Britain rules out legalizing cannabis
Print Edition
Britain said yesterday it had no intention of legalizing cannabis after a former leader of Prime Minister Theresa May’s party said the government had “irreversibly lost” the battle to drive the drug off the streets.
William Hague, leader of the Conservative Party from 1997 to 2001, urged the government to consider legalizing cannabis to realize what he said would be economic and social benefits from pushing crime gangs out of the trade.
The drug falls into the Class B category in Britain, below the status of crack cocaine and heroin but on a par with amphetamines and barbiturates, with those found in possession facing up to five years in jail.
“This government has absolutely no plans to legalize cannabis and the penalties for unauthorized supply and possession will remain unchanged,” Home Secretary Sajid Javid told parliament, echoing words from the prime minister’s spokesman who denied the government had lost the war on drugs.
The rules governing the use of cannabis have hit the headlines in recent days after British officials seized a cannabis-based medicine used by a 12-year-old epileptic boy.
The government was forced to release the medicinal oil however after the boy was admitted to hospital suffering from seizures.
While Javid ruled out changes to recreational use of the drug, he said the government had launched a review of the application of cannabis-based medicines.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
