Drugs: Prohibition and Criminalisation

Lord Pickles Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

We have to take on the organised criminals who are supplying the drugs. In 2025-26, the National Crime Agency seized 189 tonnes of class A drugs. The quantity of illicit drugs seized at the border in 2024-25 was the largest, at 148 tonnes, recorded since 1973. So there are efforts to stop organised crime, but obviously, drug barons are looking at a whole range of methods, and the areas the noble Baroness has mentioned are extremely important. We need to keep on top of that, and that is why we have also put in some £3.4 billion over the next three years on drug and alcohol treatment as a whole, to ensure that we look at who the users of drugs are and how we can help support them.

[Lord Pickles (Con)]

My Lords, so far nobody has mentioned those who die as a result of drug use, particularly in road traffic accidents, but who themselves have never taken drugs in their lives. One of the great successes of the last 30 years has been the reduction in the number of people who die on the roads as a result of alcohol use. By the end of this decade, the number who die on the roads because of illicit drug use is likely to exceed the number who die because of alcohol use. There is variation from force to force in terms of the equipment used and the practices, so will the noble Lord consider getting police authorities together and getting best practice established, so that we can start to push down on drug use on the roads, as we have pushed down on drink?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises an extremely important point. He will know that some seven or eight years ago, we passed legislation in both Houses—I was then the shadow Minister in the House of Commons—on drug testing for driving, particularly for cocaine. He raises the issues of enforcement and good practice; I will take them back and reflect on them and, if I have any further information, I can reply to him. He needs to know that legislation on a cross-party basis has been passed, it will be enforced, and it is extremely important that we stop people who are under the influence of drugs driving vehicles.