Cannabis is currently banned by UK law, although specialist doctors may issue prescriptions. But in the latest news on the illegal substance, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced plans for a pilot plan that will allow young people caught with cannabis in parts of London to avoid being prosecuted.
What are the UK cannabis laws?
The Drug Abuse Act of 1971 includes cannabis as a class B drug, the same category as amphetamines, codeine and ketamine.
Consequently, it is illegal for a person to be in possession, supply – including sale, business or distribution – and production.
Anyone caught in possession of cannabis faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, while those who supply or produce can be punished with a prison sentence of up to 14 years. , an unlimited fine or both.
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It was approved in November 2018 that cannabis could be medically prescribed in the UK by doctors listed on the General Medical Council’s Register of Specialists.
Cannabidiol, also known as CBD oil, is a non-intoxicating cannabis extract that is legal to sell and buy in the UK.
Proponents of CBD oil claim that it can relieve chronic pain and inflammation, depression and insomnia, among other conditions.
Should cannabis be legalized?
Liam O’Dowd, editor of Leafie, told Express.co.uk that support for the legalization of cannabis in the UK “is already widespread”, citing several recent public opinion polls.
A poll conducted by YouGov last April showed that 32 per cent of British adults would oppose the legalization of drugs, compared with 52 per cent who said they would offer their support.
Mr O’Dowd also referred to a number of studies, mainly from the US, which have shown some evidence of the positive impacts of cannabis legalization.
For example, a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggested that young adults consume less alcohol when cannabis is legalized.
The results also indicated a potential link to states where cannabis is a legal drug and a reduction in alcohol-related traffic deaths, although researchers stressed that these results would require further research to fully confirm any relationship.
He also argued that a decision to legalize cannabis would allow police to devote more funds and time to addressing other issues in the UK.
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He said: “The Ministry of the Interior has admitted in its own investigation that it is estimated that £ 1.6 billion is spent a year on drug law enforcement, but that spending has no impact on levels of drug use.
“When the UK reduced Class C cannabis earlier, the Home Office reported that it was able to divert 199,000 police hours for better use.”
As for whether cannabis could be legalized in the UK, Mr O’Dowd said he believes “now is a matter of when, not if”, adding: “From the US to Germany, we’re looking at that governments allow adults to successfully access cannabis.
“It is vital that the UK government address cannabis reform in the light of social and public health issues.
“The UK’s exit from the EU presents an opportunity to create a unique and world-leading framework that benefits the whole country.”
But not everyone agrees that legalizing cannabis is the right step. An Interior Ministry spokesman told Express.co.uk: “The government has no plans to legalize cannabis, which is a harmful drug that can devastate lives and ruin families, in addition to the scientific health risks that entails.
“In December we published a ten-year drug strategy, which presents the government’s response to drugs.
“It will reduce supply and demand, support people through treatment and recovery, and tighten our response to criminal supply chains.
“Legalizing cannabis would not eliminate the crime of illicit trade, nor would it address the harms associated with drug addiction and the misery it can cause families and society.”
The spokesman added that after heroin and crack, cannabis is the most common drug that causes people to seek treatment: about 27,000 people in 2020/21.
The comments come after London Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled plans for a pilot plan that would allow 18- to 24-year-olds trapped with cannabis in parts of London to avoid prosecution.
The pilot would cover three districts of London, probably Lewisham, Bexley and Greenwich, and instead allow anyone caught to be offered courses on the dangers of drug use.
The mayor’s spokesman said Khan “firmly believes that drug use and related crimes are preventable and not inevitable.”
He added: “We know we will never be able to stop our way out of the problem, so we continue to work on programs that provide support and education to young people, rather than just going through criminal justice system. to move them away from drug use and crime. “
