by political editor Paul Francis

An independent candidate standing in the race to be Kent's first elected
police commissioner says drugs should be legalised.

Not only that, he admits to using drugs himself!

But he couldn't confirm whether the recreational drugs he used were illegal or not.

In outspoken comments, independent Thanet councillor Ian Driver said he wanted a root and branch review of drugs laws and would use his position to call for a review.

He argued teenagers sharing a cannabis joint were less dangerous
than motorists who used their mobile phones while driving.

"It's my view that the idiot entering the roundabout at speed with one
hand on the steering wheel and the other holding his mobile phone poses
an infinitely greater threat to the public wellbeing than a couple of teenagers sharing a cannabis spliff."

Mr Driver, who manages the Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau, said millions
of pounds spent on combating drugs could be better spent in other areas
of crime prevention.

It was time to move even further than countries like Portugal, where there has been a policy of decriminalisation, to full legalisation, he said.

"By any reasonable criterion, the war on drugs has been a disaster; countless millions of pounds have been squandered in a hopelessly wrongheaded attempt to enforce an unenforceable prohibition."

He added: "At least a quarter of Kent's adult population have used or are using presently illegal drugs. Instead of criminalising these people and wasting taxpayers' money, the government should consider legalisation, which would immediately free up resources to more effectively combat vandalism, domestic violence, sexual assault and dangerous driving.

"I propose we can now surpass the Portuguese by going beyond
decriminalisation to legalisation, which will both create jobs for the people of Kent and generate new tax income that can be invested in our hard-pushed health and education services.

"Everyone in the community will benefit - with the exception of the drug barons who will be put out of business."

Mr Driver said he was himself a recreational drug user, but said he
unaware whether he was breaking the law.

He said: "The vast majority of recreational drug users are not addicted and I am
one of them.

"I use recreational drugs and have done for many years. The
vast majority of recreational drug users hold down responsible jobs."

Mr Driver said the main parties were reluctant to think outside the box.

But Conservative candidate Craig Mackinlay said legalisation was the wrong route. "We need stronger intervention on drug pushers and much more help for drug users - we have been dancing around the edges on that.

"I see all too often as a magistrate the evidence of how 80% of crime is drug related. It is not just the social cost of of their repetitive crime but I am worried that we are in danger of losing an entire generation - they are not only mainly unemployed but becoming unemployable."

Elections for police commissioners take place in November this year.

They will replace police authorities that are being scrapped.