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U.K. DRUG LAWS
What do the Political Parties think?

A Summary

CONTENTS 

In terms of Party policy, I've placed The Labour Party first, as the governing Party, then the remainder in alphabetical order,
- Conservative Policy - Liberal Democrat Policy - Green Party Policy
- Scottish National Party Policy - Plaid Cymru Policy 
- Final Thoughts
- Further Reading

I haven't forgotten there are Irish policies too but I haven't got that far yet. The fact that they didn't jump out at me during a search doesn't fill me with confidence about their content.....

LABOUR PARTY 

Although Keir Starmer has reiterated that he would not change drug laws, or decriminalise drug use, The Labour Party Campaign for Drug Policy Reform is campaigning for decriminalisation of all drug use, and making it a matter of health policy instead of a criminal justice issue. You can read about the campaign on their website, subscribe to their newsletter and if you're a member of The Labour Party, find out ways to try and influence policy:
Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform (accessed 24 September 2023) Available online at: https://www.labourdrugpolicy.com/

It's not lost on me that key opponents to decriminalising cannabis, like Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry are qualified barristers, as it strikes me that their views are based on their own experiences in this capacity, and very one sided in that regard, particularly when surveys suggest that a majority of both the Public and Members of Parliament support more relaxed laws. They are meant to be representing us all, after all. That said, this sets us the challenge to bring about change.

Davies, R. (28 August 2021) The Labour Party and Cannabis: Past Present and Future. Green Queen Magazine. Available online at: https://greenqueenmagazine.com/social-voice/the-labour-party-and-cannabis-past-present-and-future/

McElvoy, A., Snowden, P. and Gonzalez, C. (21 September 2023) Keir Starmer Says No to UK Drug Reform. Politico. Available online at: 
https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-labour-party-leader-keir-starmer-no-uk-drugs-reform/

CONSERVATIVE PARTY 

We were governed by the Tory Party long enough to be aware of their drug policies, as we're living them. I've always believed that the 2018 law change was a cynical attempt (and a reluctant move) to quieten voices in the media over the plight of children like Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell who require cannabis to manage their health. The concept has not since been embraced and actions and words by successive Prime Ministers have been increasingly hostile to it, while countries around the world move instead towards laws based on actual evidence, rather than focusing on blame and criminalisation. It's disappointing but predictable to see other countries like Thailand and Germany getting 'cold feet' about relaxing drug laws. Whereas it's often cited that drugs have become an increased problem since laws were relaxed, there never seems to be consideration given to the idea that it may just have been legislated badly.

Centre for Evidence-Based Drug Policy (Formerly Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group) (Home Page accessed 24 September 2023). Available online at: https://www.cdprg.co.uk/

Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions , Department For Education, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (29 April 2022 update) Policy paper: From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives. Gov.uk: Crown Copyright. Available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Although the Lib Dems were the first Party I believe to favour decriminalising cannabis, I'm unclear as to their views on 'Grow Your Own'. As a member, there are ways you can get involved:

Liberal Democrats (Accessed 24 September 2023) Liberal Democrats: Members Make Policy. Liberal Democrats (online). Available online at: https://www.libdems.org.uk/members/make-policy

GREEN PARTY

As with the Lib Dems, the Green Party are in favour of decriminalising cannabis but I'm unsure as to whether they support 'Grow Your Own': 

Green Party (Accessed 24 September 2023) Green Party Drug Policy (October 2019 update). Available online at: https://policy.greenparty.org.uk/our-policies/long-term-goals/drug-policy/

Green Party (Accessed 24 September 2023) Green Party Policy. Available online at: https://policy.greenparty.org.uk/

Fleming, P. (Accessed 24 October 2023) Green Party Drug Policy Working Group. https://philippafleming.uk/green-party-drug-policy-working-group/

Levy, J. (19 April 2023) The Green Party’s drug policy explained. Greenworld (online). Available online at: 
https://greenworld.org.uk/article/green-partys-drug-policy-explained

SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY 

With drugs being a long-standing problem in Scotland, the SNP are in favour of decriminalising drugs for personal use.

SNP (13 July 2023) A Caring & Compassionate Drugs Policy: Here’s what decriminalisation would mean for Scotland. SNP. Available online at: https://www.snp.org/a-caring-compassionate-drugs-policy-heres-what-decriminalisation-would-mean-for-scotland/

PLAID CYMRU POLICY

Plaid Cymru are at the very least in favour of looking at reform to drug laws.
BBC News online (22 November 2019) Plaid Cymru manifesto 2019: 11 key policies explained. BBC News Online. Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50506359

FINAL THOUGHTS

Lastly, we're going back to even before cannabis was criminalised (and remember it was used successfully as medicine and for other purposes before), and that's the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotics in 1961, as this was central to the change in law. Here is a brief extract below (click image to access full document): 

The reason I included this is because I'd imagine it difficult to argue that whether you're in favour of decriminalising or not, those things were not implemented and even the bare bones have been stripped back year after year. People in the UK, many of whom will doubtless be struggling to get a GP appointment, are blamed for being left addicted to drugs that they were prescribed by their doctors. When does a patient become an addict? When the drugs stopped working. No thought or support is offered to those suffering from or needing to withdraw from medication, which I've said elsewhere can be brutal. Homelessness has increased since being basically eradicated. I'd imagine it's terrifying to be sleeping on the streets and like it or not, certain drugs would relieve that to a manageable degree. I doubt the money you'd save not taking them would save you enough to find accommodation even if it were available. Boredom has surely increased as creative outlets and social opportunities for young people are attacked and free activities no longer exist. So as I was saying earlier, such laws are often bad in concept and in implementation. Advisers have consistently said for decades now that this law isn't a good one (even the 1968 Wootton Report soon before the law change).

FURTHER READING

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform (Home Page accessed 24 September 2023) All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform. Available online at: https://www.appgdrugpolicyreform.org/

Brady, E. (15 August 2014) Cuts Lead To Mass Closures Of Youth Clubs. Sky News (online) Available online at: https://news.sky.com/story/cuts-lead-to-mass-closures-of-youth-clubs-10392905

Busby, M. (19 September 2023) UK drug advisers recommended decriminalising possession in 2016, leak reveals. The Guardian (online). Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/19/uk-drug-advisers-recommended-decriminalising-possession-in-2016-leak-reveals

Curtis, C. (30 May 2018) A majority support liberalising policy towards cannabis. YouGov (online). Available online at: https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/20882-majority-now-support-liberalising-policy-towards-c?redirect_from=%2Ftopics%2Fpolitics%2Farticles-reports%2F2018%2F05%2F30%2Fmajority-now-support-liberalising-policy-towards-c

Elliott, F. (29 May 2022) Cannabis shouldn’t be legalised and here’s why, says Emily Thornberry (Interview) iNews. Available online at: https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/emily-thornberry-interview-cannabis-not-legalise-labour-crime-1657256

Fenwick, J. (30 June 2021) Drugs: Government adviser to urge more focus on health of users. BBC News (online). Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57656497

International Narcotics Control Board (Accessed 24 September 2023) Single Convention on Narcotics, 1961 (United Nations). INCB. Available online at: https://www.incb.org/incb/en/narcotic-drugs/1961_Convention.html

Jeffreys, B. (30 January 2018) Creative subjects being squeezed, schools tell BBC. BBC News (online). Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42862996

Lammy, D. (29 July 2019) I've seen how cannabis legalisation works in Canada. Britain could do it better. The Guardian. Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2019/jul/29/ive-seen-how-cannabis-legalisation-works-in-canada-britain-could-do-it-better

Leftly, M. (12 March 2016) Liberal Democrats become first major party to back cannabis legalisation. Independent (online). Available online at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cannabis-marijuana-legalisation-liberal-democrats-drug-policy-a6927936.html

Low, H. (12 May 2022) London Drugs Commission to look at legalising cannabis. BBC News (online). Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-61416295

McCulloch, L. (5 September 2016) Drugs Analysis: Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2019. Volteface (online). Available online at: https://volteface.me/feature/drugs-analysis-liberal-democrat-manifesto-2019/

Piot, A. (12 September 2023) Empowering the ACMD: Evidence-Based Solutions to the UK'S Drug Problem (Research Report) Centre for Evidence-Based Drug Policy (Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group). Available online at: https://www.cdprg.co.uk/

Price, S. (17 December 2021) Majority of UK MPs support drug policy reform. Psychedelic Health. Available online at: https://psychedelichealth.co.uk/2021/12/17/majority-uk-mps-support-drug-policy-reform/

Rehabs UK (03 November 2022) The Impact of 10 Years of Cuts to Addiction Services (Blog). Rehabs UK. https://rehabsuk.com/blog/the-impact-of-10-years-of-cuts-to-addiction-services/

Singh Mann, A. (22 May 2022) 'It's crazy out there': Closure of youth clubs across UK 'pushing children to violence'. Sky News (online). Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/its-crazy-out-there-closure-of-youth-clubs-across-uk-pushing-children-to-violence-12619046

Tran, M. (30 October 2019) Government drug adviser David Nutt sacked: Professor David Nutt asked to resign after his claims that ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol. The Guardian (online). Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/oct/30/drugs-adviser-david-nutt-sacked

Wikipedia (Accessed 24 September 2023) The Wootton Report. The Wikipedia Foundation. Available online at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wootton_Report


IN PARLIAMENT
And if you want to keep abreast of what's being discussed in UK Parliament, you can do so here: https://whatson.parliament.uk/

Or get transcripts from previous parliamentary discussion here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/

You can find out who your Member of Parliament is by clicking the following link: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Updated January 2025