Nick Clegg is planning to make the decriminalisation of 'skunk' cannabis a key element of his election manifesto, despite research showing that the drug triples the risk of mental illness.
Party sources told The Mail on Sunday that a draft copy of the Lib Dem manifesto includes a pledge to end all prosecutions for possession of 'soft drugs'.
Under the proposals, if police decide that someone caught with ‘skunk’ cannabis, or other ‘soft drugs’ was a user rather than a dealer, they would then refer that person for medical help, instead of charging them.
The controversial proposals follow just a couple of weeks after a landmark study led by Prof Sir Robin Murray, for the Institute of Psychiatry which linked the drug to an astonishing 24 per cent of first episode psychosis cases and said it was leaving some with permanent schizophrenia.
Despite the findings Nick Clegg will tomorrow (4th March) join Sir Richard Branson, who has long called for the liberalisation of drug laws, to address the International Affairs think-tank, Chatham House on how the current approach to tackling the international drugs trade is failing and whether the UK can help rectify the situation. Chatham House said: “Many countries are approaching societal drug use and addiction as a public health issue rather than one of criminality”.
Andrea Williams responded to the proposals saying: “Study after study has shown cannabis to be a gateway drug with serious consequences for users. We are looking to our leaders to protect the vulnerable and to tighten the legislation on drug use rather than liberalise it"
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Related Coverage:
Nick Clegg makes controversial election vow to decriminalise 'skunk' cannabis despite research linking it to mental illness (Mail)
'Skunk-like' cannabis link to quarter of psychosis cases (BBC)
Proportion of patients with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study (The Lancet)