THERE are growing calls for cannabis to be decriminalised in the Island, with one politician labelling chasing prosecutions a ‘waste’ of police resources.
Deputy Sam Mézec said it was ‘blindingly obvious that the decriminalisation of cannabis was inevitable’, and called for the government to make this happen to avoid taxpayers’ money being wasted further.
The Reform Jersey leader added that it was unsustainable to prosecute people for smoking the drug to relax – which he compared to people enjoying a couple of pints of alcohol.
‘It is a waste of police resources to spend time prosecuting people for minor possession of cannabis, and it is a waste of taxpayers’ money on something which causes less serious harm than alcohol most of the time,’ said Deputy Mézec.
A recent Freedom of Information request revealed that the number of convictions for class B drugs, which includes cannabis, in 2021 had almost halved when compared with 2020 – falling from 65 to 35. Class A drug convictions also fell by almost a quarter from 30 in 2020 to 8 in 2021.
The States police were contacted for comment.
Currently, Islanders can only use cannabis if it is obtained through a medical prescription. Decriminalisation would mean the drug would still be prohibited by law, but an individual could not be prosecuted or criminalised for carrying a certain amount.
A campaign group, meanwhile, said leaving Islanders with criminal records for cannabis possession was ‘unfair’.
End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey co-ordinator Simon Harrison said: ‘It is unfair that people are being prosecuted and left with a criminal record for possessing cannabis which tarnishes their future, when we have a growing medicinal cannabis industry and many countries are now moving to decriminalise or legalise it.’
Currently, if you are caught with less than 15g of cannabis or cannabis resin, it is dealt with at a parish hall inquiry by way of a written caution for a first offence and a second offence, if more than a year has passed since the first. Subsequent offences and offences over 15g result in a court appearance.
Mr Harrison said that the proposed Crime (Prejudice and Public Disorder) Law included an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Law which would introduce a £200 fine for the repeat possession of class B and C drugs that a Centenier could levy at a parish hall inquiry.
‘This is a simple form of decriminalisation. We already have the starting elements in play and it won’t take much to make this happen. We are hoping the draft law will come into place next year – as this will be a point in which we can carry on the conversation about decriminalisation,’ he said.
‘The concern is that if changes are made to the draft law and those proposals are taken away, then we would have to look at trying to get a States Member to bring forward a proposition or use a paper petition,’ he added.
‘It’s high time we addressed substance use as a public-health concern rather than an issue of community safety.’
Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles recently said she was not ‘automatically in favour’ of the decriminalisation of the drug, but said that the Island needed ‘some sort of strategy’.
She added: ‘It is something we have to look at. We have to look at the cannabis issue in the entirety of substance misuse.
‘I am very open to looking at the decriminalisation of cannabis within an overall substance strategy.
‘It does seem anomalous that cannabis for recreation might be controlled in a separate way that medicinal cannabis is.’
Deputy Mézec said: ‘It is blindingly obvious that it [decriminalisation] is inevitable.’
Deputy Mézec agreed with Mr Harrison that possession could be dealt with at a parish hall level in the meantime, and wants to see this implemented as soon as possible.
‘This would be easy to introduce and is a quick way to make progress. If it is not passed, I would like to see some form of equivalent,’ he said.
‘I would also like to see cannabis and substance use dealt with as a health issue rather than a criminal issue as there is mounting evidence around the world that it is better to do so,’ he added.
Earlier this week, ministers published their plans as part of the government programme for the next three years, and Deputy Mézec said it was ‘disappointing’ that Deputy Miles had not been clear on her stance surrounding decriminalisation.
Deputy Mézec said: ‘If you speak to politicians privately, many agree that decriminalisation is inevitable. If the draft Crime Law does not come through, it is something we could look at and I would be keen to chat with the End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey group to find out the best way forward.’
