DRUGS policy is a bizarre area of politics. On one hand you have almost every policy specialist, many police officers, sheriffs, social workers, doctors and nurses saying the current system needs reformed.

On the other you have the political parties who look unwilling to budge an inch. Only the Greens and the LibDems, two parties unlikely to bother government soon, have put forward reform policies.

This is bizarre – the empirical evidence shows are laws aren’t working; not even close. Politicians fear that by being pro-reform they will be seen as soft on crime and lose votes.

That is because they are unaware of what the alternatives could be. Too many who advocate decriminalisation, legalisation or better treatment for drug users are scared and embarrassed to come out and make the case. For doing so Kenny MacAskill should be applauded.

Scotland isn’t losing the war on drugs – it was lost a long time ago. It’s time we tried a different approach.

Kenny MacAskill's call for drug law reform rejected by Scottish Government

Kenny MacAskill: It's time for a radical alternative to the war on drugs