The possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use should be decriminalised, a report backed by the London mayor has concluded.
The report by the London Drugs Commission, chaired by former Labour cabinet minister Lord Falconer, makes 42 recommendations, including removing natural cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
Sir Sadiq Khan said current rules “cannot be justified”, adding that the commission’s findings had provided “a compelling, evidence-based case” for decriminalisation.
The report makes recommendations in areas covering education, healthcare and the policing of cannabis.
Among the recommendations, it says natural cannabis should be removed from the MDA, where it is considered Class B alongside drugs like ketamine, and instead maintain it as a controlled substance under the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA).
The report states: “The possibility of a custodial prison sentence of any length, but certainly up to the current maximum of five years, for possession of cannabis for personal use feels excessive.”
While acknowledging that it is very rare for anyone to be sentenced anywhere close to the five years, the authors said the “consequences of serving any time in prison are significant”.
The report states that police officers often identify cannabis possession through the use of stop and search which “continues to be utilised in a racially disproportionate way”.
The authors call for the suspicion of cannabis possession to be removed as a reason to initiate a search.
The authors argue even when a person is found with an amount deemed beyond personal use, the current legal consequences “feel extreme, relative to the dangers of cannabis itself”.
What does the Metropolitan police think:
Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police commissioner, said the law on drugs and cannabis was “a matter for parliament” and the force would “keep working to our current law”.
He added: “At the moment, we see drugs being at the centre of a lot of crime.
“Drug dealing is so linked to violence. We see a lot of communities complaining about public drug use and that’s a big issue in terms of antisocial behaviour.
“If the law changes, we’ll change around that, but it’s not something we’re calling for.”
Some of the recommendations:
- Improve public health services for cannabis-related harm, including better treatment access and coordination.
- Enhance cannabis education with earlier, age-appropriate, and credible content in schools and beyond.
- Support fair access to medical cannabis, including addressing cost barriers and expanding research.
- Monitor international developments and reassess the case for broader legalisation in five years.
