A new report “The Social Impact of Cannabis Legalisation,” by the Hanway Company looks deep into the transformative power of cannabis reform and its ripple effects across society.
Published under the banner of First Wednesdays and backed by a consortium of influential organizations, this report is more than just an analysis—it’s a clarion call, highlighting the pressing societal challenges birthed from cannabis prohibition and offering visionary solutions for a brighter future.
The report is structured into three main sections: Social Justice, Criminal Justice, and Social Equity.
Social Justice
The Social Justice section underscores the negative impact of cannabis prohibition on its users, particularly highlighting the adverse police interactions and reduced healthcare services.
The report emphasizes that the impacts of prohibition are felt most acutely by migrants, ethnic minorities, and those from a lower socio-economic status.
Race and class inequalities lead to significant differences in law enforcement outcomes, often manifesting through increased police surveillance in lower-income areas or associations that individuals from a target group are linked to organized crime.
In countries like the UK, where racially disaggregated data is available, the evidence paints a concerning picture of systemic discrimination.
Criminal Justice
The Criminal Justice section delves into the tools available to reduce and mitigate the impact of laws against cannabis.
This includes strategies ranging from removing criminal penalties for cannabis use to addressing past convictions. The report reveals a variety of de-prioritization and decriminalization policies across Europe, both tacit and explicit.
These are set against a backdrop of recreational reform proposals that focus mainly on non-commercial channels of legal access. The report also touches on the challenges even when cannabis is legalized or decriminalized, such as the potential for discriminatory or unevenly-applied enforcement of cannabis laws.
For instance, administrative penalties replacing criminal ones can still be burdensome, like hefty fines or community service requirements that can hinder full or part-time work.
Social Equity
The Social Equity section explores approaches to account for historic harms and discrimination through cannabis reform.
The report emphasizes that when legal opportunities open up, impacted individuals often find themselves at a disadvantage compared to well-funded corporate applicants. They might lack access to capital, legal resources, or influential networks.
However, poorly-managed social equity schemes can further disadvantage these applicants. The report also highlights the experiences of individuals who have benefited from social equity licenses, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities they face.
For instance, many who qualify for social equity programs have been significantly impacted by cannabis prohibition.
By only providing opportunities within the cannabis sector, regulators might inadvertently restrict these individuals. The report suggests that resources allocated for social equity should not be limited to the cannabis industry but should be made accessible to individuals aspiring to start ventures beyond it.
Policing and Cannabis Laws
A significant focus of the report is the relationship between cannabis laws and police interactions. The UK supplements crime statistics with an ethnicity-based analysis of policing and criminal justice interactions.
Evidence suggests that possessing cannabis, or even the suspicion of doing so, is the primary driver of drug-related interactions with the police in the UK.
Over 100,000 cannabis possession offences are recorded annually in England and Wales, making up more than 75% of all drug possession cases.
This disproportionate focus on cannabis possession over more severe drug offences highlights the systemic issues in policing.
The “Child Q” Incident
The case of “Child Q,” a 15-year-old Black girl from East London, serves as a poignant example. Accused by her teachers of smelling like cannabis, she was subjected to a traumatizing strip-search by the Metropolitan Police, even though no evidence was found.
An investigation into this incident suggested that racism likely influenced the officer’s actions, emphasizing the systemic racism faced by Black individuals in the UK.
Home Growing and Social Clubs
Regarding home growing and social clubs, the report suggests that there’s a strong case for legalizing or at least decriminalizing small-scale, non-commercial cannabis cultivation in Europe. According to the data, most home growers are growing for their own personal use, not to start a cannabis empire!
This approach would legitimize the majority of cultivators not linked to organized crime.
Home cultivation has been a key element of cannabis reform in countries like Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany.
The report also discusses the concept of “social clubs” – non-profit cooperatives that produce and distribute cannabis on behalf of their members.
These clubs, which have been active in Europe since the 1990s, offer an alternative to commercial cannabis supply, focusing on local, community production over profit generation.
Malta recently became the first European country to legalize such non-profit associations, with Germany following suit.
Legalization is not enough
The report emphasizes that the mere legalization of cannabis isn’t enough. The industry must actively drive positive social impact and adopt responsible practices.
The document serves as a call to action for Europe to address the social implications of cannabis prohibition and work towards a more equitable and just cannabis industry.
