HL Deb 07 February 1961 vol 228 cc351-2
LORD AMULREE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been called to an article by Mr. Colin Wilson in the Sunday Dispatch for 15th January, 1961, called "My night with the Beatniks" and whether the paragraphs relating to the drugs marijuana and preludin are not an incitement to commit an offence.]

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, the question whether an offence has been committed is not for Her Majesty's Government to pronounce upon. In view of the noble Lord's Question, the article has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has expressed the opinion that it is insufficiently specific to provide evidence of the commission of the offence of incitement

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Earl for his reply, but do not Her Majesty's Government think it is a deplorable state of affairs that encouragement to people to take these noxious drugs should appear so easily in the public Press?

BARONESS RAVENSDALE OF KEDLESTON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl—although I understand it is not for Her Majesty's Government to intervene in this matter—whether it is not a known fact that marijuana (reefer cigarettes) and preludin lead to a further craving for other, more dangerous, drugs like heroin and morphia, and their procurement is cheaper and less dangerous than those mentioned in Colin Wilson's article? I would ask Her Majesty's Government, on this point, whether, as the noble Lord, Lord Amulree, has suggested, the wider field of banning the advertising on television of commercial drugs could be looked into, because of their danger when their reliability is not yet known.

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, in regard to the first supplementary, asked by the noble Lord who asked the Question, I am certain he will appreciate that a very fine balance exists now as to what can be written in the Press and what should not be written in the Press. I would remind the noble Lord that if there had been sufficient evidence in this article or any other article published in the Press or elsewhere, on which to base a charge of incitement, then that charge no doubt would have been brought. The noble Lord, may also like to reflect on whether a detective story is. or is not, an incitement. We are on very difficult ground.

With regard to the question asked by the noble Baroness, I would draw her attention to the Poisons Rules of 1960, and I think your Lordships and the noble Lady know that at least preludin has been brought under those Rules. So far as I know. I think all the really dangerous drugs are included in those Rules. If the noble Baroness should think that that is not so, perhaps she would let me know.