Drug laws in the United Kingdom are failing. Cannabis is classified as a Class B drug, and possession alone can mean up to five years in prison. The failed war on drugs has pushed drug users into a cycle of crime and has done nothing to reduce drug usage. Giving someone a criminal record makes it harder to find work or housing, making recovery even harder.

There is another way. In Portugal, they decriminalised all drugs. Instead, they treated addiction as what it is, a health issue, not a criminal one. Crime rates and prison numbers dropped. Instead, people received the treatment they needed. This system saves money, supports people away from addiction, and gives people direct support.

We support legalising cannabis for recreational use to control the supply and decriminalising harder drugs, focusing on treatment rather than punishment. These changes will mean a well-regulated supply, more funding for the NHS, and taking drugs out of the hands of criminal gangs.