He also endorsed the views of the UK Bar Council Chair, Nicholas Green QC, who called for decriminalization last year:

In his recent report to the Bar Council, Mr Green said there was growing evidence that decriminalising personal use could free up police resources, reduce crime and improve public health....This could drastically reduce crime and improve health," [Green] wrote.

...With a prime minister and deputy prime minister both long-standing supporters of alternatives to the war on drugs, at the very least the government must initiate an impact assessment comparing prohibition with decriminalisation and strict legal regulation."

The British Government disagrees. A spokesman for the Home Office responds:

"The government does not believe that decriminalisation is the right approach. Our priorities are clear; we want to reduce drug use, crack down on drug-related crime and disorder and help addicts come off drugs for good."