Mick Clifford: Time to stop criminalising addicts and have a grown-up policy on drugs

After 50 years of dealing with a societal issue through the lens of the criminal justice system, change is not going to be easy — but the Citizens' Assembly has made a good start

Treating addicts as criminals is convenient for some elements of society but is outdated and entirely unfair.

Last weekend the Citizens’ Assembly ended its deliberations on policy around illegal drugs in this country.

There may be big change on the way, but it has been a long time coming.