the tolerance zones via certain private doctors in Harley street W1 especially existed before both of us were born but plans to extend them to normal folk via the NHS were bitterly resisted and/or scuppered via USA intervention. (which was also used to stop the other North European countries going to full decrim back then and to add psychedelics and less harmful stimulants to the harder controls list in the “swinging 60s”
Though it wasn’t the case the drug culture of that era was totally harmless, a lot of my older friends who are into prog rock were around in those days and have discussed truthfully what went on, as they are now respectable dads and grandads who have done a lot of good for our country and can talk about things frankly. (Many lost good friends just as our generation did, due to lack of honesty and drugs education, which is why there is a certain amount of respect for this website from perhaps “unlikely” sources. 😉 )
The difference though was in the 90s the economic boom, manufactured or not made the average person of that era less judgemental of drug addicts (especially as there was still a larger entertaintment industry in the UK which meant they were bringing in a fair bit money themselves) and more likely to overlook their own tax money being spent on such a venture. Which is exactly what all the other nations did back then if you look at the big EU report.
When people are happy and seemingly well off they do not care two shits what their own neighbour gets up too, what colour they are, what drugs they take etc, which is why even people half our age still idolise much of 1990s culture. And to some extent political will in Europe still does come from the people, I don’t think its a coincidence that Brighton and Hove is first to trial this because its still a relatively affluent middle class left wing / green area (though more divided than the Greens choose to admit). I hope they manage to get something positive out of it and its not fucked up by Britain’s binge culture.
