What Are The British Doing About Cannabis Reform?

Despite massive changes in 2014 on the
medicinal cannabis front— particularly in Spain, Germany and Italy— with large
cannabinoid trials across Europe in the summer conducted by some of the world’s
largest pharma companies, the U.K. seems stuck in the past when it comes to
drug policy on cannabis.

This year saw the first forward motion in
over a generation in regards to the debate in the House of Commons in the fall
of 2014.  Support for reform where it has
occurred, has been bipartisan.  This
fall, Tory, the conservative party leadership, went public in the press about
the need to reform the country’s drug laws. 
Liberal Democrat, Norman Baker, has also raised his voice in what
appears to be a new tone on the urgency for a call for legalization across
senior government ranks. 

Like Barack Obama, current Prime Minister
David Cameron admitted to cannabis use as a young man.  In the last general election four years ago,
Cameron also ran on a platform that included what has been so far politically
expedient language about the failed policies of the drug war.  With that said, his administration has not
moved forward on any new policies, nor is it likely to.  As of this year, Cameron has said that there
is no pressing need for further reform and his policies are succeeding. That is an idea widely contested by his
rivals and the public, and is presumed to make his chances in the election slim.

Regardless, it is clear that even in Ye Jolie Olde Englande, reform is
finally on the agenda as politicians and the public come forward. How fast the
winds of change will blow up the Thames Valley, is another story.