Sadiq Khan calls for some cannabis possession to be decriminalised

28 May 2025, 00:01 | Updated: 28 May 2025, 16:07

Sir Sadiq Khan has backed calls for the possession of small quantities of natural cannabis to be decriminalised, saying current rules “cannot be justified”.

The Mayor of London said a report by the independent London Drugs Commission (LDC) published on Wednesday had provided “a compelling, evidence-based case” for decriminalisation and urged the Government to consider the move.

Set up by Sir Sadiq in 2022 and chaired by former lord chancellor Lord Charlie Falconer, the LDC found the current laws on cannabis were “disproportionate to the harms it can pose” following a study of how the drug is policed around the world.

It also found cannabis policing “continues to focus on particular ethnic communities”, damaging relations between the police and those communities.

The commission stopped short of calling for full decriminalisation, saying the long-term harms to public health were “not yet well understood”.

Instead, Lord Falconer’s committee called for “natural” – as opposed to “synthetic” – cannabis to be moved from the Misuse of Drugs Act to the Psychoactive Substances Act, effectively legalising possession of small amounts for personal use while continuing to prohibit importing, manufacturing or distributing the drug.

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They also called for improved addiction services and greater education for young people on the dangers of cannabis.

Lord Falconer said: “Legalisation is not the answer. The criminal justice system response needs to focus only on the dealers and not the users.

“Those who suffer from the adverse effects of cannabis – which may be a small percentage of users but it is a high number of people – need reliable, consistent medical and other support. And there needs to be much more education on the risks of cannabis use.”

Is cannabis legal in the UK?

Under current laws, cannabis is a class B drug.

In 2004 it was downgraded to a class C but it was then restored to class B five years later. The current maximum penalty for cannabis possession is five years imprisonment or an unlimited fine. More often, police will give a user a warning if they are found to have a small amount but this does not show up on a record.

In 2018 it was legalised for medical use in the UK.

Cannabis is legal for recreational use in Canada, Malta, Germany and Luxembourg as well as Georgia, Mexico and South Africa.

LDC deputy chairwoman Janet Hills, a former Metropolitan Police detective, said the report was “a driver for change in our community” and called for “a more balanced and compassionate approach to policing in our city”.

Responding to the report, Sir Sadiq said: “I’ve long been clear that we need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities.

“The London Drugs Commission 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 spokesperson 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.”

What is skunk?

Skunk is a particularly strong strain of cannabis that is the most dominant strain in the UK.

Originally what was known as 'Skunk 1' was considered one of the oldest and most popular variety of the drug. But the name has broadened, especially in the UK, to take in potent but low quality types.

As Vice reports, "[It is a] product driving a £1 billion a year industry, inspiring numerous tabloid scare-stories and triggering police seizures of around 366,000 cannabis plants per year".

The strain has been linked to a large number of psychosis cases in the country and is sometimes referred to as a cache-all term for cannabis but is in fact only one type, which is characterised by a high amount of THC.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp 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.

“US and Canadian cities which tried this approach have ended up as crime-ridden ghettos with stupefied addicts on the streets and law-abiding citizens frightened to go there.

“Sadiq Khan is more interested in politically correct posturing for the benefit of his left-wing friends than he is making London a safe and nice place.“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.”

Who is Sadiq Khan?

• Title: Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London. Elected three times: 2016, 2021, 2024
• Born: Tooting, London
• Age: 54 (Born October 8, 1970)
• Party: Labour
• Family: Married to Saadiya Ahmed since 1994 and the pair have two children