In my previous reply I promised to ask the Chief Constable about raids on residents homes. She assured me that ten only raids were when criminality was suspected. I hope this answers your question.
I am the Liberal Democrat candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner in Derbyshire and I concur with my party’s view that cannabis should be decriminalised.
Thank you so much for sending me all the useful information concerning cannabis, stop and search and the relative focus of different police authorities on ethnic minorities. I am pleased to see that Derbyshire appears to be in the right half of the league table for unfair activities but one should not be complacent and try to improve things even more.
I will try to answer your specific questions that you posed below.
- Do you agree that Black and Ethnic Minorities are unfairly penalised through Cannabis law?
The evidence is clear and the answer is yes. This is grossly unfair.Do you know how many Black and Ethnic Minorities members of the community are Medical Cannabis patients?
No I don’t know, but I do know that cannabis has medicinal value and medicine should be administered fairly to all groups that need it.
Do you agree with the Canadian model of being able to convert a medical Cannabis prescription into a license to grow your own medical Cannabis.
My Party’s policy, after research and consideration, is that the Canadian model should be followed at this time.
How do you feel about Cannabis being prescribed for none documented stress conditions?
Therapies should ideally be based on evidence of benefit and I would really like to see the evidence. I would also support proper research into establishing the evidence of benefit so that people can take informed decisions.
How do you feel about Medical Cannabis only being available to prescribe by a GMC registered Consultant rather than a GP?
I have a son who is a GP and I am sure he would be very willing to take on additional responsibilities that would lead to better and more rapid evidence based treatments.
Do you believe that Cannabis should continue to be a criminal offense, or should it now be a civil offense?
I have explained my Party’s position.
How do feel about the new CPS sentencing guidelines that have reduced the number of home grow plants from 9 to 7 before a greater offense is considered?
I am not aware of this change. It appears to be a trivial change but I do not know the basis of the thinking.
If you are elected, will you work with your Chief Constable to reduce the number of raids on residents’ homes for growing cannabis for personal use?
I feel as though my answer should be yes, provided that this needs to be done in Derbyshire. I promise I will discuss the current position with the Chief Constable in a meeting I have with her next week.How do you feel your force should respond to community-based Cannabis clubs that grow affordable medical cannabis for those that cannot afford the private clinic, privately funded route to Medicinal Cannabis?
I agree that such clubs could provide a route for professional experts to offer help snd advice where this is needed or required.What do you believe is the future of Policing Cannabis in the UK during your possible term of as a PCC?