For some years public attention has been focused on the question of drug-related offending and this has resulted in a considerable volume of new legislation and a number of proposed measures which may soon become law. Several procedural changes are suggested in this article, specifically relating search warrants, seven-day detention, delays in the pre-trial period, the burden of proof in the criminal trial and sentencing. It is noted in this article that without changes the rights of those accused of crime will fall by the wayside and that neither the interests of efficiency nor justice are being served by a reactionary approach to the drugs problem.