15 MPs have written to the Mayor of London requesting he drop a pilot scheme that would divert young people away from the criminal justice system.
A group of Conservative MPs have urged Sadiq Khan to drop the proposed pilot scheme saying that it would have “wider ramifications than heightened violent crime”.
MP for Orpington, Gareth Bacon, publicly stated that: “Khan’s policing trial would send the wrong message to young Londoners. Cannabis is not harmless, and using it is not a victimless crime.”
Together with colleagues, I have written to the Mayor urging him to drop his scheme to effectively decriminalise cannabis in parts of London.
Khan’s policing trial would send the wrong message to young Londoners. Cannabis is not harmless, and using it is not a victimless crime. pic.twitter.com/AhzNdHoLI2
— Gareth Bacon MP (@GarethBaconMP) January 12, 2022
The MPs state they believe the scheme, which they suggest in the letter will “effectively decriminalise” cannabis possession, risks inflaming violence in the city by funnelling cash into the pockets of criminals.
The pilot scheme, which is similar to others being run across the country, has been put forward to be trialled in Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich. It aims to divert 18 to 14-year-olds away from the criminal justice system if caught in possession of small amounts of cannabis.
The scheme intends to prevent young people’s lives from being blighted by criminal records for low-level crime and to provide counselling and drug education to mitigate the potential harms of drug use in the lives of young people.
Read more: London to trial new diversion pilot for cannabis possession
Drug reform group Volteface, which produced the Lewisham-commissioned report suggesting the scheme, has highlighted that it would not be effective decriminalisation but a diversion pilot.
Speaking to Cannabis Wealth, Katya Kowalski, head of operations at Voletface, commented: “I think what this shows is that there is a disconnect between what MPs are coming out and stating, what the media is coming out and stating, and what is actually taking place.
“There’s a lack of understanding around what this [scheme] actually is – stating that crime and violence will go up when, in fact, these measures are trying to prevent crime and tackle problematic drug use from its core. I think there is a disconnect and a lack of understanding around what decriminalisation actually means.”
National charity, Revolving Doors, which works to help decision-makers develop solutions “that address the underlying systemic faults that can trap people within the crisis-crime cycle”, pointed out that “diversion is not decriminalisation”.
Diversion is not decriminalisation.
Diversion stops young adults getting caught up in a cycle of crisis and crime.
Diversion reduces reoffending and, when done well, puts young adults in touch with vital support networks.
Diversion works. https://t.co/OICuC6E4Qn
— Revolving Doors (@RevDoors) January 14, 2022
In 2011, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) noted in a report that: “The ACMD also believe that there is an opportunity to be more creative in dealing with those who have committed an offence by possession of drugs.
“For people found to be in possession of drugs (any) for personal use (and involved in no other criminal offences), they should not be processed through the criminal justice system but instead be diverted into drug education/awareness courses.”
Reform organisation Transform Drugs highlights that other similar schemes run throughout the UK and across the globe, however, show evidence that such programmes can prevent crime by reducing reoffending, reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system and reducing some drug use.
Kowalski highlighted that the pilot scheme would help young people from vulnerable communities and is aiming to tackle racial disproportionality in the criminal justice system – particularly in London around drug possession.
Read more: New report lays out cannabis social equity principles for UK
“I think one thing that the MPs are disregarding is the fact this is a pilot scheme. It is not a widespread policy change. What the scheme is looking at doing is actually collecting evidence and seeing whether a scheme like this does lower reoffending, whether it does lower crime. I am confident that the results will come in and show that.”
Towards the end of 2021, the UK Government released its ten-year drug strategy that aimed to move away from treating drug use and addiction as a criminal matter, and towards treating it as a health matter. The strategy intends to cut crime and get more people into treatment.
Read more: Reform organisations respond to new UK drug strategy
“It is surprising that these MPs are coming out against the scheme as the UK drug strategy that came out at the beginning of December is in fact completely in line with this,” added Kowalski.
“There is a focus on diversion – moving away from criminalisation and towards a health approach for drug users.
“I think [the letter] shows the reactive nature of drug policy, where people come out against it just because they feel like there is a kind of moral infringement. Drug policy creates a lot of immediate reactions and feelings rather than what the state of play is and what’s actually taking place.”
On January 4, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The idea of the scheme, which is already used by other police forces across the country, would be to divert young people who are found with a small amount of cannabis away from the criminal justice system and instead provide help and support. This has been shown to reduce reoffending.
“Reducing crime is the Mayor’s top priority and he will continue to explore and implement the most effective solutions to help to divert young people away from drug use and crime for good.”
“This is a great initiative to move young people away from exploitation and an illegal drug trade,” said Kowalski.
MP Gareth Bacon did not respond for comment at the time of publishing.
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