Decriminalise cannabis: Ex-drug smuggler sways Oxford Union to back can nabis

HOWARD MARKS, a former drugs smuggler, last night won a debate calling for the legislation of cannabis.

Speaking at the Oxford Union, he clashed with anti-drugs campaigners, including Paul Betts, whose daughter, Leah, died after taking ecstasy.

Mr Marks said cannabis should be legalised because current laws outlawing the drug did not work. "Any system which continually implements an increasingly failing policy is insane," he said.

The debate heard that 10 per cent of the population took cannabis and that every 10 minutes 17,000 joints are smoked around the country.

"Cannabis is a plant which was made illegal at some point. That seems pretty wild. It was legal for 86 million years. Cannabis has been proved to be a good medicine for the relief of muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis as well as in treatment for cancer, glaucoma and migraines," he said.

In a reference to his former "profession", Mr Marks said he had personal knowledge of how easy it was to get the drug.

Current laws made criminals out of people such as MS sufferers, who had to turn to drug-dealers.

Mr Betts, an anti-legalisation campaigner, said the argument that cannabis did not lead on to taking harder drugs did not hold water. Cannabis smoked today was far stronger than that smoked during the 1960s, although he agreed that its use for medicinal purposes should be allowed, if it passed clinical trials.

During the debate Graham Ball, who heads the Independent on Sunday's Decriminalise Cannabis campaign, spoke in favour of the motion, which was won by 293 votes to 188.