No plans to change law on cannabis, No 10 says

There are no plans to change the law on cannabis, Downing Street has said, after reports the home secretary was considering making it a Class A drug.

No 10 said the government's priority was "cracking down on illegal drugs and the crime they drive".

The Sunday Times had reported that Suella Braverman was considering upgrading cannabis from Class B.

This would mean tougher penalties for possession and potential life sentences for suppliers and producers.

Last week, at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, a group of Conservative police commissioners called for cannabis to be reclassified to a Class A drug, which would put it in the same category as heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.

They argued new health data on cannabis makes the case for re-evaluating penalties.

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According to the Sunday Times, Ms Braverman was also alarmed at evidence linking cannabis to mental and physical health issues and believes deterrence is crucial.

However, cannabis campaigners have dismissed the idea as "crazy" and "dangerous".

Peter Reynolds, the president of Clear, which campaigns against the prohibition of cannabis, said the proposal would increase crime, violence and child exploitation.

Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf was also critical of the idea, describing it as "regressive" and "dangerous".

The SNP politician said one of the first things he would want to do if Scotland became independent would be to implement a "progressive" approach to dealing with drug use to "break the cycle of poverty" and substance abuse.

The penalties for possession of a Class A drug include an unlimited fine and up to seven years in prison.

Suppliers and producers can be sentenced to life.

Sentences for Class B drugs are up to five years for possession and up to 14 years for supply or production.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "There's no plans to change the laws around cannabis.

"Our priority is on cracking down on illegal drugs and the crime they drive. We've launched a drug strategy backed by record investment to deliver a whole-system approach to tackling supply and demand."