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This chapter offers a critical historical overview of British drug policy and legislation from 1860s to the present, examining how shifting legal frameworks and political ideologies have shaped the national approach to substance use. It traces the evolution from Victorian-era medical regulation through the criminalisation solidified by the Dangerous Drugs Act 1920 and the emergence of the distinctive “British System” of medically supervised drug maintenance in the mid-twentieth century. It then analyses the seismic shift ushered in by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which entrenched a punitive model of prohibition that still governs UK drug policy today. The chapter explores key developments across subsequent decades, including the rise of recreational drug use in the 1960s, the moral panic of the 1980s, and the complex blend of public health and criminal justice strategies under New Labour. It also critically assesses more recent legislation such as the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, arguing that symbolic lawmaking has often replaced evidence-led interventions. Special attention is paid to the political manipulation of drug classification, the marginalisation of scientific advisors, and the disproportionate policing of minority and working-class communities. Moreover, the chapter highlights increasing divergence in drug policy within the UK’s devolved administrations. While Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have sought to embed harm reduction within broader social services, Westminster has remained wedded to prohibitionist strategies. The final section considers international models—especially Portugal’s decriminalisation approach—and evaluates growing domestic calls for reform grounded in public health, equity, and empirical evidence. In sum, the chapter reveals that British drug policy has long struggled to reconcile the competing demands of law enforcement, medical ethics, and social justice. Despite rhetorical nods to harm reduction, criminalisation has remained the dominant response, often at odds with research and lived experience. As drug-related harms persist and political tensions deepen, the need for an honest, compassionate, and evidence-based policy framework is more pressing than ever.

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A Condensed History of British Drug Policy and Legislation (1860–Present)

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Elizabeth Peatfield

摘要

This chapter offers a critical historical overview of British drug policy and legislation from 1860s to the present, examining how shifting legal frameworks and political ideologies have shaped the national approach to substance use. It traces the evolution from Victorian-era medical regulation through the criminalisation solidified by the Dangerous Drugs Act 1920 and the emergence of the distinctive “British System” of medically supervised drug maintenance in the mid-twentieth century. It then analyses the seismic shift ushered in by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which entrenched a punitive model of prohibition that still governs UK drug policy today. The chapter explores key developments across subsequent decades, including the rise of recreational drug use in the 1960s, the moral panic of the 1980s, and the complex blend of public health and criminal justice strategies under New Labour. It also critically assesses more recent legislation such as the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, arguing that symbolic lawmaking has often replaced evidence-led interventions. Special attention is paid to the political manipulation of drug classification, the marginalisation of scientific advisors, and the disproportionate policing of minority and working-class communities. Moreover, the chapter highlights increasing divergence in drug policy within the UK’s devolved administrations. While Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have sought to embed harm reduction within broader social services, Westminster has remained wedded to prohibitionist strategies. The final section considers international models—especially Portugal’s decriminalisation approach—and evaluates growing domestic calls for reform grounded in public health, equity, and empirical evidence. In sum, the chapter reveals that British drug policy has long struggled to reconcile the competing demands of law enforcement, medical ethics, and social justice. Despite rhetorical nods to harm reduction, criminalisation has remained the dominant response, often at odds with research and lived experience. As drug-related harms persist and political tensions deepen, the need for an honest, compassionate, and evidence-based policy framework is more pressing than ever.