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UK: Right-Wing Meltdown over Sadiq Khan;s support for cannabis reform Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead Left Foot Forward Saturday 31 May 2025 As ever, right-wing critics focus on fear, missing the point that the proposal does not advocate full legalisation, but rather aims to reduce harm and promote equity, while strengthening education and addiction services. News broke this week that the London mayor Sadiq Khan has backed calls for the possession of small quantities of natural cannabis to be decriminalised. Responding to a new report by the independent London Drugs Commission (LDC), Sadiq said there was a “compelling, evidence-based case” for the government to consider the move. Cannabis remains a Class B drug in Britain. Anyone found in possession of it face a fine or imprisonment. The LDC’s study examined how the drug is policed around the world and found cannabis policing “continues to focus on particular ethnic communities,” damaging their relations with law enforcement. The LDC was set up by the London mayor 2022. It is chaired by Charlie Falconer, who was justice secretary under Tony Blair. Falconer argues the current laws are disproportionate and disproportionately impact ethnic minorities. Rather than full decriminalisation, the commission recommends reclassifying natural cannabis under the Psychoactive Substances Act, allowing personal possession while keeping production and distribution illegal. It also calls for better education on the risks of cannabis use and addiction support. Lord Falconer said: “Legalisation is not the answer. The criminal justice system response needs to focus only on the dealers and not the users.” Sadiq Khan shared similar thoughts, saying he had “long been clear that we need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities.” “It [the report] says that the current sentencing for those caught in possession of natural cannabis cannot be justified given its relative harm and people’s experience of the justice system. “We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, equitable policing of cannabis use are long overdue,” Khan added. Predictably, right-wing commentators lashed out. The Sun’s Mercy Muroki, a self-proclaimed “unashamedly Conservative” journalist, labelled the proposal “lunacy,” blaming cannabis for crime and drug deaths. “Sadiq Khan is off his head,” read her headline, followed by: “I’d love to know what they’ve all been smoking,” The Daily Mail focused on criticism from the Met Police and a government minister. Police Commissioner Mark Rowley rejected calls for legal reform, while Labour’s Matthew Pennycook reiterated that government policy remains unchanged. GB News meanwhile focused on Susan Hall’s reaction. The Conservative London Assembly member and last year’s defeated Conservative candidate for London Mayor, has long been criticised for her unbridled smears of Sadiq Khan. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t hold back. Speaking to the channel, Hall dismissed the proposal as “ridiculous” and accused Khan of merely “tinkering around the edges” of crime in the capital. “It’s completely dopey, it’s ridiculous. It’s typical of Sadiq Khan,” Hall declared. “If you talk to the commissioner, Mark Rowley, he hasn’t asked for this. “He’s asking for more money so he can try and get some sort of order on our streets. This is utterly ridiculous, and I think the commission has cost over a quarter of a million pounds. That money could have gone into the policing service in London.” The Telegraph focused on the comments of Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, who firmly stated that the Conservatives would oppose any move toward decriminalisation. He said: “Possession of cannabis should not be decriminalised like this. We have seen some US and Canadian cities devastated by soft policies on addictive and harmful drugs – now Sadiq Khan wants to send London the same way. Philp accused the mayor of prioritising “politically correct posturing for the benefit of his left-wing friends” over focusing on making London a safer city. While the decriminalisation of cannabis will always spark lively debate, and concerns, such as legalisation leading to increased use among young people and additional strain on mental health services, deserve careful consideration, predictably absent from much of the coverage are the potential benefits of decriminalisation. Research from the Transform Drug Policy Foundation suggests legalising cannabis could generate £1.5 billion annually for the Treasury, while significantly cutting into the illegal market. As ever, right-wing critics focus on fear, missing the point that the proposal does not advocate full legalisation, but rather aims to reduce harm and promote equity, while strengthening education and addiction services. https://leftfootforward.org/2025/05/right-wing-in-meltdown-over-sadiq-khans-support-of-cannabis-reform/
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