HC Deb 12 January 1995 vol 252 c275
13. Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the legalisation of cannabis.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

In the past year, the Home Office has received about 100 representations calling for the legalisation of cannabis.

Mr. Whittingdale

Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the fight against drugs remains at the heart of the Government's crime prevention programme? Does he agree that to legalise cannabis, which the Liberal Democrats voted to support, would seriously undermine that campaign? Will he confirm that he has no intention of adopting such a policy?

Mr. Forsyth

I agree with my hon. Friend. Only the Liberal party could associate itself with something as stupid as the legalisation of cannabis. To do so would send the wrong message to the country about our determination to fight drugs. That determination is clearly underlined in the Green Paper which sets out a strategy to tackle this scourge, which affects every section of every community.