Is this the answer to the UK’s financial worries?

As well as providing a taxable industry, the police force would be positively impacted from the move. They may benefit from more funding, and they would also see an increase in their most valuable resource: time. Yes, there will still be black market trade, but this would likely decrease, as people who are currently criminals will see their skills in demand with legal companies, maybe as a grower or a seller in a legalised setting.

Some people claim that, if we legalise cannabis, we will be encouraging more people to take it. I’m not sure this would be the case. For instance, I can legally go to a shop and buy a cigarette, which has zero health benefits, yet I’ve never done it. This is because we’re more educated now and understand that smoking isn’t a healthy hobby to take up. Why would this be different for cannabis? We can simply explain to people the benefits of the drug but also detail its negative health effects. Ultimately, people can make their own decisions. After all, the legality of a substance doesn’t make it good for us—sugar is in most of the things we eat, yet ‘the effects of sugar addiction, withdrawal and relapse are similar to those of drugs of abuse’.

There are also claims that legalisation will help those in marginalised communities, especially ethnic minorities. This seems to be the opinion of the Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti, who says legalisation offered ‘historically marginalised communities opportunities for healing, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation’. Police in the UK are encouraged to issue warnings to first time offenders in possession of cannabis, as long as it’s for their personal use; however, there are claims that ethnic minorities are more likely to be prosecuted. Legalisation would see the end of this type of racism.

Currently, neither the Conservative Party nor the Labour Party are in support of decriminalisation. Boris Johnson claimed illegal drugs ‘destroy lives and fuel violence’ whilst Labour leader, Sir Kier Starmer, said, ‘I’m not in favour of us changing the law or decriminalisation. I’m very clear about that’. He did say, however, that he would look at the London Mayor’s report when it’s published.

Change is not just important, it’s a necessity. The war against drugs should be targeted on those who only cause damage, not something with possible health benefits that’s on a par with alcohol and tobacco. Our economy is failing right in front of us, and this could be something that could help us turn it around.