dakin

Myanmar’s slow democratisation has been halted following a military coup on 1st February. The military’s overthrowing of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government over alleged rigged elections back in November 2020 has sparked civil resistance. Peaceful protest resulting in police and military brutality aims to restore former leadership and calls for more international action.

There are reports of at least two people killed in Mandalay

As tensions increase, violence escalates. There are reports of at least two people killed in Mandalay, the nation’s second largest city, and 748 people arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Footage of police using tear gas and live ammunition on crowds shows the Junta’s willingness to adopt terror tactics. Most recently, reports have emerged of overnight raids in the capital, Naypyidaw, and the military’s illicit weapon handling. With no side looking to concede, further suffering is inevitable.

Protesters against the Junta have so far been peaceful. A civil disobedience movement, including a mass strike of healthcare workers and 750,000 civil servants, continues to attempt to undermine the military government by grinding the nation to a halt. Yet the commercial empire of the army dominates Myanmar’s natural’s resources, like jade and rubies, making the opposition difficult to protest in this way.

The self-declared “revolution” of the people threatens Myanmar economically. The government response of internet and social media blackouts, as well as shortage of staff and container pileups, have forced bank closures and endanger businesses. Myanmar’s status as a cash-based society means “the everyday people, mostly people on the street” will be the ones to suffer, as one Burmese executive wrote.

The protest is described by Nandar, a feminist activist, as not having a “specific group of leaders”. Youth and women stand alongside men in advocating for democracy. The protest has extended into rural towns too. “22222 revolution”, echoes the 8888 uprisings of the People’s democratic movement against the Junta in 1988. These protests continued over five months, an indication that current tensions in Myanmar will not be terminated soon. Myanmar women have adopted the slogan “you’ve messed with the wrong generation,” highlighting that this time the Junta must fight harder to turn the tide on democracy.

From Myitkyina in the north to Dawei in the south, people are angry. Nan New, a member of the psychology department at Yangon University, argues that the “stand is not political” but a “stand up for the justice”.

Protesters have so far been peaceful

Recent protests have gathered around the Myanmar United Nations office, now blocked by police, suggesting protesters desire outside intervention. UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has so far called for the Junta to “release the prisoners, end the violence and to respect Human Rights”. Foreign governments have also announced sanctions against military businesses and leaders. The UK have suspended all promotion of trade with Myanmar and imposed travel sanctions. Dominic Raab, the UK Foreign Secretary, has urged that “those responsible for human rights violations will be held to account”. The United States and Canada have imposed similar measures, with the European Union set to follow and “ready to adopt restrictive measures”.

Yet, the extent to which this will help the cause of the protestors is still uncertain. Neighbouring countries well placed to pressurise the military government insist on it being an “internal matter”.Placards reading “Myanmar’s military dictatorship is made in China” show the anger at the Chinese government’s continued silent response. Yet border stability and China’s new position globally suggests that they are cautious about working with the military government.

Facebook has also condemned Myanmar’s military groups. They have attempted to reverse government spread of disinformation by banning militarycontrolled state and media entities

Historically, Myanmar has been turbulent. Protests which occurred on the 22nd February, dubbed the

(Prachatai, Flickr)