Legalising cannabis in Guernsey proposal submitted

Guernsey's Health and Social Care Committee has submitted its plan to look at legalising cannabis.

The proposal is part of its submission to the Government Work Plan (GWP).

The plan sets out the priorities for the States of Guernsey and will be debated in June.

Committee President Al Brouard said: "There are very different opinions on this politically, some would like to look at it sooner and some would like to look at it never."

Committee for Home Affairs President Rob Prow said he would not support the plans.

In a letter sent on behalf of his committee members, he wrote: "We feel strongly that its inclusion would be contrary to the spirit of the GWP."

Deputy Prow said its inclusion "only raises expectations that change will take place and risks absorbing limited resources".

He said the committee was "disappointed" the health committee had not waited for the results of the Non-Punitive Approaches workstream.

This is part of work to develop a Justice Framework, which includes reviewing the legal status of cannabis, alternative approaches to drug possession, offender rehabilitation, restorative justice and a criminal sentencing law review.

Deputy Neil Inder, Committee for Economic Development President, expressed support for the proposal: "Prohibition has never worked and I've never believed that citizens should be criminalised for small amounts of recreational."

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