Liberalisation of drugs laws will be terrible for London, says the CSJ
May 28, 2025
Commenting on Sadiq Khan’s call for decriminalisation of cannabis, Ed Davies, Director of Research at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), said:
“We spent a year analysing countries that have decriminalised or legalised cannabis. The lessons were absolutely clear: any liberalisation risks an increase in mental health problems, addiction, and drug-related harms and death.
“Around a quarter of 18-34 year olds told us they would try it. We spent a day with the New York police and saw that the legalisation of cannabis had effectively decriminalised all drugs and was taking a serious toll on the city.
“Far from eliminating the market it had simply created a two-tier legal and illegal market.
“There must be no doubt. Any liberalisation in drug laws will have terrible consequences for London.”
