Will UK Cannabis Laws Change Under New Labour Government? Doesn't Look That Way Just Yet

The Labour Party’s electoral victory on Monday, securing a majority in the 2024 UK general election under Keir Starmer, marks the end of 14 years of Conservative dominance. However, when it comes to cannabis policy, the change in leadership is unlikely to prompt a shift toward legalization, at least not yet.

Starmer Firm On Maintaining UK Drug Laws

Starmer has consistently expressed reluctance to modify the UK’s drug laws. "We are not considering decriminalization of cannabis or any drugs. It’s really important that we keep the drugs laws as they are at the moment. So no plan there at all", Starmer told ITV News on Wednesday last week. His stance mirrors the party’s broader approach, focusing on maintaining current drug policies despite public debates and some internal calls for reconsideration.

UK Divided On Cannabis Legalization

Cannabis is the most used illegal substance in the UK, with 7.6% of adults aged 16 to 59 reporting usage in the past year, according to 2023 data from the Office for National Statistics cited by Forbes. However, public opinion on legalization is divided. A 2022 survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies found 38% opposed and 35% supported recreational cannabis legalization.

Interestingly, both major political parties, Labour and Conservative, align on opposing decriminalization, despite supporting drug diversion programs. These programs aim to redirect minor drug offenders away from the criminal justice system, a practice some experts consider akin to de facto decriminalization.

Labour Prioritizes Tough Drug Enforcement

The UK has one of Europe’s highest drug use rates and drug-related deaths, particularly in Scotland. Yet, the Labour Party’s current leadership, including Starmer and Shadow Minister for Health Wes Streeting, prioritize stringent enforcement over reform, noted Talking Drugs. Streeting’s pledge in 2022 to “crush every drug dealer in the country” vividly illustrates this hardline approach.

Prominent Labour figures have occasionally pushed for debate on cannabis policy. Notably, London Mayor Sadiq Khan proposed a decriminalization pilot in 2022, met with resistance from both Labour and the Conservative government. Labour’s manifesto continues a “tough on crime” approach, associating drug use with anti-social behavior and gang involvement.

Tories Face Criticism Over Cannabis Stance

The Conservatives also oppose cannabis legalization, but previously faced criticism for hypocrisy. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Victoria Atkins, a staunch prohibitionist and one of the Tories’ main voices when it comes to drug policy, was accused by legalization advocates of a conflict of interest due to her husband’s involvement in one of the largest legal cannabis farms in the UK, reported the BBC in 2018.

Minor Parties Champion Cannabis Regulation

Meanwhile, the broader political landscape shows that only the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party are actively pushing for cannabis regulation, exemplifying the significant political gap between the UK’s major and minor political parties.

Although medical cannabis legalization in 2018 demonstrates the potential for policy evolution, access issues persist, with most patients relying on private clinics, Forbes noted. While Labour assumes power, the maintaining of the cannabis policy status quo seems to be the most likely scenario.

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