The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has publicly pushed back against the Mayor of London’s recent call for the decriminalisation of small amounts of cannabis, saying drug use remains a significant driver of anti-social behaviour and violent crime across the capital.
Sir Mark Rowley, head of Britain’s largest police force, made the comments during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where he said the Met was not advocating for any changes in the law relating to cannabis possession. His remarks come after the release of a report by the independent London Drugs Commission (LDC), chaired by former Lord Chancellor Lord Charlie Falconer, which recommended decriminalising the possession of small quantities of natural cannabis for personal use.
“We’re not calling for a change in the law,” said Sir Mark. “At the moment, we see drugs at the centre of a lot of crime. Drug dealing is closely linked to violence, particularly in county lines operations, where over 80% of those involved have violent backgrounds. Public drug use is a significant concern for many communities and often leads to anti-social behaviour.”
Sir Mark stressed that officers were regularly responding to complaints from residents about drug use in parks and on high streets, and that drug addiction often fuels acquisitive crimes such as theft and burglary.
While the LDC report did not recommend full legalisation, it did urge the Government to move possession of natural cannabis out of the Misuse of Drugs Act and instead regulate it under the Psychoactive Substances Act. This would mean users caught with small amounts for personal use would no longer face arrest, though production and supply would remain criminal offences.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who set up the commission in 2022, strongly endorsed its findings, arguing that the current approach to cannabis is outdated and unfair. “The London Drugs Commission makes a compelling, evidence-based case for the decriminalisation of small quantities of natural cannabis,” he said. “Current laws cannot be justified given the relative harm of cannabis and the disproportionate impact on certain communities.”
But Sir Mark was unequivocal. “Changing the law is a matter for Parliament,” he said. “From a policing perspective, drug use continues to impact local communities, drive crime, and cause genuine distress.”
The Government also rejected the proposal outright. Matthew Pennycook, the minister for housing, communities and local government, told Times Radio that the Government “has no intention” of reclassifying cannabis from its current status as a class B drug.
A Home Office spokesperson echoed this stance: “We will continue working with police, health, and other services to reduce drug use, improve treatment access, and keep our communities safe.”
The LDC report acknowledged public concerns, especially about visible cannabis use. Lord Falconer said: “We do not support a system that leads to cannabis joints being smoked openly in parks or on the streets. Bylaws could be used to control this kind of behaviour.”
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He also warned against a commercialised cannabis industry, citing problems in countries where full legalisation had occurred. “We’ve seen that legalisation has not eliminated the black market,” he said. “The legal trade cannot always meet demand, and aggressive marketing by big cannabis companies can lead to increased use.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp was also scathing. “Cannabis is illegal for a reason,” he said. “We’ve seen cities in North America suffer as a result of soft drugs policies. Sadiq Khan’s plan risks sending London down the same road. We must stop soft Sadiq before real damage is done.”
Janet Hills, a former Met detective and deputy chair of the LDC, insisted the report was a step towards a fairer approach: “This is a driver for change in our community – it’s about better education, improved healthcare, and a more balanced way of policing.”
As the debate continues, it is clear that the rift between City Hall and Scotland Yard is widening, with no immediate consensus in sight on the future of cannabis policy in the capital.
