Police commissioners want to reclassify cannabis to a Class A drug, potentially creating tougher penalties for those who possess and supply it.
Cannabis is currently a Class B drug, which means that those who possess and supply it face lesser penalties than those caught with Class A substances like heroin and cocaine.
The calls for the change were made at the ongoing Conservative Party Conference today (October 3), which is currently taking place in Birmingham.
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It is being argued that the current classification of the drug is not appropriate given new data that suggests it is more harmful than previously thought.
However, the Home Secretary has stressed that the calls are merely proposals, and at the moment, there is no indication that the classification of the drug is going to change.
David Sidwick, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said cannabis is 'driving harm' because it is a 'gateway drug'.
"If you look at the young people in treatment, the number one drug they are in treatment for is cannabis," he said.
The commissioner argued that if cannabis is reclassified, it will enable police to more effectively deal with people who are prosecuted for its misuse.
"There are so many crimes linked to drugs that, actually, by addressing this, by giving us this clarity, it makes it clearer for our police to be able to do what they need to do," he said.
Those caught possessing Class A drugs can face as many as seven years behind bars and an unlimited fine.
The penalty is even harsher for those who produce and supply the substances, and they can potentially be jailed for life.
The sentences for Class B drugs, which also include speed and ketamine, are comparatively lesser.
Those caught in possession of Class B drugs face up to five years imprisonment for possession and 14 years behind bars if they supply or produce the drug.
The Conservative proposal has been slammed by cannabis advocates.
Peter Reynolds, the President of CLEAR, described the proposal as 'completely crazy' amid the organisation's work to legalise the drug.
A home office spokesperson said: "There are currently no plans to reclassify cannabis, which is controlled as a Class B drug in the UK on the basis of clear medical and scientific evidence of its harms."
LADbible has contacted the Conservative Party for a comment.
Topics: UK News
Emma Guinness