Latest news with #LondonDrugsCommission
Spectator
a day ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Should cannabis be decriminalised?
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has called for possession of small amounts of cannabis to be decriminalised following a report by the London Drugs Commission. The report has made 42 recommendations, which include removing natural cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act. Former cabinet minister, now Labour peer, Charlie Falconer and Tory MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst join Lucy Dunn to discuss whether now is the time to decriminalise cannabis. For Lord Falconer, who chaired the Commission, the present law doesn't work and he explains the principles behind the review; Neil, however, believes that the proposals send the wrong message that cannabis is harmless. He argues that a balance needs to be found between robust enforcement and compassion for families and friends also affected by the behaviour of drug users. They both agree on the diagnosis, but how do you combat the issue? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Put cannabis on par with crack, says policing chief in rebuke for Khan
Cannabis should be upgraded to a class A drug because of the harm it can cause, a policing chief has said. As Sir Sadiq Khan calls for possession of the drug to be decriminalised, David Sidwick, Dorset's police and crime commissioner, has urged that cannabis, currently a Class B drug, should be put on a par with crack cocaine and heroin. Such a move would see the maximum penalties for possession increase from five to seven years in jail, while the maximum penalty for supplying cannabis would rise from 14 years in prison to life. Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, also opposed Sir Sadiq's call for cannabis to be decriminalised. He pointed out that drugs were 'at the centre of a lot of crime' and said drug use was one of the main drivers of antisocial behaviour. Sir Sadiq, the Mayor of London, has proposed that the possession of small amounts of natural cannabis should no longer be a criminal offence. Dealing in or producing the drug would remain illegal. Mr Sidwick sets out his demand in a foreword to a new book by Albert Reece and Gary Hulse, two Australian professors of medicine and psychiatry, who have linked cannabis to mental ill-health, autism and cancer. He said there was growing evidence linking psychosis, cancer and birth defects to cannabis use, particularly with the development of more potent strains. Mr Sidwick warned it was also a 'gateway' drug used by crime gangs to lure in users. They then entice them on to addictive class A drugs such as crack that not only provide more profit per unit but also give the gangs greater power to leverage them into criminal activity. 'Cannabis needs to be taken seriously on a national scale because of the danger it presents, and there needs to be money put into prevention and education to ensure people are aware of these dangers,' he said. 'Currently, Class A drugs take precedence when it comes to enforcement and treatment, but it is my view that there is no point focusing on the destination of addiction if we don't stop people getting on the first two or three carriages of the train in the first place. 'Only through reclassifying cannabis will it be treated with the severity it deserves.' The London Drugs Commission, set up by Sir Sadiq, ruled out full legalisation of cannabis in its report because it said any benefits from tax revenues and reduced police workload were outweighed by the potential longer-term health impacts on users. Instead, it proposed that natural cannabis would be removed from the Misuse of Drugs Act and brought under the Psychoactive Substances Act. This would mean possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use would no longer be a criminal offence, but importing, manufacturing and distributing the drug would remain a criminal act. The Home Office has ruled out any reclassification of cannabis. Mr Sidwick's proposals have been backed by Janie Hamilton, a Dorset mother who has campaigned for upgrading cannabis to class A. Her son James died when he was 36 after refusing treatment for testicular cancer. It followed years of battling mental illness, which his family believes was triggered by his addiction to cannabis, which he started using at 14. Ms Hamilton said: 'My beloved son James was a fun-loving, mischievous, clever, tender-hearted boy who wanted to fit in with his peers and be part of the 'in' crowd. This was to be his undoing. 'At the age of 14, unbeknown to us, living at a boarding school where his father taught, he started smoking cannabis. He became arrogant, rude, secretive, rebellious and unpredictable. I remember thinking how I loved him, but that I didn't like him. 'He dropped out of university after one term and took job after job, worrying us with his bizarre behaviour. He shaved his hair, his eyebrows, cut his eyelashes and became aggressive. He would stay in his room all day and come out at midnight to shower and cook. 'One day, he came home from his job on a building site, turning in circles in the garden and all that night. He told me he had spent all his wages on cannabis. I called the doctor the next day and James was sectioned within an hour, diagnosed with schizophrenia.' She said there had been a 16-year cycle of medical treatment, relapses and trouble with the police before her son died. 'Cannabis is everyone's problem. It destroys lives and families. Let no one say that cannabis is harmless – cracking down on this destructive drug is one of the greatest and most urgent needs facing us all,' she said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
London Mayor Backs Cannabis Decriminalization As New Report Calls For Reform
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is backing a new report that calls for cannabis decriminalization, renewing his vocal support to end the persecution of individuals possessing small amounts of cannabis. The London Drugs Commission today published a 320-page report on the implications of recreational cannabis use in London and the impact of current laws, presenting a detailed analysis of written and oral evidence from over 200 experts and academics. The report concludes that while cannabis can cause harm, the criminalization of possession is disproportionate and ineffective because current laws fail to prevent use and disproportionately impact Black and ethnic minority Londoners through racially skewed police practices like stop and search. At the same time, the report is cautious about full legalization, which is considered premature and potentially risky from a public health perspective. The findings of this report prompted Khan to renew his support for cannabis decriminalization for small quantities of the drug. In a statement published on X, he said, 'We need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities,' endorsing the decriminalization of cannabis for small quantities and announcing that they will study the report's findings and share them with relevant parties, such as the government, local authorities, and the National Health Service (NHS). Khan, a member of the Labour Party, is no new to the idea of cannabis decriminalization for personal use. In 2022, he wanted to develop a program offering an alternative to arrest for those caught with small amounts of cannabis, providing classes and counseling to people aged 25 and under. This initiative received criticism, as some argued it would allow low-level cannabis users to avoid prosecution. A year earlier, when Khan announced his intention to launch a review on the benefits of decriminalizing cannabis in London, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022, condemned his plans. Despite occasional public spats, the political debate on cannabis in the United Kingdom has not gained significant traction in political terms, as both the Labour and Conservative parties seem aligned in their support for cannabis prohibition. In the UK, cannabis is classified as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which means its recreational use is illegal. Cannabis possession can result in fines or even imprisonment. But when it comes to small amounts of cannabis, the law allows for diversion programs. These initiatives aim to steer people caught with small quantities away from the traditional criminal justice system. Basically, instead of prosecution, people may be offered alternatives like educational courses or health-focused support, treating drug use more as a public health matter than a crime. Medical cannabis, instead, tells a different story. Legalized in 2018, it can be prescribed by specialist doctors for specific conditions such as severe epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Still, access is limited, and many patients struggle to obtain prescriptions through the NHS. Though the report recommends cannabis reform through decriminalization, such changes are unlikely to materialize without political will. For now, both Labour and the Conservatives appear to be on the same page, showing little inclination to shift their stance. When Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, was elected Prime Minister in 2024, he clarified that he had no intention of changing the UK's drug policy. Conservative governments that preceded him had taken an even stricter position on cannabis, often pursuing a more zero-tolerance approach. Meanwhile, the British public remains divided on the issue of potential cannabis legalization. A YouGov poll published in January this year, which surveyed 2,533 adults across Great Britain, found that 45% either strongly support or tend to support legalizing cannabis, while 42% either strongly oppose or tend to oppose the reform.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
London Mayor Calls For Decriminalizing Cannabis Possession
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for the decriminalization of personal possession of natural ... More cannabis. London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Wednesday backed the decriminalization of cannabis possession, saying that the current rules governing the drug 'cannot be justified.' Khan made his comments following the release of a report from the independent London Drugs Commission that found that the criminalization of cannabis possession and associated policing do more harm than good. In particular, the commission determined that police stop-and-search policies disproportionately harm members of Black communities. 'I've long been clear that we need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities,' Khan said on Wednesday, according to a report from The Guardian. He added that the commission's report found 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.' Khan argued that the report 'makes a compelling, evidenced-based case for the decriminalization of possession of small quantities of natural cannabis,' according to a report from Marijuana Moment. The commission, led by the former Labour justice secretary Lord Falconer KC, collaborated with researchers at University College London, collecting evidence from more than 200 policy experts and academics from around the world. The commission found that classifying cannabis a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act is 'disproportionate to the harms it can pose relative to other drugs controlled by the act.' 'The sentencing options currently available, especially for personal possession, cannot be justified when balanced against the longer-term impacts of experience of the justice system, including stop and search, or of serving a criminal sentence can have on a person,' the researchers wrote in the report. The report, titled 'The Cannabis Conundrum: A Way Forward For London,' noted that cannabis enforcement focuses on ethnic communities, the Black community in particular, 'creating damaging, long-lasting consequences for individuals, wider society, and police-community relations.' Lord Falconer told Radio Four that 'continuing to have possession as a crime meant continuing have problems between the police and ethnic communities,' according to a report from the BBC. 'Stop and search in London for example is most commonly based on 'the smell of cannabis' and it is disproportionately used against young black men,' he said. 'The law treats cannabis the same as a whole range of much more serious drugs,' he added. 'The right course now, we think, is keep dealing criminal but make sure that possession is not a crime.' Cannabis is currently classified as a Class B drug in the United Kingdom. The commission emphasized that it was not advocating for the complete legalization of cannabis. While finding potential benefits of legalization, including a possible increase in tax revenue, the report stressed that the 'extent of harms, particularly with respect to public health, as well as personal and societal costs, take longer to emerge and are not yet well understood.' The researchers said that cannabis policy should be redirected to focus on the harms associated with the drug for a minority of users. 'Those who suffer from the adverse effects of cannabis, which may be a small percentage of users but is a high number of people, need reliable, consistent medical and other support,' the report reads. Despite the London Drugs Commission report's findings and Khan's call for decriminalization, a change in U.K. cannabis policy is unlikely in the short term. A spokesperson from the Home Office said that the government has no plans to change the legal status of cannabis. '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 spokesperson said. 'We have no intention of reclassifying cannabis from a Class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act.' Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the report's recommendations were 'not the government position and we are not going to be changing our policy.'
Metro
4 days ago
- Politics
- Metro
Could cannabis be decriminalised in the UK?
The cannabis debate has resumed in full force after the Mayor of London renewed his call for decriminalisation. The controversial topic has made headlines again after Sadiq Khan backed calls for possession of small amounts of natural cannabis to be decriminalised after a new report made a 'compelling' case for it. Campaigners fear that countless lives could be ruined for a minor possession for personal use if the law is not changed, which they say disproportionately targets marginalised communities. The London Drugs Commission study, led by Lord Falconer and backed by more than 200 experts and academics, urged the government to change how cannabis possession is policed. Lord Falconer, the chair of the report, said: 'This is the most extensive consideration of what is the correct public policy response to cannabis in recent times. 'It is clear that a fundamental reset is required. Legalisation is not the answer. The criminal justice system response needs to focus only on the dealers and not the users. 'Those who suffer from the adverse effects of cannabis – which may be a small percentage of users but it is a high number of people – need reliable, consistent medical and other support.' But, is there a change on the way, and is cannabis use in the UK already decriminalised anyway? Cannabis has never been officially decriminalised, but there is already a 'de facto decriminalisation' in some areas, Steve Rolles, a senior policy analyst with Transform Drug Policy Foundation told Metro. Currently, cannabis is a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, meaning possession can lead to a fine, imprisonment and a criminal record. Decriminalised – Decriminalisation of a drug like cannabis, or some aspects of use or possession, is about removing criminal sanctions for the offence, and there would be no criminal record – Decriminalisation of a drug like cannabis, or some aspects of use or possession, is about removing criminal sanctions for the offence, and there would be no criminal record Legalisation – This would allow a regulated and taxed cannabis market to exist in some form. In a legalised system, which exists in many US states, cannabis could be sold through commercial pharmacies or shops, or, like in Malta and Germany, through cooperative-owned associations The report is proposing that cannabis be regulated under the Psychoactive Substances Act instead, which would mean there would no longer be a criminal punishment like a fine or caution that leavers a criminal record, potentially forever. Steve said: 'A lot of people have their lives blighted by criminal records. It can impact your work, your ability to travel, to get housing and finance, and affect relationships, and it can be very stigmatising. 'Criminal record from cannabis use is affecting marginalised communities, in particular young black men. And those records can blight their lives forever. 'If you can't get a job or housing, you are more likely to get into crime. And those are the things we are trying to stop. 'And it is a huge drain on police resources, and every time police focuses on that, it is away from something else.' A full-scale decriminalisation could reduce stop and searches for cannabis which 'many do not consider worse than a pint,' he said. Users would be diverted to other services away from the criminal justice system, which is already under pressure. Steve said: 'We already have these schemes in a number of police forces, but not all of them. They are called diversion schemes, and it happens in some London boroughs too.' He said the diversion approach is 'decriminalisation in practice.' The Met Police – the UK's biggest force – has not warmed up to the thought of decriminalising even small-scale possession. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that while drug use is a 'big issue' for communities, a change in the law is 'not something we're calling for.' Steve accused the Met Police being 'behind the curve,' saying that the College of Policing has 'advocated for diversion as a best practice.' He said that decriminalising possession is 'not the same as legalising anti-social behaviour in public or proposing to legalise anti-social behaviour while driving.' 'Legalising does not mean legalising everything, like giving cannabis to children or flying a plane when out of your mind. No one is talking about that,' he said. People can access medical cannabis legally when it is prescribed by a specialist doctor. This became possible in 2018. The expert said that diversion is 'kind of the same' as decriminalisation, which many police forces do in practice. 'There are 14-15 forces, including the whole of Scotland, where possession is treated as a diversion, where you will not get arrested and a criminal record for small-scale possession of any drug,' he said. 'Durham was one of the first to do it, and Bristol, where we are based, is very good for diversion.' Germany partially decriminalised small amounts of cannabis possession from July 2024. Brazil has also decriminalised personal use of cannabis, the largest country to do so. Malta went a step further when it became the first European country to legalise the cultivation and possession for personal use, followed by Luxembourg. Canada allowed the recreational cultivation, possession, acquisition and consumption of cannabis in 2018, the second country after Uruguay to do so. In the US, Recreational cannabis use is allowed in 24 out of 50 states, while medical use is allowed in 39 states. At a federal state, possession and distribution is technically illegal, but the law is generally not enforced, and there are plans for a review in the pipeline. It appears that the government has no intention to change to law anytime soon. A Home Office spokesperson 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.' And Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is unlikely to push for this to change either. He told Politico in 2023, when he was still in opposition, that his party has 'no intention' to change drug laws, and their approach is 'settled.' More Trending Steve told Metro the government is dragging its feet on drug reform, saying it is likely to change eventually. 'We are on the cusp of change. 'Either public opinion continues to tilt towards reform, or it will be economic priorities. 'We would generate about 1 billion in revenue and save about half a billion in the criminal justice system. We are hosing a lot of money into a failing policy, and those realities could come back to bite the government.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Urgent warning after two die in London taking 'blue pills' MORE: British couple arrested in Spain after '33kg of cannabis found in suitcases' MORE: Man jailed for killing girl, 3, after taking '20 lines' of cocaine
