Bristol declared ‘city of harm reduction’ as Greens seek less punitive drug policy

Cara Lavan, a Green councillor in Bristol, lost her partner, Jake Coe, to drug overdose poisoning. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Cara Lavan, a Green councillor in Bristol, lost her partner, Jake Coe, to drug overdose poisoning. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt/The Guardian Bristol declared ‘city of harm reduction’ as Greens seek less punitive drug policy Councillors pass motion that paves way to setting up drugs-consumption facility where users can be helped and treated UK politics live – latest updates Bristol has been formally declared a “city of harm reduction”, with local politicians pledging to focus on helping and treating users of illegal drugs rather than punishing them. Green councillors, who lead the city council, said the declaration was a clear signal that public health rather than criminal justice solutions were needed to tackle the UK’s growing drugs crisis. They hope the declaration will put pressure on the Labour government to rethink drug policies and, specifically, lead to a legal drug-consumption facility being set up in the city. The move, which has been backed by Bristol Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, has been rejected by Tory members, who argue it is “ideologically framed”. Nationally, the Greens advocate legalising and regulating drugs . The Bristol Green councillor Cara Lavan, who lost her partner, Jake Coe, 37, to drug overdose poisoning , said it felt like an important moment. “I hope other local authorities will take note and follow suit to create a domino effect that tells the government we need change,” she said. Lavan said Coe had been in recovery for five years but when he relapsed was able to buy heroin and crack within half an hour, despite living in a new place where he did not know dealers. “The prohibition didn’t stop him getting hold of it.” Jake Coe, pictured in 2013. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt/The Guardian The couple had a baby and he was about to qualify as an arts psychotherapist . Lavan said: “We were unable to get the help we needed because the drugs he was using were illicit and there was the constant threat he would be arrested and criminalised. He desperately wanted to be drug free, but he just wasn’t able to cope and he couldn’t get support. “What we need is sensible, evidence-led drug policies. There’s overwhelming evidence that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has failed. Drug treatment agencies, police forces, health professionals across the country know that our drug policies actively work against solving many of the problems that we have.” The declaration was agreed at a full council meeting. The motion setting it out noted that deaths from drug poisoning were at an all-time high and in Bristol almost twice the national rate. It stated that the drug market was rapidly evolving, with a growing supply of dangerous super-strength synthetic opioids. Bristol and other cities have taken a harm-reduction approach for some time, but Lavan said she felt the formal de