Make cannabis legal and cut crime, says Adam Smith think tank
Legalisation in the UK could be reasonably expected within the next five to 10 years
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
A leading think tank today called for cannabis to be sold over the counter in pharmacies — and said legalisation for adult recreational use is a matter of “when, not if”. The Adam Smith Institute, a non-profit organisation that promotes free-market socially liberal ideas and has strong links to the Conservative Party, said the best way for the next Tory government to tackle serious youth violence and knife crime is to legalise cannabis. Its report, “The Green Light — how legalising and regulating cannabis will reduce crime, protect children and improve safety”, calls for a Colorado-type free-market model augmented by elements of the Canadian public health approach, namely educating the public as to the harms of cannabis via product label warnings and public information campaigns.
