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Lord Sugar has called for the legalisation of marijuana to stop the slaughter of London youths, after the 250th young person to die from fatal stab wounds in London this year was killed last week.

The Apprentice host called in to Good Morning Britain to argue that the Class B drug should be legal to possess and use, and in doing so the rate of murders would dramatically decline.

Speaking to his old sparring partner Piers Morgan, Lord Sugar revealed: "I had a very strong opinion about two weeks ago when in the House of Lords there was discussion about the use of medical marijuana, which prompted me to ask whether if marijuana was legalised this would put the kibosh on the gangs.

(Image: BBC/Boundless)

"You've got to ask what are they doing this for, is it reprisal for not paying your drugs bill?" he asked of the cause of the multiple stabbings.

But when Piers pointed out that research shows a glut of cocaine in London appears to be fuelling the murder rate, Lord Sugar doubled down.

"You're right, my opinion has changed since I've been listening to the commentary on this. My idea would be, one element of it, if it [marijuana] was legalised it would do away with a lot of gang culture, very similar to Prohibition in America in the 1930s, when alcohol was legalised again it just wiped out the crime and corruption," he argued.

"One [of the aspects driving the stabbings] is the drugs, two is this one-up-man-ship, this status thing, where you're known by your mates for stabbing people."

(Image: Headlinephoto / SplashNews.com)

The businessman then called for famous black people to "do more" in denouncing the use of knives in London.

"It is unfortunately black young kids who are getting involved in this. I would call for black football players and famous black actors to speak out on this and tell the kids, come on, get a life," he said.

"[But] I do like the idea of legalising marijuana to solve let's say 30% of the problem."

While Piers branded his contribution to the conversation "common sense", other GMB viewers pointed out that Lord Sugar hadn't quite got the point.

(Image: ITV)

Supernanny Jo Frost tweeted the Apprentice star to tell him: "These gangs are not selling weed,they are selling cocaine,opioids,heroin, like here in the states. Solution has to be internal and external for families across GB.

"Naive to think it's going to stop gang culture."

Another tweeted: "I suppose Lord Sugar will be bidding for the first weed franchise. That's business already!!"

But others were supportive of his view, with one writing: "It is estimated that 3 million people’s regulary smoke cannabis in the U.K. - it’s got to be legalised because someone’s got to sell it if it’s not the government it will be the gangs!"

*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV