One million hours of police time are being wasted each year on policing the ban on smoking cannabis, the Liberal Democrats say.
Research by the party drawn from official figures shows a total of 87,247 police caseloads relating to the drug were opened in 2015, with the average cost to the taxpayer per case estimated at £2,256.
The estimate says that in total £31m was spent on 1,044,180 police hours.
The party says the drug is already “freely available and widely used” and that regulation rather than prohibition makes sense.
The Lib Dems announced on Friday that their manifesto would include a pledge to legalise cannabis and create a regulated market in the drug – a policy similar to those implemented in some US states.
Cannabis is currently a Class B drug, meaning that in theory anyone who possesses it can be given five years in prison and any dealer can be given 14 years. In practice, the upper penalty for possession is rarely enforced, however.
Home Affairs Select Committee member Julian Huppert said: “Cannabis is freely available and widely used. It generates significant health problems and vast profits for organised crime.
Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron with former Lib Dem MP Dr Julian Huppert ( Getty Images)
“The current approach is a disaster for young people, whose mental and physical health is being harmed by an increasingly potent product. There are no age checks, and no controls on quality or strength. ‘Skunk’ is widespread and the only ID you need to buy it is a £20 note.
“Successive governments have ceded total control of a significant public health problem to organised crime.
54 show all UK General Election 2017
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11/54 20 April 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May during a visit to radar manufacturer Kelvin Hughes Limited in Enfield, north Londo PA wire
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13/54 21 April 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reads with children as he visits Brentry Children Centre in Bristol, during Labour's election campaign PA
14/54 24 April 2017 A tactical voting website in support of Labour. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
15/54 24 April 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses the STUC conference in Aviemore. PA
16/54 24 April 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron addresses supporters at a campaign event in Vauxhall, London PA wire
17/54 24 April 2017 The Liberal Democrat party website is displayed on a laptop computer. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
18/54 24 April 2017 Party workers clear a hall following Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron's address to supporters at a campaign event in Vauxhall, London PA wire
19/54 24 April 2017 The Conservative party website is displayed on a laptop computer in Bristol, England. The use of digital marketing and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are likely to play and important role in the snap general election to be held on June 8 Getty Images
20/54 25 April 2017 Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer makes a speech outlining Labour's approach to Brexit PA wire
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22/54 29 April 2017 UK Independence Party leader Paul Nuttall knocks on the door of a resident during a visit to Hartlepool Getty Images
23/54 29 April 2017 UK Independence Party leader Paul Nuttall leaves a pub after meeting with television media in Hartlepool Getty
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25/54 29 April 2017 Theresa May speaks at an election campaign rally in Banchory, Scotland Getty
26/54 29 April 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at an election campaign rally on April 29, 2017 in Banchory, Scotland Getty Images
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30/54 2 May 2017 Green MEP Molly Scott Cato speaks during the launch of the Green Party Brexit policy watched by Co-Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas and Green London Assembly member Siân Rebecca Berry at the Space Studio in London Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
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32/54 2 May 2017 Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, Siân Rebecca Berry, London Assembly Green Party member and the Bristol West candidate, Molly Scott Cato make an announcement of the party's new Brexit policy in London EPA
33/54 2 May 2017 Scottish Conservative party leader Ruth Davidson gave a speech at the G&V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh ahead of the local government election PA
34/54 2 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge and Pete Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate, while on the election campaign trail Richard Vernalls/PA Wire
35/54 2 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall eats grapes during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge and Pete Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate PA Wire
36/54 2 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, campaigns in Southampton Reuters
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38/54 2 May 2017 A view of the Liberal Democrat battle bus during a general election campaign visit to Lewes in East Sussex Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
39/54 2 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a campaign stop at a company in St Yves, Cornwall, England Getty Images
40/54 2 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a campaign stop at a company in St Yves, Cornwall, England. The Prime Minister is campaigning in South-West England, a former Liberal Democrat stronghold, as she urges West Country voters to stick with her party ahead of the polls on June 8 Getty Images
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43/54 8 May 2017 Britain's opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts as he meets with nursing students at the University of Worcester's Sheila Scott building in Worcester Getty Images
44/54 8 May 2017 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon gestures during her tour of the Inveralmond Brewery as she campaigns for the upcoming general election, in Perth Getty Images
45/54 8 May 2017 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon gestures during her tour of the Inveralmond Brewery as she campaigns for the upcoming general election, in Perth Getty Images
46/54 8 May 2017 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in north west London AP
47/54 8 May 2017 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall at a policy launch event in Gt George Street, London PA wire
48/54 8 May 2017 Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party campaigns outside Leamington Spa Town Hall Reuters
49/54 9 May 2017 Britain's Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn greets a supporter campaigning in Manchester, north west England EPA
50/54 9 May 2017 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and the party's local candidate Tessa Munt on board a hovercraft during a visit to the Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB), a charity that operates two life-saving rescue hovercrafts and an inshore rescue boat, at Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset Yui Mok/PA Wire
51/54 9 May 2017 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson visits the Shortbread House of Edinburgh's factory on the election campaign trail John Linton/PA Wire
52/54 10 May 2017 SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon has selfies taken during a walk about in Kirkintilloch town centre Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
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54/54 10 May 2017 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron takes part in a gardening lesson as he visits Lewannick Primary School near Launceston in Cornwall, England Getty Images
“The honest and pragmatic response is to take responsibility for this situation and regulate the market.
“Liberal Democrats will take back control from the criminal gangs and protect young people by introducing a legal, regulated market for cannabis.
“We will restrict the market to over-18s. We will make cannabis safer by limiting THC content and requiring all products to contain CBD, which has been bred out of ‘skunk’ and counteracts the harmful effects of THC. And we will invest tax revenues of up to £1bn in education and treatment.”
TheRuralJurer on May 15th, 2017 at 06:02 UTC »
Oregonian here. Legalizing it works great. Stimulates the economy creates jobs, and more importantly it decriminalizes the substance. I think Michael Scott would call that a win win win.
10/10 would vote to legalize weed again
FnordFinder on May 15th, 2017 at 05:02 UTC »
Even if just the money spent on it alone isn't enough. The fact that after that money saved, you can then tax it and generate revenue through sales and create new employment opportunities which then can be further be taxed should be incentive enough.
fitzroy95 on May 15th, 2017 at 04:04 UTC »
The fact that it doesn't actually resolve anything, or make a relatively minor problem go away, should also be a consideration, along with the damage that enforcement causes in society.
and it makes it much easier to target the drugs, and dealers, which do cause actual damage, and removes a significant amount of their (quite profitable) business model.