Under-25s oppose drugs law overhaul

Most young people flatly reject radical changes to Britain's drugs laws, a poll finds today.

Seven out of 10 people between 16 and 25 years old think they should be allowed to smoke cannabis, but big majorities oppose legalisation of hard drugs. Most reject legalising cannabis dealing.

The online poll by YouGov for the New Statesman shows 23 per cent think it should be legal to possess ecstasy, 19 per cent speed, 17 per cent LSD, 15 per cent cocaine and 10 per cent heroin.

There is even bigger opposition to any move to allow dealers to ply their trade in the open. This applies even to cannabis, with only 29 per cent wanting to legalise dealing.

Fewer than one in 10 want dealing in any of the other five drugs to be made legal. The proportions range from nine per cent for ecstasy to just three per cent for heroin.

Support for radical reform of Britain's drugs laws is slightly higher among those between 23 and 25 years old.