London wants to decriminalize cannabis for young people

Londoners under 25 caught with cannabis could soon simply be taken home, rather than remanded in custody. According to British daily The Daily Telegraph, This measure is due to be announced at the end of January. It should begin with a test phase in the boroughs of Greenwhich, Lewisham and Bexley. These districts in the south of the capital tend to be multi-ethnic.

According to Telegraph, the police have agreed to stop prosecuting young people caught using category B drugs. This includes cannabis, of course, but also ketamine and ‘speed’. These three substances would remain illegal, but would be decriminalized. de facto for under-25s. London would thus join Scotland, which has decriminalized cannabis in September.

Instead of a trip to the police station, the police will offer young people a course on the dangers of drugs. A bit like a course to recover license points. A process known as «diversion», to turn young people away from drugs. If necessary, the police can also refer young people to treatment facilities.

«We work on schemes that bring education and help to young people, rather than pushing them into the penal system. With this, we try to divert them from drugs and crime for good».», pleads a spokesman for the Mayor of London.

Black youth twice as likely to be searched

The young borough mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan (34), will oversee this trial phase. The elected official had already taken a stance in favor of relaxing the rules around cannabis. For example, in March 2020, he had requested legalization in the columns of’Evening Standard.

According to his borough's statistics, cannabis accounts for 90 % of youth prosecutions. In addition, black youth in Lewisham have 2.4 times more likely to be searched by Met, London police.

This policy is part of a more flexible approach by the Mayor of London. In the spring, during the campaign, Sadiq Khan had the contours of this decriminalization of cannabis. However, at the time, he didn't talk about stopping prosecutions only for the youngest.

The UK Conservative government is furious. Visit Home Office, the equivalent of the Ministry of the Interior, recently promised to «put an end to drug use» and «to ensure that those who break the law pay the consequences.