By Sammie Jones-
UK MP’s say Legalisation of cannabis could earn the Treasury £1 bn a year in tax revenue, citing a report.
The Adam Smith Institute- a free-market think tank,suggests that the UK should follow the lead of the US, where four further states legalised marijuana in this month’s elections. The Home Office said it had no plans to legalise the “harmful drug”.
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Nick Clegg: Pro Legalisation
Former Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg, and former health minister Norman Lamb, are among a number of MP’s backing the report.Their call along with that of VolteFace- a drugs policy think tank- has called for “root and branch” reform to legalise and regulate cannabis to ensure it meets acceptable standards, in the process, removing the market for criminal gangs.
A legal cannabis market could be worth £6.8 bn to the economy annually, raising between £750m and £1.05bn in tax revenues and reduced criminal justice costs.So, we now have Mp’s seriously calling for the legalisation of Marijuana, mainly to enrichen the economy, and maybe indirectly, their own pockets too.
Prison offenders in UK jails for cannabis related offence apparently cost taxpayers £50m a year, with the legalisation of cannabis reversing that trend and putting the economy in a tremendous surplus, according to the reasoning.
The call to legalise cannabis comes at a time when Canada is on the verge of decriminalizing cannabis, and Germany legalising cannabis for medical purposes. The legalisation of Cannabis has long been debated in the U.K, with those on both sides of the equation, with those strongly calling for its legalisation at strong odds with those firmly against its legalisation.
Mr Clegg said: “British politicians need to open their eyes to what is happening in the rest of the world.
Cannabis prohibition
“Cannabis prohibition is being swept away on a tide of popular opinion and replaced with responsible legal regulation.“Now is the time for ministers to start writing the rules for this legal market, including age limits and health warnings so that we can finally take back control from the criminal gangs.”
The report said regulation was “substantially more desirable” than simply decriminalizing the drug or unregulated legalisation, as it would remove gangs from the sale and production of the drug, and ensure the product meets acceptable standards and raise money through taxation, it said.
The report added that tax revenues from the sale of cannabis could be invested back into public services, making it beneficial to society rather than the perceived adverse effects the criminalization of cannabis currently has on society, criminalising users and creating a never ending drug market.
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg called for ministers to “take back control from the criminal gangs”, though what he may really means is that we should take steps to enrich the U.K economy by legalising cannabis.
Clegg’s call for legalisation will be loved by cannabis campaigners, but it is yet to be seen if the British government actually takes up the call.