Legalising cannabis won’t tackle disproportionate policing outcomes for ethnic minorities, crime minister says

The policing and crime minister rejected Sadiq Khan’s cannabis review as a possible measure to reduce inequalities

Campaigners say racial disparity in relation to drug offences is wider than sentencing (PA)

Legalising cannabis won't tackle disproportionate policing outcomes for ethnic minorities but the issue does need to be tackled, the crime minister says.

Sadiq Khan announced this week a review into cannabis legalisation, a measure charities have said could tackle racial inequalities in the criminal justice system which sees Black offenders 1.4 times more likely to be jailed for drug offences compared to their white counterparts.

Although policing and crime minister, Kit Malthouse, strongly opposed the London Mayor's review he said the government does need to address inequality within police outcomes for ethnic groups.