Decriminalise cannabis? It should be on par with cocaine and heroin, critics declare

Police chiefs are demanding cannabis is put on par with heroin and crack cocaine as it is a "funding source for organised crime groups".

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan faced a backlash after calling for cannabis possession to be decriminalised.

The Labour Mayor of London said a new report by the independent London Drugs Commission had provided "a compelling, evidence-based case" and urged the Government to consider the move.

But Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: "I fully support calls for a tougher stance on cannabis - including the reclassification of it to a Class A drug. In Wiltshire, we see firsthand how cannabis cultivation and use are not isolated issues but are deeply intertwined with a spectrum of criminal activities.

"From anti-social behaviour and retail theft to more serious offences like modern slavery and human trafficking, cannabis often serves as a gateway drug and funding source for organised crime groups.

"The idea that cannabis is a harmless drug is a misconception. Its cultivation and distribution are often controlled by organised crime networks that exploit vulnerable individuals and perpetuate violence.

"County lines operations are the clearest example of how drug-related crime has extended its tentacles into our rural towns and villages. The notion that drug-related crime is only an urban issue is outdated and dangerously naive."

Former Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye said: "Cannabis is not a harmless substance, even for the 'minority' communities Sir Sadiq is claiming to protect.

"Its links to psychosis, long-term cognitive impairment, and the exploitation of vulnerable people in its supply chain are well documented.

"Decriminalisation in cases other than medicinal use, far from being a solution, would only legitimise a black market that has proven time and again is resistant to regulation.

"Let's be frank, drug dealers will not be lining up to submit Self Assessment tax returns by a 31st January deadline. I knew some growing up in East London.

"Their business model is built on exploitation, profit, and evasion. Decriminalising cannabis only provides them more room to make more profit - as shown in British Columbia, where decriminalisation has not curbed addiction, but has coincided with a worsening opioid crisis and pressure on healthcare services."

It comes after David Sidwick, the police and crime commissioner for Dorset, called for Cannabis to be brought onto par with heroin and crack cocaine.

He said: "I have always been very clear about the pernicious impact I believe cannabis and other illegal gateway drugs have on physical and mental health and I have long campaigned for it to be reclassified as a class A drug because of these effects and the impact it presents on wider society as a result."

The LDC, chaired by Lord Charlie Falconer, found current laws on cannabis are "disproportionate to the harms it can pose" following a study of how the drug is policed around the world.

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 LDC 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."

Cannabis is currently a class B drug and those found in possession face a fine or imprisonment.