HeadLine: Marching to drugs war

The Mirror, 02/04/2001, p13
by SHAUN MILNE

THOUSANDS of Scots took to the streets in a massive show of defiance
against the scourge of drugs yesterday.
All of Scotland’s major political leaders joined the march from
Glasgow’s Blythswood Square for an afternoon rally at Glasgow Green.
Around 15,000 to 20,000 people took part, waving placards showing drugs
victims as they listened to speakers, including Chancellor Gordon
Brown.
He said: “This really is a demonstration of our determination and, I
believe, the determination of the whole of Scotland, to expose and work
to eradicate an evil responsible for half our crime.
“Drug crime costs us £4billion a year, terrorises pensioners and lays
young lives to waste.”
He announced the Government would invest £300m in tackling drugs and
the causes of drugs “so that a drugs culture can no longer flourish in
the community”.
He said that the Government will also be announcing two new
organisations – Sport Against Drugs and Business Against Drugs.
On the same day, 350 people took part in a rally led by Scottish
Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan calling for the legalisation of cannabis.

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