By Laura Moulden
Cannabis legalisation and decriminalisation is favoured by most Britons, an independent think tank has stated.
New research commissioned by the Transform Drug Policy Foundation (TDPF) has revealed that 53 per cent of the UK public support the legalisation of the drug, while only one in seven approve of heavier penalities.
Around two-thirds of those polled in the study support a comprehensive review of drug regulation policy and a spokesperson for the TDPF claimed the findings demonstrate “just how far ahead of politicians the public are”.
“The public are far more progressive than was thought, right across the political spectrum. At the very least the government should heed long standing and growing calls for a review of all policy options,” they added.
Support for a softer stance on cannabis was widespread, across the political spectrum. Nearly half of mid-market and tabloid papers’ readers were in favour of legalisation, while 69 per cent of Labour supporters wanted a comprehensive policy review on the issue.
Half of Conservative Party supporters polled in the study approved of regulation and 40 per cent of respondents advocated Portugal-style decriminalisation.
“These results show just how far ahead of politicians the public are,” said the TDPF spokesperson. “Whilst Labour and Conservative politicians shy away from the debate on drugs, around half of their supporters want to see legal regulation of cannabis production and supply or decriminalisation of cannabis possession.”
