London mayor Sadiq Khan has endorsed recommendations from an independent commission to stop criminalising possession of small amounts of natural cannabis for personal use, following what researchers describe as the most comprehensive international study of cannabis policy in recent years.
The London Drugs Commission (LDC), chaired by Lord Charlie Falconer KC, has published 42 recommendations following an examination of evidence from over 200 experts worldwide. The report stops short of calling for full legalisation but proposes that possessing small quantities of natural cannabis for personal use should no longer be a criminal offence.
Under the proposed changes, cannabis would be moved from the Misuse of Drugs Act to the Psychoactive Substances Act, meaning production and supply would remain criminal whilst personal possession would be decriminalised. The recommendation excludes synthetic cannabis.
“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, adding that current sentencing for cannabis possession “cannot be justified given its relative harm and people’s experience of the justice system”.
The commission found that cannabis policing disproportionately affects Black communities through stop-and-search powers, creating “damaging, long-lasting consequences for individuals, wider society, and police-community relations”.
Researchers concluded that classifying cannabis as 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”.
“This is the most extensive consideration of what is the correct public policy response to cannabis in recent times,” Lord Falconer said. “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.”
The report emphasises that cannabis can be addictive and calls for better provision of addiction services. While potential benefits from legalisation, including tax revenues, could be realised quickly, the commission warned that public health harms “take longer to emerge and are not yet well understood”.
The study found that education about cannabis use is inadequate, particularly for young people, and is often delivered by providers “who lack sufficient credibility and insight”.
Deputy Chair Janet Hills MBE, a former Metropolitan Police detective sergeant with 30 years’ experience, said: “It is time for a shift in our approach to cannabis enforcement to create a more equitable and just system.”
The commission examined post-legalisation data from Canada and the United States to inform its recommendations.
Professor Virginia Berridge, deputy chair and professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the report “balances a focus on social and racial injustice with public health concerns and will help to resolve the cannabis conundrum.”
Jason Harwin KPM, a retired deputy chief constable who contributed to the study, highlighted the importance of diversion programmes: “Evidence shows effective diversion not only better understands and addresses an individual’s actions but reduces offending and risk for the future.”
Professor Adam Winstock from UCL noted that whilst the recommendations “challenge the status quo,” they don’t assume alternatives will resolve issues “embedded in far wider socioeconomic issues.”
The report represents the culmination of the most wide-ranging international study of cannabis use in recent history, examining research and evidence from the UK and around the world to inform future drug policy debates.
