London Mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly supported a report recommending the decriminalisation of cannabis possession for personal use. The report, produced by the London Drugs Commission and chaired by former Labour cabinet minister Lord Falconer, proposes 42 reforms, including removing natural cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act. Lord Falconer argued that the current law is disproportionate and contributes to strained relations between police and ethnic communities, particularly young Black men.
Mayor Khan described the existing cannabis regulations as unjustifiable and praised the commission’s findings as a compelling, evidence-based case for reform. He highlighted that the law treats cannabis the same as more serious drugs, despite its widespread use and medicinal benefits.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner dismissed the report’s recommendations, stating that they do not align with the government’s position and that no policy changes are forthcoming. Critics like David Raynes from the National Prevention of Drugs Alliance expressed concern that decriminalisation could send the wrong message about cannabis’s potential harms.
The commission’s recommendations also address areas such as education, healthcare, and policing, proposing that police cease using the “smell of cannabis” as a basis for stop-and-search operations. While the government has rejected the proposed changes, the debate continues to evolve, with ongoing discussions about the balance between public health, criminal justice, and personal freedoms.
