The possibility of legalizing marijuana in the United Kingdom is being considered.
Politicians from all parties in the United Kingdom are running in favor of legalizing marijuana.
The first fact to consider is that 2.2 million people aged between 16 and 59 consume cannabis each year in the United Kingdom, according to a study conducted by the Liberal Democrats.
A study by the neoliberal think tank Adam Smith Institute argues that “the government must recognize that legalizing cannabis is the only real solution to address the country’s problems of crime and addiction. It must modernize and legalize.” Meanwhile, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats believes that “British politicians must open their eyes to what is happening in the rest of the world. Marijuana prohibition is being swept away by public opinion, which advocates for responsible legal regulation.”.
The study aims to ensure that marijuana meets minimum quality standards, remove criminal organizations from education, and secure additional revenue for the Treasury and the protection of public health. It also argues that current laws are ineffective and that the UK's strategy on this issue has failed.
It also explains that this could generate up to £6 billion annually, of which £1 billion could go to the state coffers. This revenue would also reduce court costs, as there are approximately 1,400 people imprisoned in England and Wales for marijuana-related offenses.
The report contains a statement from the World Health Organization that the ban has led to discriminatory policies and propagated human rights violations, while denying access to people who needed it for health reasons.
Former Secretary of State Jacqui Smith is in favor of regulation and declares that "we must overcome the prejudice and all the negativity surrounding it and create a new drug strategy that actually works in the UK.".
Canada is the first G7 country to legalize cannabis for recreational use, and more and more states in the US are following suit. The UK must reassess its own policies to ensure that this expanding market is legitimate and regulated, not controlled by mafia organizations,” explains Sam Bowman, executive director of the Adam Smith Institute.
Fountain: The World