Many of you will already have read the terrible details of the Jodi Jones murder case – a teenage lad in Scotland who was a heavy cannabis user stabbed his girlfriend to death in a remote wood. Its a harrowing case, and thankfully he is now in jail for life where he cannot hurt anybody else – but I can’t help but think that whilst the media make a big thing about his dope smoking/dealing this lad was a psychopathic criminal who would have committed such an act whether he took drugs or not.
The offender comes across as a similar personality type to the teenagers who now prey on the London party scene intent on causing violence and destruction (whilst they may carry out robberies as well there are definitely a few who just enjoy the violence for the pure thrill of it) – at least one of them has since gone down for murder.
Most of the authoritarian lobby will purely blame drugs (and alcohol) for this and other crimes – and I fear that people who use drugs will all be increasingly demonised because of the actions of a violent few – already I’m reading reports about plans for spot checks on all Scots school children…
I’d agree to an extent drugs can exacerbate pre-existing mental disorders – but does anyone else think they will be seen as an easy target when the real danger is far worse – a culture of violence (particularly amongst young males) where the use of force to control others and the carrying of weapons is now becoming seen as acceptable amongst some communities, which has (perhaps inadvertantly) been championed through some sections of the media – which often goes unchallenged whilst people become overly paranoid about relatively harmless substance use?
Interested to see what anyone else thinks…
