Leading UK politician supports legalisation of cannabis

Cannabis for recreational use should be legalised, a leading UK politician has stated.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who claims the war on drugs has failed, says the party has written a report about the need for the drug to sold legally, with Farron even making a jibe at UK prime minister David Cameron for changing his outlook on drug reform.

“The Liberal Democrats will be releasing a report in due course that lays out the case for a legalised market for sales of cannabis. I personally believe the war on drugs is over. We must move from making this a legal issue to one of health.

“The prime minister used to agree with me on the need for drug reform. It’s time he rediscovered his backbone and made the case again.”

Labour MP Paul Flynn has previously called on legalising cannabis and it's believed doing so could save up to £900 million and £300m in tax revenues and the criminal justice system respectively.

Cannabis being sold legally in Colorado was so successful early doors that it was mooted that taxpayers would even receive a rebate after $50m had been made through sales.

Legal marketing of cannabis, enabling it to be used medicinally and recreationally, in the UK is set to be debated at a conference this spring.

Last year, former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg was pushing for a fresh drug legislation as well.

[Via: the Guardian]

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter here