A new report has revealed that 55 per cent of UK adults support cannabis legalisation for over 18s, and that it should be regulated by the Government.
The Recreational Europe report highlights that 52 per cent of people believe there should be no criminal punishment for personal cannabis use. Only 28 per cent argued that there should be.
It also shows that UK adults are far more likely to believe cannabis is safer than alcohol and tobacco than they are to hold the opposite view.
The research involved surveying more than 9000 people across Europe, with 1000 respondents in the UK alone, making it the first ever pan-European public opinion poll on cannabis legalisation. The report has been produced by Hanway Associates, in partnership with Curaleaf International, Cansativa and Ince.
Commenting on the findings of the report, grassroots campaigner and UK Grime artist, Big Narstie, said: “Legalisation provides communities who have been ignored and persecuted with a chance to build economic independence.
“It gives us a chance to have bigger conversations about policing and the protection of young people. I believe that the UK has a once in a lifetime opportunity to grab the cannabis opportunity.”
How the UK public feels about cannabis
According to the report, when asked about the potential benefit of legalisation, 50 per cent believed an advantage is that it would take cannabis out of the black market and away from criminal gangs.
A total of 38 per cent also noted the extra tax revenues that could come from legalised recreational cannabis, and 35 per cent said that legislation would help to control the purity and quality of cannabis.
On the perceived harms incurred as a result of recreational cannabis use, 41 per cent viewed it as being less harmful than tobacco, while 26 per cent believed the opposite was true. Almost twice as many people believe cannabis is safer than alcohol than vice versa, at 45 per cent vs 24 per cent.
The report offers insight on consumer and regulatory attitudes toward the legalisation of recreational cannabis in major European countries, and comes as talk of reviews to existing prohibitive legislation builds momentum in countries across the continent such as Germany and Denmark.
Find out insights from the report on European attitudes towards cannabis here.
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