Comedian Russell Brand says "love and compassion" are the key to weaning addicts off drugs.

Brand testified to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday about his own experience of addiction, and said society should not "discard people, write them off on methadone and leave them on the sidelines."

During a 30-minute appearance, Brand said he believed drugs should be legalized.

He said: "I'm not a legal expert. I'm saying that, to a drug addict, the legal aspect is irrelevant. If you need to get drugs, you will. The criminal and legal status, I think, sends the wrong message. Being arrested isn't a lesson, it's just an administrative blip."

Brand wore a black hat, gold chains and crosses and a torn black vest top to the hearing.