The possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use should be decriminalised, a report backed by the London mayor has concluded.
The report by the London Drugs Commission, chaired by former Labour cabinet minister Lord Falconer, makes 42 recommendations, including removing natural cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
Lord Falconer told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme that “continuing to have possession as a crime meant continuing have problems between the police and ethnic communities”.
He said: “Stop and search in London for example is most commonly based on ‘the smell of cannabis’ and it is disproportionately used against young black men.”
Lord Falconer said the current law “doesn’t work, is disproportionate” and is also used to relieve genuinely symptoms of certain illnesses.
He added: “The law treats cannabis the same as a whole range of much more serious drugs. The right course now, we think, is keep dealing criminal but make sure that possession is not a crime.”
Sir Sadiq Khan said current rules “cannot be justified”, adding that the commission’s findings had provided “a compelling, evidence-based case” for decriminalisation.