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Mayor of London to Re-examine Legal Cannabis

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London, the city at the heart of the UK, home to restrictive cannabis laws, plans to launch a review that would look at the possibilities of decriminalizing cannabis. 

That is, as long as Mayor Sadiq Khan is reelected on May 6. If he is, he plans to set up a London Drugs Commission to look at how legal cannabis would impact health, the economy, and the criminal justice system.

Many feel this has been a long time coming, as a UK poll showed that more than half of the residents who responded, and nearly one-third of Londoners, were in favor of legal cannabis for adults. 

“It will be for the commission to look at the evidence in the round, but nothing is off the table in the context of what is best for public health and keeping Londoners safe,” a source representing Mayor Kahn reported.

In order to support equity and squash the illegal drug trade, Mayor Khan feels that new ideas are needed to figure out how to better support the community of London, instead of criminalizing many. He also feels that keeping substances like cannabis on the black market can help increase organized crime and other criminal activity, especially for young people. 

Since it is coming from the mayor, this will not be introduced as a law, but a mayoral endorsement supporting the concept of a commission to decriminalize cannabis could go a long way, and help make many advocates dreams a reality.  Mayor Khan hopes to see “an evidenced-based conversation in the future of legal cannabis. 

“It’s time for fresh ideas about how to reduce the harms drugs and drug-related crimes cause to individuals, families and communities,” he added. “The commission will make recommendations focusing on the most effective laws to tackle crime, protect Londoners’ health, and reduce the huge damage that illegal drugs, including cannabis, cause to our communities and society.”