Met chief says decriminalising cannabis ‘not something we're calling for'
The head of the UK's largest police force has opposed the Mayor of London's call to decriminalise some cannabis possession.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said drug use is a 'big issue' for communities, driving anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime, and that a change in the law on cannabis is 'not something we're calling for'.
His comments follow a report by the independent London Drugs Commission (LDC) which called for the decriminalisation of small amounts of natural cannabis.
The LDC, chaired by Lord Charlie Falconer, found current laws on cannabis are 'disproportionate to the harms it can pose' following a study of how the drug is policed around the world.
Decriminalisation has been backed by Sir Sadiq Khan, who set up the LDC in 2022, with the mayor saying current laws on cannabis possession 'cannot be justified given its relative harm and people's experience of the justice system'.
But Sir Mark, the head of London's police force, suggested during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he would not support the plans.
While he acknowledged that changing the law is a matter for Parliament, he told the BBC: 'At the moment we see drugs being at the centre of a lot of crime, whether it's drug dealing … is so linked to violence, the county lines we close down – over 80% of the people behind those lines have got violent backgrounds.
'We see a lot of communities complaining about public drug use, and that's a big issue in terms of anti-social behaviour.'
He added: 'We're chasing around people who are using drugs in public, which is a concern to communities. We see drug users becoming addicted and that driving acquisitive crime. It's a big part in our current operations.'
The Government has also come out against decriminalisation, with housing, communities and local government minister Matthew Pennycook telling Times Radio on Wednesday morning: 'The mayor is obviously entitled to his view on the matter but the Government position on cannabis classification remains unchanged.
'We have no intention of reclassifying cannabis from a class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and our focus is continuing to work with partners across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use, ensure more people receive timely treatment and support, and make our communities and streets safer.'
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner admitted taking 'all sorts' when asked about her personal consumption of drugs during a visit to a new housing development visit near Didcot, Oxfordshire.
While the LDC report, published on Wednesday, called for a partial decriminalisation of cannabis possession, it stopped short of calling for full legalisation of the drug.
Lord Falconer told the BBC: 'We don't think it would have been right to replace, for example, big tobacco, which is on the way down with big cannabis.
'If you look around the world where both possession and dealing is legalised, what you see is big commercial companies with a motive to try and make more people take cannabis, and those who take cannabis already to take more of it, and that has a detrimental effect.'
Lord Falconer also challenged claims that legalisation would get rid of criminal gangs.
'Everywhere else in the world where it's been legalised, you still have a very strong black market,' he said.
'And the reason you have a strong black market is because the legal market can't meet the needs of everybody.'
Instead, Lord Falconer's committee called for natural – as opposed to synthetic – cannabis to be moved from the Misuse of Drugs Act to the Psychoactive Substances Act, effectively legalising possession of small amounts for personal use while continuing to prohibit importing, manufacturing or distributing the drug.
Lord Falconer said he recognises that the public do not want people 'smoking joints in the street' but said bylaws could be used to stop anti-social behaviour issues.
'I think people would be concerned if legalising cannabis made what they would regard as anti-social behaviour much more common – so they would not want to see people smoking cannabis joints openly in the street.
'They would not like to see dealing openly in the streets, and I think that's a very important consideration that was put to us.
'You can use bylaws to make sure, for example, people can't use cannabis in parks. Dealing will still be criminal, so those aspects will remain subject to control.'
Under current laws, cannabis is a class B drug and those found in possession face a fine or imprisonment.
LDC deputy chairwoman Janet Hills, a former Metropolitan Police detective, said the report is 'a driver for change in our community' and called for 'a more balanced and compassionate approach to policing in our city'.
Sir Sadiq said: 'The London Drugs Commission report makes a compelling, evidenced-based case for the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.
'It says that the current sentencing for those caught in possession of natural cannabis cannot be justified given its relative harm and people's experience of the justice system.
'We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, equitable policing of cannabis use are long overdue.'
A Home Office spokesman said: 'We will continue to work with partners across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use, ensure more people receive timely treatment and support, and make our streets and communities safer.
'The Government has no intention of reclassifying cannabis from a Class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act.'
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Possession of cannabis should not be decriminalised like this. We have seen some US and Canadian cities devastated by soft policies on addictive and harmful drugs – now Sadiq Khan wants to send London the same way.
'Cannabis is illegal for a reason. Cannabis is associated with anti-social behaviour and heavy use can lead to serious psychosis and severed mental health problems.
'I completely oppose these plans. But with a weak Labour Government in power, there's no telling how they will react. We must stop soft Sadiq.'
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