In partnership with The Adam Smith Institute.

The tide of legalisation is rising across the world. From Montevideo, Uruguay to Boulder, Colorado and Kingston, Jamaica to Vancouver, BC, more and more countries are contending with the question of how to legalise and regulate cannabis, with each government finding its own answers.

With Canada set to legally regulate cannabis next year, and five more US states voting on the issue in November, including California, on its own 6th largest economy in the world, the issue is increasingly harder for countries this side of the Atlantic to ignore. Questions remain though: How should regulation be enacted? How can it be done without encouraging problem use? Should public health concerns trump efforts to eradicate the black market?

An assembled panel of speakers from across the Conservative Party, including Crispin Blunt MP and former Cameron speechwriter Ian Birrell, will discuss how the UK should prepare itself in light of growing international change. This event is co-hosted with The Adam Smith Institute.

Speakers

Crispin Blunt MP, Foreign Affairs Select Committee

Ian Birrell, Mail on Sunday

Steve Moore, Director, VolteFace

Sam Bowman, Executive Director, Adam Smith Institute

Francesca Washtell, City AM (Chair)

Legalising Cannabis: Lessons From Abroad

Monday 3rd October, 6pm – 7pm

IET Austin Court, 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2NP

Other Events

On Tuesday 4th October, 3pm – 4pm, The Adam Smith Institute will also be discussing their recent new report, Sinnovation, which details how public health problems can reduced through innovation rather than increased regulation. Looking at examples from e-cigarettes to alternatives to alcohol, the discussion is also likely to touch on drug policy reform and features a panel including Professor David Nutt and Christopher Snowdon, of the Institute of Economic Affairs.

On Wednesday 5th October, 8.30am – 9.30am, Transform and Anyone’s Child will be discussing why the Conservative Party need to start taking drugs seriously. The catered panel event will take place in the Fortissimo room at the Hyatt, and will include Sir William Patey, former British ambassador to Afghanistan, Philip Collins, chief leader writer at The Times, Danny Kushlik, founder of Transform, Jane Slater, head of Anyone’s Child, and Rose Humphries, campaigner for Anyone’s Child.

Words by Henry Fisher