Attitudes to how we treat drug addicts in this country is changing, regardless of all those shouty Daily Mail headlines.

Even the saintly Stephen Fry surprised everyone by embarking on a strangely moving rant on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man last Saturday night, advising that we treat addicts as victims rather than criminals in need of correction.

So, put that in your pipe and smoke it, David Cameron!

Drug use might not seem the most Christmassy of telly topics, but it’s important (I think) to remember that, amid the enforced jollity, thousands of people find themselves in misery so acute that that it doesn’t even matter what day it is, because getting through the next few seconds is hard enough.

Exhibit A is the medieval midden of used needles, bottles and filth on a typical Midlands estate that Russell Brand explored in Monday night’s End The Drugs War, at 9pm on BBC Three (now on iPlayer).

Yes, this is the “youth” arm of the Beeb, and you might find yourself in the “hater” camp when it comes to said Mr Brand, but hold your judgement until you’ve seen this show.

Russell, you see (I feel as though I can be on first-name terms with him, as in a recovery meeting), when he’s not being accused of inciting us all into Marxist revolution, is on a mission to question the status quo when it comes to how we treat our most vulnerable.

And, if anyone still thinks drug addicts are some kind of decisive, feral crimewave, they need only have seen the juddering, terror-stricken people who spoke so candidly about their pain on Monday night.

As Samantha, a drug user since the age of 12, sat on a grubby cell floor, dragging her bony fingers across her careworn face, Russell offered touching levels of sympathy.

Kelly, who suddenly speaks about her baby, taken from her in the labour ward last year and put into care, receives a hug and reassuring words from Russell.

Her gratitude at this alien gesture of sympathy was truly heartbreaking.

Having suffered well-documented drug addictions himself Russell Brand is, of course, able to come at this issue armed with high doses of experience. His honesty makes for electrifying viewing. Visiting a drug station in the Swiss capital Bern (where drug users are provided with clean syringes for shooting up), Russell sees a familiar foil wrap of heroin. He sniffs it, lasciviously, a hungry glint in his eye, and admits that, even now as the shiny-haired celebrity before us, he still struggles with his demons.

Recovery, you see, is a lifelong ordeal and relapse can bomb in and spoil it at any time. As Russell explains, that’s enough of a life sentence without adding penal servitude on top.

Britain spends £1b a year treating addicts and £4bn prosecuting drug users. The finale of End The Drugs War was supposed to be Russell confronting David Cameron on drug regulation, under the glare of the camera.

It came as no surprise to anyone (Russell included) that the PM pulled out and instead, somewhat hilariously, sent Nick Clegg in his place.

Russell treated Nick with just the same levels of first-name intimacy as his substance-addled subjects earlier in the show. “No one is more despondent about the political situation than you, Nick!” he exclaimed, with a straight face.

They got on well and it was the warmest and most alive I have ever seen Nick Clegg.

While a Home Office report was issued shortly afterwards, ushering in some urgent questions from the frustrated Lib Dems, Cameron threw water on the drug regulation debate.

But, like a hero from some Dickensian Christmas story, Russell Brand is sure to be back, with others, to take up the issue and force some change, we all hope.

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