Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of magistrates' court cases that involved cannabis possession in the last 12 months; and if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of legalising cannabis possession on the cost of these court cases.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The latest published data shows that 1.0% of magistrates’ courts proceedings in the year to June 2024 (12,429 defendants) in England and Wales were for cannabis possession offences. (Source: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2024 - GOV.UK). Equivalent published data for the calendar year 2024 will be available on 15 May 2025. The number of proceedings is presented on a principal offence basis, this means that more serious offences accompanied by an additional cannabis possession offence will not be included in this number.
The estimated sitting day cost to HMCTS for those cases is c. £1 million.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered funding public health campaigns to educate young people on the risks of cannabis use within a regulated market.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.The Government recognises the clear medical and scientific evidence of the harms of this drug.
The Government will continue to work with our partners to discourage drug use and to alert people, particularly young people, to the potential dangers of cannabis.
The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by increasing awareness, particularly for young people and parents. FRANK offers easy to read information on the risks of using cannabis and basic harm reduction advice. Information on cannabis is available at the following link:
https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/cannabis
The website also has details of drug treatment services and support organisations.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a legally regulated cannabis market on tax revenue.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of cannabis legalisation on (a) reducing county lines drug trafficking and (b) associated law enforcement costs.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with international counterparts from countries that have legalised cannabis on the (a) economic and (b) public health impacts of regulation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a legal cannabis industry on UK (a) job creation, (b) investment and (c) economic growth.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an estimate of the potential annual public spending savings that could be achieved through the legal regulation of cannabis.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a regulated cannabis market on (a) public health and (b) drug-related harms.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of directing tax revenue from regulated cannabis into NHS mental health services.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing cannabis-related (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) court cases on the costs of the criminal justice system.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.