Ed Davey defends support for legalising cannabis and smoking ban

Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has stated that his endorsement of legalizing cannabis does not contradict his support for implementing a gradual smoking ban.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill proposed by the government aimed to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to individuals born after January 1, 2009. However, the bill was not approved before the general election due to time constraints.

The policy had the backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, who were allowed to vote freely without being instructed to support the bill.

Sir Ed expressed to the BBC his desire for a controlled market for cannabis, stating that both strong types of the drug and smoking have a negative impact on people's well-being.

Answering questions from the public during a call-in show on BBC Radio 5 Live, the leader of the Liberal Democrats was inquired about how his approval of the smoking ban may influence his position on the legalization of cannabis.

"Some individuals have mentioned that it is not always reliable while others argue that it stays true to form," he stated.

He mentioned that the party's strategy was to create a controlled marketplace for cannabis, in order to restrict the availability of stronger and riskier varieties like skunk.

"I'm prohibiting skunk because it poses a significant threat to people's health. Similarly, cigarette smoking is undeniably harmful and detrimental to one's well-being," he stated.

He said: "It was quite difficult for me, to be honest, as someone who leans towards liberal views."

I am typically against prohibiting activities, but the evidence supporting the health risks of substances like skunk and cigarette smoking is so compelling. If we truly care about the NHS and the impact on families when they lose a parent, we must take action.

Sir Ed talked about his stance, which was influenced in part by the fact that he had lost both of his parents to cancer.

When questioned about his own experiences with smoking cannabis, he admitted to trying it a few times while in college, but emphasized that it was a rare occurrence.

When asked if the Liberal Democrats would think about making other drugs, like magic mushrooms, legal, he explained that the party's focus is on health policies that are supported by evidence.

The Lib Dem plan, describing what the party would do if they won, promises to eliminate the street selling of "skunk" by creating a lawful and controlled cannabis market.

It states that only those over the age of 18 can purchase the product from authorized sellers, and there will be strict regulations on how strong the product can be.

The manifesto also pledges to reduce the burden on police officers, address the backlog of court cases, and alleviate overcrowding in prisons by redirecting individuals caught with drugs for personal use to treatment programs when necessary.

According to the Conservative Party's proposals, every year the minimum age for buying cigarettes - currently set at 18 - would go up by one year.

This indicates that individuals who were born in 2009 or later will never have the legal ability to purchase cigarettes.

The suggestions would not impact those who are already permitted to purchase cigarettes.

Yet, opponents claim that this could lead to an underground economy that is not overseen or controlled.

Even though there wasn't enough time to approve the law before the election, the Conservatives have confirmed their commitment to the policy in their manifesto.

Labour has promised to implement the ban if they are able to take control.

Both parties do not intend to legalize any drugs.

The manifesto of the Scottish National Party promises to make drug possession for personal use legal.

In the Green Party's manifesto, they pledge to establish a National Commission that will work together to carefully study the evidence and develop a plan for changing drug laws. This will help the UK transition towards a system where drugs are regulated by law.

It is mentioned that Green MPs who are elected would advocate for the decriminalization of personal drug possession.

Reform UK promises that anyone caught selling drugs will receive a life sentence in prison, and they will also introduce a new law for possessing large amounts of drugs which will result in hefty fines.