Hague says war on cannabis has failed utterly

The Independent reports William Hague:

William Hague has urged Theresa May to consider legalising cannabis as he claims the war on the drug has been “comprehensively and irreversibly lost”.

The remarks from the former foreign secretary heap political pressure on the prime minister amid an escalating row in the cabinet over the government’s approach to medical cannabis and growing outrage over a 12-year-old epileptic boy’s use of the drug. …

Ms Caldwell had purchased the drug in Canada to treat her son, Billy, who was rushed to Chelsea and Westminster hospital on Friday evening in a critical condition having suffered multiple seizures. It led to Sajid Javid, the home secretary, granting a 20-day emergency licence of the oil.

You shouldn’t need to get permission from the Home Secretary to help your 12 year old boy.

“It must now be asked whether Britain should join the many other countries that permit medical-grade marijuana, or indeed, join Canada in preparing for a lawful, regulated market in cannabis for recreational use as well,” he added.

As do many US states.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he joined those who have called for a change in approach over cannabis, claiming the idea the narcotic can be “driven off the streets and out of people’s lives by the state is nothing short of deluded”.

The war on cannabis has failed for over 30 years. So why do we persist?

“Everyone sitting in a Whitehall conference room needs to recognise that, out there, cannabis is ubiquitous, and issuing orders to the police to defeat its use is about as up-to-date and relevant as asking the Army to recover the Empire.

“This battle is effectively over.”

I love Hague’s pith.