On October 3rd in the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, police commissioners called for cannabis to be reclassified and tougher penalties imposed on those who possess and sell it, reported local media.
The commissioners argued that the current classification was not appropriate given new data suggesting cannabis was more harmful than previously thought. Because of this, they want to reclassify cannabis as a Class A drug and increase penalties for those who possess and sell cannabis.
Up to 14 years can be imposed if users are caught in possession of class B drugs such as cannabis, speed and ketamine. Meanwhile, those caught with a Class A drug like heroin, cocaine and ecstasy can be jailed for life.
“If you look at young people in treatment, cannabis is the number one drug they’re being treated for,” he said David Sidwick, Police and Crime Inspector for Dorset. “There’s so much drug-related crime out there that if we deal with it and get that clarity, it makes it clearer for our police force to be able to do what they need to do.”
A spokesman for home office said: “There are currently no plans to reclassify cannabis, which is controlled in the UK as a Class B drug on the basis of clear medical and scientific evidence of its harmfulness.” reported the BBC.
Peter Reynoldsthe President of CLEAR, an anti-cannabis organization, called the proposal “completely insane.” He said the commissioners would “promote ideas that increase crime, violence and child exploitation.
“The idea of doing more of what has obviously failed dramatically over the past 50 years is ridiculous. ‘ said Reynolds.
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