The demoralising effect of letting criminal behaviour go unpunished
SIR – The Mayor of London proposes the decriminalisation of cannabis possession (report, May 28). Why not? Shoplifting, burglary and car crime are already effectively decriminalised, or punished with paltry sentences that are later reduced even further.
It's tough luck for those of us who are law-abiding and want justice.
Ian Forster
Wrenthorpe, West Yorkshire
SIR – Some years ago, my wife and I visited Vancouver as part of our honeymoon.
We found a beautiful city beset by the all-pervasive stench of cannabis, its streets littered with drug paraphernalia. Around every corner, wide-eyed addicts staggered aimlessly or lay comatose in shop doorways. Is this what Sir Sadiq Khan wants?
Stuart Smith
Houghton, Norfolk
SIR – The Mayor of London has called for cannabis possession to be decriminalised. Obviously, he has never lived with anyone who is addicted to this drug.
Moreover, even though enforcement by police has been virtually abandoned, it is widely acknowledged that modern derivatives are far more potent, causing long-lasting psychological damage.
Cannabis encourages users to experiment with even stronger and more dangerous drugs, and often leads to criminal behaviour – such as theft – to support addiction.
David Woolley
Malton, North Yorkshire
SIR – I agree with the Mayor of London that the possession of natural cannabis should be decriminalised. Such a move is long overdue.
Too often, cannabis prohibition serves as a flimsy pretext for stop-and-search, disproportionately targeting minority communities, and as an excuse for invasive policing. It does little to curb use, while fuelling distrust and criminalising the young. The police, meanwhile, frequently argue for increased funding.
A far more efficient solution would be to ease their burden by reducing unnecessary criminalisation. Legalising and regulating cannabis – and taxing it heavily – would not only raise revenue and undercut organised crime, but also free police resources to tackle serious crime.
It is time for a pragmatic, proportionate and principled approach to drug policy.
K Harvey Proctor
Conservative MP, 1979-1987
Grantham, Lincolnshire
SIR – If Sir Sadiq Khan is inclined to do something useful for a change, he might get rid of the cycle rickshaws that blight the capital. London would be a much better place if it were free of their unscrupulous drivers and the loud music they blare out.
Andrew Robinson
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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