Half of Guernsey's politicians support decriminalising cannabis, says new research
New research has found that half of the politicians in Guernsey support the idea of decriminalising cannabis. Out of 38 politicians on the island, 19 are in favor of this change, while 11 are unsure and want to see more proposals before making a decision. Only 4 politicians are against it.
Andy Cameron, the Vice-President for Education, Sport, and Culture, stated that it might be time to seriously consider legalising, regulating, and taxing cannabis in Guernsey. In a previous political term, there was an effort by the Health and Social Care Committee to look into cannabis laws, but that work was paused after a year. George Oswald, the President of that committee, expressed interest in working with other committees on the issue and is waiting for ideas from the Committee for Home Affairs. Marc Leadbeater, lead of the Committee for Home Affairs, has been a long time champion of transforming the island's drug laws.
Some politicians have raised concerns that the UK government might not allow Guernsey to relax its drug laws.
What is Cannabis Decriminalisation?
Decriminalisation is different from legalisation. It means that instead of facing criminal penalties for having small amounts of cannabis, people wouldn’t be punished. This is supported by many deputies. In Guernsey, drug possession and trafficking are taken very seriously. On the other hand, legalisation would mean cannabis could be bought and used just like alcohol or tobacco, similar to what's allowed in places like Amsterdam.
Many politicians in Guernsey would like to see a system like Canada’s, where adults can access recreational marijuana legally and safely. While medicinal cannabis was legalised in Guernsey in 2021, some politicians feel that the system is being misused. Mr. Cameron pointed out that although cannabis is not strictly enforced, many people can easily get a medical cannabis prescription, even for small issues. This has created a market for cannabis outside the legal system. He noted that despite fears, there haven’t been serious problems caused by this situation.
What Work Has Already Been Done?
Last year, politicians agreed to let the Health and Social Care Committee look into the possibility of decriminalising cannabis. However, the project was put on hold due to a lack of resources. Some newly-elected politicians, like Deputy David Dorrity, are eager to see this work finished before any decisions are made about changing the laws on cannabis in Guernsey.
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Liz Filmer
