The Government adds it has engaged a team of experienced professionals to develop a comprehensive strategic approach to the drug problem and will continue to work seriously and diligently in this important area of policy.

Instead, Together Gibraltar would rather forego professionalism, expertise and evidence-based interventions in favour of turning Gibraltar into a drugs experiment, with unknown and potentially dangerous consequences.

This Government will not apply a fingers-crossed-try-it-and-see approach to attacking Gibraltar’s growing drug problem, as Together Gibraltar suggests we should.

"We think this is dangerous and has not been thought through.

This is too important an area for parties to make policies by sitting around and talking about something they read in a newspaper one day. That amounts to little more than a chat, not a serious policy.

"Instead, a holistic, professional approach requires the important groundwork to be done first. This is what the Government announced," a Government statement says.

In order to understand drugs and drug use, and to find helpful ways of addressing drug-related problems, there are many different dimensions to consider, including medical, legal, economic, moral, cultural, religious, and public health perspectives. Together Gibraltar conveniently ignore these basic tenets of good policymaking.

Together Gibraltar’s cynical and unnecessarily combative approach in this area does nothing to help or support those who are suffering from the negative impacts of drugs or to promote constructive opposition.

Those who rely on the Government’s crucial work in this complex and multifaceted area will see through Together Gibraltar’s simplistic and deliberately vague statements as well as their dangerous proposed experiment to allow possession of all drugs.

It is not the direction Gibraltar needs to take. It is not safe for our children or our community as a whole. It is not serious policy, the Government statement ends.

15-05-19 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR