The Pakistani-born Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been a vocal advocate for the decriminalisation of cannabis in British politics and has previously decriminalised it conditionally in a limited number of boroughs in the British capital. He has since set up the independent London Drugs Commission in 2022, recently urging the government to decriminalise soft drugs such as cannabis. The new report it has issued provides the evidence to support this, according to the Mayor of London.
The report concluded that the treatment of cannabis users by the law and legislation relating to it is disproportionate to the harm caused by its use. Regarding this legislation, the Mayor believes that it should be the Psychoactive Substances Act rather than the Misuse of Drugs Act. The report examined policing around the world and concluded that England’s focus on particular ethnic minorities is damaging their relationship with law enforcement.
The report does not support legalisation rather than decriminalisation of cannabis, and its production and distribution rather than mere possession would continue to be an offence, based on the report and the stated beliefs of Mayor Sadiq Khan and the committee’s chairman, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Falconer, who said that “Legalisation is not the answer. The criminal justice response must focus on dealers alone, not users. Those suffering from the side effects of cannabis – who may be a small proportion of users but are a large number of people – need reliable, consistent medical and other support. And much more education is needed about the risks of cannabis use.”
“I have long been clear that we need a new way of thinking about how to reduce the significant harm associated with drug-related crime in our communities,” said Pakistani-born London Mayor Sadiq Khan, adding that “The report makes a compelling, evidence-based case for decriminalising possession of small amounts of natural cannabis, which the government should consider. It says that the current sentence for those caught possessing natural cannabis cannot be justified given the relative harm it causes and people’s experience of the justice system. We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, fair policing of cannabis use are long overdue.”
Responding to the urgings of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, a Home Office spokesman said the government “has no intention of reclassifying cannabis from a Class B substance. We will continue to work with partners across health, policing and wider public services to reduce drug use, ensure more people receive early treatment and support, and make our streets and communities safer.”
The main opposition Conservative Party responded by rejecting the findings, saying “Cannabis is associated with antisocial behaviour and heavy use can lead to severe psychosis and serious mental health problems. Cities in the US and Canada that tried this approach ended up with crime-ridden ghettos with drug addicts on the streets and law-abiding citizens afraid to go there.”
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