Is it possible that the United Kingdom is going to follow Canada’s lead and start steps to legalize marijuana? Well, bookmakers state that the chance of decriminalizing cannabis within the next ten years is very probable. Some experts even say that the odds are 3:1 that marijuana will be “legalized and regulated in the UK by 2026.”
Twelve, years ago, in 2004, marijuana was rescheduled to a Class C drug but was re-classified to a Class B drug again five years later, in 2009. Campaigners say that legalizing marijuana would save millions of dollars. Let’s take a look at statistics to see how marijuana would effect the UK.
According to data, there are 2.2 million people between the ages of sixteen and fifty-nine who are believed to have used marijuana in 2014. There were ten million smokers in the United Kingdom in 2014. In the same year, almost forty percent of marijuana users called themselves frequent drug users.
Now let’s take a look at the law and marijuana. At the moment, someone can be put in jail for a maximum of five years for having cannabis on them. Someone who is selling marijuana would get a maximum of fourteen years in prison. However, someone can have up to an ounce of marijuana and receive a “cannabis warning.” Sixty-seven percent of drug-related offenses have to do with marijuana.
Here is how money would be affected if marijuana was legalized. Between £500m and £800m would be generated in tax revenue if marijuana was legalized, according to the Treasury. It certainly seems as though cannabis would be a good thing in the United Kingdom. But Harry Shapiro of DrugWise says that there needs to be more evidence.
“There is a strong case to be prudent and see what happens elsewhere before making decisions in this country,” he said.
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