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Green MP said that the policy of the coalition "localism" allows coastal town to follow the strategy of decriminalization in Portugal

Over the past 20 years, Brighton has gained a reputation for being cool. His home in a thriving population of young people and the city is one of the most gay-friendly Europe.

But Brighton also has a drug problem: there was an average of almost a drug-related deaths every week - 50 in total - in 2009, and last year about 35 deaths been attributed to drugs. Brighton is the capital of the death of the drug in the UK, with the highest mortality per capita drug.

The situation is unlikely to improve quickly. "There was a poor harvest in Afghanistan last year, which meant heroin being taken recently was very poor. Much time the dust, "said Mike Pattinson, Director of HR operations, rehabilitation of drug users charities in the city." But we have heard this year's crop is a bumper, it which means that the quality will be much higher, and an overdose of people. They will not deal with the strength of what they take. "

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, called for a new approach, after identifying an unlikely ally. It wants to exploit the agenda of localism Eric Pickles communities secretary, the bully of the cabinet without any sense of Bradford, to decriminalize drug use in the city.

If Luke, the first Green MP in England, has his way, a city that has earned a reputation as one of the most tolerant in the country will become a pioneer in liberal drug policy.

said echoes the strategy of local government, at least on the surface, the World Commission on the recent recommendation of the drug policy that local governments the opportunity to develop their own approaches, if reason to believe that they provide better health and social outcomes.

If their argument is accepted, the attempt to Brighton to amend laws on drugs and crime in a trial period.

His plan, he insists, not from the desire to promote a culture of cannabis café in Amsterdam, on the south coast, but because the number of deaths requires questioning. "The current free for all, where anyone can manufacture, sell, or possession of drugs must end - through appropriate regulation, strict controls on who can buy what and when, and at the end of judicial review of drug markets, "Lucas said recently in a speech to health workers.

"I think somewhere like Brighton should be able to say that our experience shows that the prohibition and abstinence does not work -. And we want to try something different"

Amazingly, Lucas has the support of the police officer as the most cosmopolitan cities. The Chief Inspector Graham Bartlett knows he is on dangerous ground, but his 22 years working with drug users convinced him that the time has come for change.

"It is important to say first that what I say, it's a personal opinion and my officers will enforce the law as it is," says Bartlett

Portugal abolished criminal penalties for drug possession. Instead those caught with drugs for personal use are sent to so-called "advice deterrence" consisting of social workers and psychologists who question the users in their addiction and have the power to impose fines or recommend treatment.

users caught with drugs more than once summoned to the police or doctor.

The result, according to a study, is that drug use among teens in Portugal declined and rates of new HIV infections caused by sharing contaminated needles dropped, while the number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction more than doubled

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