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MEDIASAVVY
WHO’S BEEN SAYINGWHAT..?
The victims of the war on drugs in Britain are predominantly the working
class – be they black, white or Asian. The manner in which the war on
drugs is carried out protects the wealthy from prosecution; exemplified
by the late Eva Rausing, from a billionaire family, who only received a
caution in 2008 for the possession of 2.5g of heroin and 60g of cocaine.
Avinash Tharoor,
Independent
, 2 October
In many ways, alcohol is the new tobacco. It is a multibillion-dollar
international industry dealing with market-friendly governments,
enjoying virtually unrestricted access to advertising despite the growing
evidence that the substance they sell has significant health risks.
Ann Dowsett Johnston,
Guardian
, 3 October
Stigma is what society uses, in an ad-hoc manner, to control behaviour
which is antisocial or harmful to an individual. If you insist that we
should not stigmatise young single mothers, for example, you will one
day have many more young single mothers.
Rod Liddle,
Spectator
, 19 October
I don't actually care whether Gideon [Osborne] had a toot or not. Nor do
I care if he got off on any activity with Mistress Pain. He has certainly
inflicted enough pain on the rest of us. I do care that we cannot have
any kind of open conversation about drug use from the political class.
What he may have put up his nose remains his business. He should keep
that nose of his out of ours.
Suzanne Moore,
Guardian
, 14 October
People who want to get rid of what’s left of our drug laws always make
a great fuss when senior policemen join their side, as if this were a
hugely important surprise. In fact, the police have been prominent in
this campaign for years.
Peter Hitchens,
Mail on Sunday
, 6 October
Why Nick Clegg chose to give Jeremy Browne's job to Norman Baker is a
bit of a mystery. The Lib Dem leader was unhappy with the way Mr
Browne let himself be used as a doormat by [Theresa] May… But it
doesn't follow that Mr Browne should be replaced by one of those
green-ink cranks who make public life so interesting.
Benedict Brogan,
Telegraph
, 8 October
Baker is of course not the first man prone to seeing secret plots and
shadowy schemes in every corner – but he is the first such man to be in
charge of the national crime agency, drug and alcohol policy and forensic
science… At last he can discover the truth! Unless, of course, this is all a
trick by the authorities – and that’s exactly what they want us to think.
Jonathan Freedland,
Guardian
, 8 October
The most widely credited theory advanced thus far contends that Mr
Clegg, the mischievous sprite, sent Mr Baker to Theresa May’s
department solely to send the home secretary into a frenzy of
incandescent rage. Since she was not consulted about the move, and
would rather be saddled with Fidel Castro, this he has achieved… What
seems dead easy to predict is that Mr Clegg will now be torn to the
tiniest shreds – and not only by the Tories and the papers who support
them – for the most eye-catching, head-scratching ministerial
appointment in Westminster history.
Matthew Norman,
Independent
, 8 October
November 2013 |
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Obituary
Mike Stewart was well known to many of
us working in the drugs field, in particular
for his expertise and championing of the
importance of training and employment.
Back in 1999 central government
recognised that there was a need to
develop employment programmes for
those who had experienced drug
problems. With an ambition to double
the number of people in treatment, it
was recognised that something needed
to be done to help people through the
system and that employment was a key
part of helping individuals regain control
of their lives.
With his background in working
with the resettlement of offenders and
an understanding of the broad range of
issues that affected this group, Mike was the right man in the right place at the
right time. He was instrumental in establishing Progress 2 Work, which was a
genuinely pioneering programme. Testimony to this lies in the fact that it was
the Treasury itself which supported its funding.
Mike was not just a man of expertise, but someone with great
compassion, who was prepared to challenge preconceptions and orthodoxies
for the benefit of some of our most disadvantaged citizens. He possessed
considerable powers of analysis, though not infrequently this led to him
declaring that certain policies or aspects of delivery were ‘bonkers’. In this he
was invariably proved right.
The drugs field has lost a valuable expert, though many in the treatment
system well benefit from the work he developed. He was also a great friend to
many and his warmth and support will be greatly missed.
David MacKintosh, policy advisor, LDAPF
MIKE STEWART
11 SEPTEMBER 1950 – 19 SEPTEMBER 2013
OBITUARY
Mike was not
just a man of
expertise,
but someone
with great
compassion.