Today, Sir Sadiq Khan faced criticism from the head of the Metropolitan Police and a Government minister for his proposal to decriminalize some cannabis possession.
The London mayor backed a new report by the independent London Drugs Commission (LDC), which he set up in 2022.
He said it provided ‘a compelling, evidence-based case’ for decriminalisation and urged the Government to consider the move.
The LDC conducted a study on global cannabis policing and concluded that the existing laws are deemed excessive considering the potential risks associated with the drug.
It stopped short of calling for full decriminalisation, saying the long-term harms to public health were ‘not yet well understood’.
Instead of advocating for complete decriminalization, the LDC recommended reclassifying ‘natural’ cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act to the Psychoactive Substances Act, differentiating it from ‘synthetic’ cannabis.
This would effectively legalise possession of small amounts for personal use while continuing to prohibit importing, manufacturing or distributing the drug.
But Labour minister Matthew Pennycook said the Government’s stance ‘remains unchanged’, with Scotland Yard also opposing the London mayor’s call.
Sir Sadiq Khan was slapped down by the head of the Metropolitan Police and a Government minister over his call to decriminalise some cannabis possession
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said drug use is a ‘big issue’ for communities, driving anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime
The London mayor pictured walking through legally-cultivated cannabis plants in Los Angeles during a visit to California in 2022
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said drug use is a ‘big issue’ for communities, driving anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime.
He added that a change in the law on cannabis is ‘not something we’re calling for’.
Sir Mark told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘At the moment we see drugs being at the centre of a lot of crime.
‘Drug dealing is so linked to violence, the county lines we close down – over 80 per cent of the people behind those lines have got violent backgrounds.
‘We see a lot of communities complaining about public drug use, and that’s a big issue in terms of anti-social behaviour.’
Asked if the job of police officers would be easier if they weren’t chasing those in possession of small amounts of cannabis, he added: ‘The law is a matter for Parliament.
‘We’re chasing around people who are using drugs in public, which is a concern to communities.
‘We see drug users becoming addicted and that driving acquisitive crime. It’s a big part in our current operations.
‘If the law changes, we’ll change around it. But it’s not something we’re calling for.’
Mr Pennycook, a housing, communities and local government minister, also dismissed Sir Sadiq’s call.
He told Times Radio: ‘The mayor is obviously entitled to his view on the matter but the Government position on cannabis classification remains unchanged.
‘We have no intention of reclassifying cannabis from a Class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
‘Our focus is continuing 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 communities and streets safer.’
The LDC is chaired by Labour peer Charlie Falconer, a former justice secretary, who said he recognised the public do not want people ‘smoking joints in the street’.
But he argued that bylaws could be used to stop anti-social behaviour issues.
‘I think people would be concerned if legalising cannabis made what they would regard as anti-social behaviour much more common – so they would not want to see people smoking cannabis joints openly in the street,’ Lord Falconer told the BBC.
‘They would not like to see dealing openly in the streets, and I think that’s a very important consideration that was put to us.
‘You can use bylaws to make sure, for example, people can’t use cannabis in parks. Dealing will still be criminal, so those aspects will remain subject to control.’
Under current laws, cannabis is a class B drug and those found in possession face a fine or imprisonment.
Sir Sadiq said: ‘The LDC report makes a compelling, evidenced-based case for the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.
‘It says that 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.
‘We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, equitable policing of cannabis use are long overdue.’
A Home Office spokesman 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.’
Senior Tory MP Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: ‘Possession of cannabis should not be decriminalised like this.
‘We have seen some US and Canadian cities devastated by soft policies on addictive and harmful drugs – now Sadiq Khan wants to send London the same way.
‘Cannabis is illegal for a reason. Cannabis is associated with anti-social behaviour and heavy use can lead to serious psychosis and severed mental health problems.
‘I completely oppose these plans. But with a weak Labour Government in power, there’s no telling how they will react. We must stop soft Sadiq.’
