• WE all know that the “war on drugs” has failed.

Despite the billions government has spent on drug enforcement, deaths are still rising, drugs are still readily available, and the supply is more toxic.

This week, when the Office for National Statistics is due to publish the 2023 figures for deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales, government has an opportunity to take these numbers as a wake-up call to the truth, our drug policy is killing us.

If we’re serious about saving lives, it’s time to stop criminalising and start regulating with a public health approach.

Every one of these deaths is preventable.

London’s current mayor has dithered and delayed acting to reduce drug harm for so long that the rate of Londoners dying from drug poisonings in 2022 was four times higher than those who died from knife violence in 2023.

From my work in the NHS, I know how impactful a harm reduction approach can be to saving Londoners’ lives.

If we want to put a stop to drug deaths in our communities, Sadiq Khan must listen to science, listen to advocates, and, most importantly, listen to drug users and support the legalisation and regulation of drugs in London.

ZOË GARBETT AM
London Assembly
Green Party Member and Former NHS Worker