Exclusive: Ex-top cop backs decriminalization

A former Police Commissioner and National Security spokesman has said cannabis should be decriminalized.

Jonathan Smith, who left the force in 2006 after 27 years, said: “Some form of decriminalization for cannabis would be appropriate.” But he stressed: “That is different from out-and-out legalization.”

Mr Smith, who was Police Commissioner for five years, spoke out after Attorney General and Minister for Justice Mark Pettingill exclusively told the Bermuda Sun that he planned to take the issue of cannabis and marijuana to the House of Assembly for a ‘take note’ motion.

The former Senator and Upper House National Security spokesman said: “I welcome the fact that there is going to be a take note motion.

“The best thing to do is reserve any comment — if the Members of Parliament do their research it should be a productive debate.”

Mr Smith added: “This discussion came up more than ten years ago and we are no further ahead than we were then. I would say let’s have the debate and see what information is brought to the public.”

And he hinted that a referendum, rather than a non-binding debate in the House of Assembly. could be the way to settle the issue.

He said: “At least it may give us an indication of the current sentiments of our elected members — although I’d much rather the public spoke out than have elected people dictate our way forward as a country.”

But he added: “Any chance an issue like that is taken to the next level or to the House of Assembly for a debate is a good thing.”

Mr Pettingill told the Bermuda Sun last week that parts of the US, the UK and European countries had opted for decriminalization or the downgrading of possession of marijuana in small, personal amounts.

He appeared on Hott 107’s new radio talk show Generation Now, hosted by Rajai Denbrook to talk about marijuana and said the majority of callers to show appeared to back a relaxation in the law.

Both Mr Pettingill and Mr Denbrook said that, although the show is targeted at young people, many of the callers were older people — suggesting support for a change in existing laws is widespread.

Some US states have legalized marijuana for medical use, while others have either allowed non-medical use or decriminalized possession of small amounts down to the equivalent of a parking ticket.

England and Wales have also loosened their laws, with confiscation and a warning letter the norm for one or two seizures, while Scotland, which has a separate legal system, uses fiscal fines for small amounts of the drug.

Senior police officers in the UK are on record as saying easing up on minor drug offenders allows police to target resources at large-scale dealers instead.

Other European countries have also downgraded cannabis possession or legalized it.