London Drugs Commission to look at legalising cannabis

A new group looking at whether to decriminalise cannabis is being set up by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Former justice secretary Lord Charlie Falconer QC will chair the first ever London Drugs Commission.

Mr Khan described his visit to a cannabis dispensary in the US state of California as "fascinating".

Cannabis is currently classed as a class B drug in the UK, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison for possession.

In 1996, marijuana became medicinally available in California and 20 years later you can possess, use, grow and gift the narcotic.

In 2018, you could buy and sell it recreationally for the first time.

Mr Khan said: "We need to have an honest, open conversation about the evidence in relation to the history of cannabis and our laws in the UK and our experience of the health consequences in relation to crime and the community.

"The best way to do that will be with the drugs commission we've now set up.

"You can hear from the experts, that's one thing, but seeing it for yourself ... hearing from those who cultivate and grow this plant has been fascinating."

On Wednesday, Mr Khan met with Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, and visited a cannabis dispensary and farm in the city to see what lessons could be learned in the UK in responding to the challenges of drugs.

As well as being justice secretary, Lord Falconer was a minister at the transport department, and then the Home Office, during the Tony Blair era.

He went on to become shadow justice secretary under the acting leadership of Harriet Harman, a role he kept under Jeremy Corbyn.