MPA debates re-classification of cannabis

86/04
25 November 2004

At the Authority meeting today, following a presentation evaluating the re-classification of cannabis on operational policing, Members welcomed the approach taken by the MPS in dealing with this issue. Reshard Auladin, Deputy Chair of the MPA, said

“Most violent crimes in the capital are linked to alcohol. I have never seen an incident where an assault has been linked to cannabis. A fortune is spent bringing people to court and then they can be fined as little as £25”.

Figures show that since the reclassification of cannabis in January 2004, there has been a 31% increase in the number of cautions for the possession of cannabis, a 53% decrease in the number of arrests since 2003, and over the five months that the data was collated, there has been a saving in operational policing of 14,620 hours, the equivalent of £423,980.

Len Duvall, Chair of the MPA, confirmed that he would expect officers to continue to treat seriously situations where cannabis is being trafficked, possession is linked to other crimes or cannabis is used in front of children. Some Members reported that re-classification had caused concerns and some confusion in their link boroughs and called for uniformity in dealing with cannabis throughout the MPS. They stressed that clear messages must be given by the MPS both externally to the public, especially young people, and internally to their officers on how cannabis use will be policed.

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