CANNABIS LIBERALISATION AND STREET CRIME

Early day motion 1042, tabled 20 March 2002 by Paul Stinchcombe (Labour). Signed by 30 members.

That this House notes that where a more lenient attitude towards cannabis possession has been taken by the police, street crime has fallen by 35 per cent. whilst arrests for hard drugs have risen by 65 per cent.; believes that this is in part because the more lenient attitude to recreational use of non-addictive drugs frees up police time and resources to tackle the infinitely more serious problems arising from dealing in, and addiction to, hard drugs; calls upon Her Majesty's Government to extend this approach to policing nationwide as part of its robberty reduction initiative; and looks forward to the day when taxes paid on the legalised purchase of cannabis from street shops help to fund more policing to combat dealers in hard drugs and more drugs rehabilitation for addicts.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 12, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.