Commenting on Sadiq Khan’s call for decriminalisation of cannabis, Ed Davies, Director of Research at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), said:
“We spent a year analysing countries that have decriminalised or legalised cannabis. The lessons were absolutely clear: any liberalisation risks an increase in mental health problems, addiction, and drug-related harms and death.
“Around a quarter of 18-34 year olds told us they would try it. We spent a day with the New York police and saw that the legalisation of cannabis had effectively decriminalised all drugs and was taking a serious toll on the city.
“Far from eliminating the market it had simply created a two-tier legal and illegal market.
“There must be no doubt. Any liberalisation in drug laws will have terrible consequences for London.”
