Drugs: Prohibition and Criminalisation

Lord Paddick Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful for my noble friend’s question. The use of drug courts, and judges having ownership of individuals who go through those courts and of the treatment those individuals get, is extremely important. That is a matter for the Ministry of Justice, but it is certainly something we are encouraging. We have put in place, as we did during previous Labour Governments up to 2010, significant numbers of drug treatment orders, which focus on helping people get off drugs in the first place.

[Lord Paddick (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, when cannabis was reclassified from class C to class B, there was no noticeable reduction in cannabis use. But when excessive use of genetically modified cannabis was publicised as being linked to schizophrenia, the use of cannabis then reduced. Does that not say to the Government that they should be spending more on drugs education?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

It is extremely important that we send messages out throughout the whole of the age range that using drugs has potential difficulties and can cause death. It is important that we do that in schools and raise education for those involved in drug use. Going back to the noble Baroness’s question earlier, it is important that we do that when people are in prison as well, to help them leave prison in a way which improves their behaviour and gives them a better chance in life outside. Those are important issues and not ones the Government will shirk.