UK crackdown on "lifestyle drug takers"

He was asked to give his advice to people having Christmas shindigs when speaking to LBC radio on December 6th. He told show host Nick Ferarri that he had never been a guest at a dinner party where drugs had been present but that he would have reported it if he had.

Boris Johnson had earlier warned middle-class drug users he would not sit by allowing them to "fund crime" as he revealed the governments plan for a £300million narcotics blitz. Mr Johnson has also promised to get 'very tough' on  'county lines' gangs that take drugs from urban areas into more affluent parts of the country.

'We are looking at doing things to tackle those so-called lifestyle drug users who don't think they are part of the problem. In the end, all the demand is helping to create the problem," Johnson said.

"The 300,000 problem drugs users, you've got to deal with what is going on there, you've got to make sure they are given rehab, you've got to come down tough on the county lines gangs, but you've also got to think about what is happening with the demand, the economic advantage that is given to the gangs by the lifestyle users as well."

These moves are part of a new law and order package that will also involve the following: 

£145million of funding to assist the police with dismantling the county lines drugs gangs.
Drug testing for those serving community service for drug offences, with the additional option of jail for those abusing banned substances.
Further support for drug treatment centres to help wean addicts off their habits and rebuild their lives.
A prison white paper containing measures to improve discipline and cut the drugs supply.
Expand drug testing to people arrested for other offences to identify those who may need help getting clean.
Advertising campaigns on university campuses to warn students that drugs could wreck their lives.

The Home Office said that a share of the £300million fund would be used to dismantle 2,000 county lines drugs operations where criminals exploit vulnerable youngsters to deliver drugs to towns and cities outside the main cities.

Home Office sources played down claims that the new approach will lead to fewer prison sentences. More resources will be made available in the strategy to encourage addicts into programmes designed to help them quit their habits for good. The estimated cost of overall drugs crime is £20billion a year. 

The Prime Minister also warned 'lifestyle' users whose cash keeps the industry afloat. "We are looking at doing things to tackle those so-called lifestyle drug users who don't think they are part of the problem. In the end, all the demand is helping to create the problem".

"These people think it's a victimless crime. It isn't, so we will look at new ways of penalising them. Things that will interfere with their lives. So we will look at taking away passports and driving licences".

"Lifestyle users" also face receiving text messages from police if their numbers are found on dealers' phones. The text messages are designed to shock users. "Too many people think they are anonymous when buying drugs,' they said. 'The idea is to shock them into thinking again. When their phone goes from what they think is their dealer, they'll instead find a message from the drugs squad."