Writing in his latest Times column, published on Saturday 11 July, the TV presenter-turned-publican said drugs had become increasingly accessible in recent years at the same time as the price of alcohol has risen.
Join our new WhatsApp channel: The Morning Round-Up
Get the biggest pub trade stories straight to your phone. Listen to our one-minute daily news briefing and receive breaking news, exclusives and sector updates throughout the day. Remember to turn notifications on in the top right corner! Join the channel here.
“When cocaine first became a thing, it was the preserve of people in Studio 54 because it was pricey, but now, you can buy enough to keep a party of four going all night for less than the cost of two rounds of drinks,” he wrote.
“We keep hearing young people are not drinking alcohol any more. The latest figures suggest more than a third never touch a drop. Well of course they don’t.
“In London, a decent joint of weed costs between three and five pounds. A pint is going to be double that. And why is a pint double that? Because the people who make and sell drugs don’t pay tax and the people who make and sell beer do. Massively.”
Level playing field
The former Top Gear presenter, who runs the Farmer’s Dog in Burford, Oxfordshire, and Hawkstone Brewery, said the current approach to illegal drugs had failed because they were already cheap and accessible.
He argued legalising and taxing illegal substances would reduce criminal profits, generate tax revenue and narrow the price gap with alcohol.
Although he stressed he had long opposed drug legalisation, Clarkson argued that levelling the playing field could help steer young people back into pubs.
“We all worry about our children becoming drug addicts, which is something that’s very likely to happen if drugs are cheaper than booze,” the Diddly Squat farmer continued.
“If the playing field is levelled, then they will be more likely to go to the pub with their mates for a night out.
Absolutely terrifying
“Which is healthy and normal. Certainly, speaking as someone with both a brewery and a pub, this idea appeals to me very much.”
He added the issue had been further highlighted by recent drink and drug-driving offence statistics.
Figures from RAC published earlier this year estimated 72,662 motorists currently hold drug-driving convictions, while 220,638 have drink-driving endorsements on their licences.
However, repeat offending was found to be markedly higher among drug-drivers, with 12,391 motorists caught drug-driving three or more times over the past 11 years, compared with 2,553 repeat drink-drivers.
Clarkson concluded: “I don’t want to belittle either offence but when I’m driving along, it’s a worry if the person going the other way has had two pints. But if he’s had two grams, that’s absolutely terrifying.”
