ILLEGAL drugs can be picked up by youngsters easier than alcohol in Brighton, an MP has claimed.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, told the House of Commons she had spoken to young people in her constituency who found no difficulty in getting hold of substances than alcohol underage.

The comments were made during a parliamentary debate secured by Ms Lucas, after a petition she launched calling for drug law review was signed by 135,000 people.

For the first time in 40 years the effectiveness of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was called into question and ministers suggested the war on drugs had failed – with tough sanctions for users having no effect on usage.

A motion, supported by the majority of the house, asked the Government for an independent review of policies based on the latest evidence.

Ms Lucas said drugs brought “untold” misery on communities and said: “Users should be treated for addictions rather than being jailed.

“The success of drugs policies are often measured by the number of arrests and seizures but not the harm of taking drugs.”

The debate came as the Home Office published a report comparing drug usage in countries with harsh sanctions for users and those, such as Portugal, which decriminalised possession in 2001.

The report said there was "considerable" improvement in the health of drug users in the country since the change in the law.

Norman Baker, minister for crime prevention, said drugs policy should not exist to “sound tough.”

The Lewes MP, who previously said cannabis to be legalised for medicinal use, said: “The genie is out of the bottle and it’s not going back in. It’s time for a radical change. “We should spend more time and effort cracking down on the criminal gangs who traffic drugs rather than addicts.”

Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South, said: “We have an opportunity now to make change and we squander that opportunity at our peril.”

While Diana Johnson, shadow home office minister, welcomed the report but said she did not agree with the suggestion the war on drugs had failing – claiming the UK was world leader in drug medical treatment.

Rob Davidson, chairman of Brighton Cannabis Club which wants the drug legalised, said: “We hope the debate will turn into reform but are sceptical due to the low turnout of MPs.”