Legalise all drugs says millionaire Tiefenbrun

Ivor Tiefenbrun, founder and managing director of hi-fi firm Linn Products, said he has held the view since watching close friends die from heroin overdoses or battle their addictions.

The millionaire entrepreneur revealed that as a youngster in Govanhill, on the south side of Glasgow, three of his neighbours died from fatal doses of the drug.

Tiefenbrun added that he was "deeply unimpressed" by the Scottish Executive’s stance on drugs and accused them of lacking vision.

He told Scotland on Sunday: "Three of my immediate contemporaries died of heroin abuse. It was terrible to have that happen so near to us. Another three friends managed to survive their addiction. There was nothing that could be done to help them. The only thing was for them to decide for themselves that they wanted to stop.

"Drug abuse is a lottery. I have never taken drugs and it is only by the grace of God that I did not turn to them. Their prohibition gives them a taboo quality and makes them attractive.

"I am just so disappointed and deeply unimpressed by this government. They are driven by pragmatism rather than taking a stand on the issue, having the confidence to do what needs to be done."

Tiefenbrun concluded: "They must be legalised. I believe that passionately."

But a spokesman for the Scottish Executive said it was "unrealistic" to consider that drugs would be legalised. He added that ministers were increasing their commitment to the problem by providing "high-quality evidence-based information" for young people.

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