The simplest answer is to deduct the expense of housing the inmates prior to making the payments to the cirminals, and the drug abusers that they represent. Then send them all a bill for the remainder of what they cost society.

CT_Yankee, Hartford, Connecticut

"i think people who do not understand the issues surrounding substance misuse should comment on this."

I think they have. Or is there a "don't" missing and you presume to decide who should and who should not comment?

Mark, London, UK

i think people who do not understand the issues surrounding substance misuse should comment on this.
would an asthma sufferer be denied his medication if he went to prison ? i don't think so.

liz, sherborne,

Kate from newcastle I disagree with you. Of course prisoners have human rights. They're still human and if we expect civilised treatment from our fellow humans we better make sure we dish it out the stuff ourselves. The minute we stop seeing our fellows as human nasty things start happening, and not in a good way.

I suspect you don't have much experience with methadone and heroin and nor do I to be honest but I understand it's a bit different from going without eg cigarattes.

karl, oxford,

For pities sake get rid of this pathetic Humans Rights Act and the lousy Government that bought it in without thought.
You go into to prison to be punished, you lose your rights whilst inside. Sanity please.

Roger, Surrey,

Its another sick example of how stupidly soft and pathetic this country is when it comes to law and order and dealing with criminals.

The only thing these criminal scum should be fed with is lashes.

We desperately need to have a tough zero tolerance policy just like the one in Singapore which is one of the most crime free places in the world because of their tough approach.

Vivek, London, UK

This is just the beginning, they are entitled to pornography, smoking, drug subtitutes, tv and money to mention just a few. Pity the poor pensioner that's paid into a system for many years or fought in wars for freedom and now shiver in this amazingly cold global warming we are going through. It smells of Nulabour through and through.

Roger, Surrey,

Who will be paying the bill?

Oh - the innocent taxpayer!! Fantastic!!!!
Has persecution of the innocent become the UK national sport?

David, Melbourne, Australia

Where does all this end then. Will paedophiles demand their underage sex with their children being brought to their cell; will smokers demand the prison officers supply them with their luxury brand of fags instead of them having to roll skinny roll-ups or the cannabis user demand his daily intake of resin or skunk; Will the alcohol deprived inmate demand his booze-up whilst in his cell. Sanity must be restored. The government must have had an indication that the court would have upheld the prisoners right, otherwise they wouldn’t have settled out of court on a figure that they believed would have been less than the court would have awarded. These judges, far removed and remote from reality and sanity interpret the human right act as being a right enjoyed by everyone. But surely prisoners lose their rights the minute they are convicted. The human rights act needs to be re-drafted so that idiot judges cannot put their skewed interpretation on issues that common sense says the opposite to

michael pickles, bournemouth, england

Kate- criminals should have no human rights...like the Right to life? How about legal rights then...Right to a fair trial? No?

Adam, Reading, UK

A lot of them will be in for drug related offences so why should they be given drugs while in there. If they don't want to go cold turkey then they should stay out of jail. Compensating them is total insanity but what's new in this sick joke of a country. Criminals should have no Human Rights.

Kate, Newcastle, England