The Drug Policy Review Group (DPRG) (PO Box 16548 London SE22 8ZT, Tel: 0208 299 1295) was founded by 'Bing' Spear, Philip Bean, and others to discuss and suggest changes in UK drug policies. It is made up of lords, doctors, ex-police officers, academics and journalists. It made two reports in 1989 and 1990. It said that Dutch drug policy was better as it decriminalised cannabis and that the best approach was to set health care as a priority, provide social care and by education. The estimated costs for all drug abuse in 1988 to the UK government was £350,000,000. "if Dutch style policies were applied in the UK to the same effect, the cost of law enforcement and drug related crime would fall dramatically". It also concluded that there were many advantages to the legalisation of cannabis and it thought the law on possesion could be relaxed. It is funded by the EEC.
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