Police vs. Politicians
In an era of evolving global drug policy, the UK finds itself in a paradoxical situation, particularly with regard to cannabis.
Police leaders are leading the charge by suggesting harm reduction policies, advocating for more progressive and lenient treatments of drug offenses, especially for first-time offenders.
However, politicians, such as Keir Starmer, continue to cling onto outdated ideas, promoting unbalanced views on the potential harm of cannabis use.
Progressive Policing: A Step Towards the Future
The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing in the UK have proposed revolutionary plans to shift the country’s approach to drug offenses.
Fourteen police forces, including West Midlands, Thames Valley, and Durham, already have similar systems in place, with Avon & Somerset, Bedfordshire, Cleveland, Devon and Cornwall, Dyfed-Powys, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Leicestershire, and North Wales among the other forces adopting a similar approach.
These plans suggest that first-time users of drugs, even those caught with class A and B drugs, should be offered education or treatment instead of immediate prosecution.
The proposal encourages police officers to take no action against individuals caught in possession of illegal substances if they show efforts to prevent reoffending or change behavior by addressing the root cause of the offending.
Political Paradox: Fear Mongering and Bad Science
In stark contrast to these progressive policing efforts, political leaders like Keir Starmer continue to perpetuate the narrative that cannabis use promotes psychosis, a claim that oversimplifies the complex relationship between cannabis and mental health.
Recent studies have shown no direct relationship between cannabis and psychosis.
This fear-based approach to cannabis policy not only ignores the nuanced reality of cannabis use but also hinders the potential for a more informed, rational, and compassionate policy.
The Insanity of UK Cannabis Policy
What we’re seeing in the UK right now is a clear disconnect between progressive police initiatives and the regressive stance of political leaders. This is a strange and unsustainable situation, to say the least.
The government direction of continuing to criminalise young and vulnerable people stands in direct opposition to the police’s more compassionate and effective approach to drug use.
The Home Secretary Suella Braverman even stated that cannabis has essentially been decriminalized, yet rumours of making it a class A substance were quickly shut down by the government.
This inconsistency and lack of clear direction add to the confusion and chaos of the UK’s ridiculous cannabis policy.
The Hypocrisy of Cannabis Export
Adding to the paradox of the UK’s cannabis policy is the little-known fact that the UK is actually the world’s largest exporter of legal cannabis for medical and scientific use. According to a report by Prohibition Partners, the UK exported 320 tonnes of legal cannabis in 2019, accounting for 75% of the global market.
The Netherlands was the second-largest exporter, with 10% of the global market. Canada, Israel, Denmark, Portugal, and Australia were also major exporters of cannabis in 2019.
This is the height of hypocrisy. On one hand, adult cannabis use is heavily restricted, with the government and many politicians peddling fears about the potential harms of cannabis.
On the other hand, the UK profits immensely from the global cannabis trade, providing cannabis products for medical and scientific purposes to other countries where regulations are more progressive.
It’s a striking illustration of the UK’s contradictory and convoluted stance on cannabis.
The country is willing to benefit from the global demand for legal cannabis, yet continues to deny its own citizens access to the same substance, instead promoting scare tactics and outdated science about its use.
This is a clear example of a policy disconnect that desperately needs to be addressed.
When Will This Utter Idiocy End?
The question on everyone’s lips is, when will this end? When will the UK align its political stance with its policing policies, and take a more progressive, evidence-based approach to cannabis? It’s hard to say.
One thing is clear: the current situation, with its conflicting messages and policies, is doing nobody any favours and the people of the UK deserve better.
Let’s hope the clear lack of political leadership in this important area changes fast.
In the meantime, let’s keep the conversation going. We must keep pushing for a more informed, compassionate, and rational approach to cannabis policy in the UK. It’s beyond overdue.
