Prosecutions for cannabis possession continue to fall
The number of individuals being convicted for the possession of the cannabis has fallen by almost a fifth in just two years, Ministry of Justice figures have revealed.
Last year only 15,120 people in England and Wales were prosecuted for possession of the class B drug – a decrease of 19 per cent since 2015. Cautions were issued to 6,524 people last year – a 34 per cent fall over the same period.
Cheshire was the only area to record a rise in prosecutions, albeit a three per cent increase.
The figures were released in response to a parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb, who has called for a “regulated cannabis market”.
Speaking at the House of Commons last month, Mr Lamb said it was “utterly shameful” that people who use cannabis for medicinal purposes are criminalised, as this pushes them into the hands of dealers who have no interest at all in their welfare.
He added: “What on earth is a Home Office Minister doing responding to an urgent question on a health issue? Surely it should be the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care.”
On June 19, Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced a review of the scheduling of cannabis for medicinal use.
However, he insisted that there is no question of the Government legalising cannabis for recreational use, saying penalties for unauthorised supply and possession will remain in place.
Although Mr Lamb welcomed this announcement, he accused the Government of “dreadful hypocrisy” on its drugs policy.
“Probably most of the Cabinet drinks alcohol, the most dangerous drug of all,” he added. “Probably half of the Cabinet has used cannabis – maybe even the Home Secretary – unless it is a very odd group of people, but perhaps that is the case.
“Should not the Home Secretary follow the advice of the former Conservative leader, Lord Hague, who makes the case for a regulated, legalised market, which would be the best way to protect from harm people who, at the moment, buy from criminals who have no interest in their welfare at all?”
At the start of the month, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was against criminalising people for possessing small amounts of cannabis, especially as it causes problems for young people in his community.
And in June, former Conservative Foreign Secretary Lord William Hague called for the UK to prepare a lawful, regulated market in cannabis for recreational use.
The total number of arrests made for drug possession was 108,098 for the year ending June 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics, which is ten per cent less than the previous year.
